14 THE CONDOR Vol. XX 



invisible in the gathering dusk against the dark background of the moist rock 

 wall. This species is following the example of the Black Phoebe (Sayornis 

 nigricans) and is taking to building its nest on the timbers under bridges. In 

 the Yosemite two cases of this sort occurred in the past nesting season. The 

 rumble and jarring of the great stream of automobiles together with their 

 strident honking seemed to have no effect in deterring these avian architects 

 from taking advantage of such sheltered spots, nor even in disturbing their 

 serenity. 



The Water Ouzel, or Dipper, is rather common in the valley and in fact all 

 along the Merced River from its sources in the higher Sierras down to where 

 broken water ceases as the stream nears the lowlands. Several were noted 

 from the car windows of the passing train far below the Yosemite Valley, and 

 it has been variously reported from the very highest Sierras. It is never tame 

 enough to permit very close approach, and yet sufficiently so to be easily seen 

 and watched. A number of visitors to the valley have remarked upon its in- 

 teresting habit of walking under water on the bottoms of the streams, 

 and have seen it close enough to notice some of its other peculiarities, such as 

 its funny ways of "bobbing", and its manner of dodging around amid the 

 ^spray of the waterfalls. The song of the Ouzel was not heard until the last days 

 of September, by which time the birds seemed to have gotten through with their 

 family cares and the troubles of the moulting season and once more to feel like 

 expressing their happiness in song. A pleasant little song it is. 



The tamest birds in the valley were the Western Robin (Plancsticus migra- 

 torius propinquus), Black-headed Grosbeak (Zamelodia melanocephala) and 

 Western Tanager (Piranga ludoviciana) . While the robins were probably the 

 most fearless of these three varieties, there were times and places when the other 

 two almost allowed themselves to be stepped upon. Robins breed in numbers in 

 the valley, and become as sociable as they are in the eastern states., 



Families of Black-headed Grosbeaks would gather on the ground where a 

 little hay had been scattered and become so busy picking out the grains 

 from the dried stalks of oats, wheat or barley that they would permit a person 

 to approach within a couple of yards before troubling to get out of the way. 

 Even then they would sometimes take only a few steps to one side and assume an 

 injured expression. Instances were related of how they had flown on to camp 

 tables when the owners were at meals, and had gotten away with the butter ! In 

 fact, from tales that were told, it would seem that butter was one of their favor- 

 ite articles of diet. 



Western Tanagers also nest to some extent in the valley. They were occa- 

 sionally seen in August, but grew more and more numerous, evidently gathering 

 from far and wide, as the berries of the "cascara sagrada" became ripe, upon 

 which they regaled themselves seemingly almost to the point of bursting. At the 

 loot of a cedar tree close to the writer's tent in Camp Curry was one of these 

 bashes covered with fruit, near which many people passed in the course of the 

 day along one of the camp avenues. Almost touching the bush was a round table 

 three or four feet in diameter, and beside it a rustic rocking chair. In spite of 

 people passing, tanagers would drop down from the cedar tree, even when the 

 chair was occupied, and if the occupant kept still and was apparently indifferent 

 to their actions, would go so far as to alight on the table. Had there been suffi- 

 ciently strong light, good snap shots could have been taken of birds feeding inside 

 of six feet, but it was too dark under the trees. 



