Jan., 1918 EARLY AUTUMN BIRDS IN YOSEMITE VALLEY 15 



The Green-tailed Towhee (Oreospiza chlorura) may possibly breed to a 

 small extent in the valley, but if so it seemed to be rather shy in August, and 

 certainly very silent. None was encountered until September 5, all hough one 

 or two were reported as seen on the edge of the meadow jusl across the road 

 from Camp Curry several days before this date. After this they increased in 

 numbers, and in favorite spots — notably at the eastern end of Sequoia Lane- 

 one might see eight or ten inside of a couple of hundred yards. About a quar- 

 ter of a mile west from the end of this lane was a hedge of choke cherries, 

 loaded down with fruit, alongside of a fence. As this ran north and south, 

 with open fields on each side, it received all the sun there was, and seemed to 

 be the most attractive place in the valley for some varieties of birds, among 

 which were the Green-tailed Towhee and the Sacramento Towhee (Pipilo 

 macnlatus falcinellus). 



In this hedge were also some cascara bushes, and near one end was a water- 

 ing trough that was constantly overflowing. Some trees were scattered along 

 while parts of the hedge were quite thick, and taking it altogether more individ- 

 ual birds were seen here than in any other place in the whole valley. Band-tailed 

 Pigeons (Cejlumba fasciata) and Western Robins often crowded on the cherry 

 bushes, already loaded near to the breaking point with their brilliantly colored 

 fruit; and late in September shelter was sought therein by flocks of Thurber 

 Juncos (Junco hyemalis tlnirbcri) and Gambel Sparrows (Zonotrichia leuco- 

 phrys gambeli) as they gathered from the higher ranges, while at all times was 

 this hedge used as headquarters by numbers of Western Chipping Sparrows 

 (Spizella passerina arizonae) , as well as by the towhees mentioned above. 



The juncos bred to some extent throughout the valley, but at first were only 

 seen occasionally — a family here and there among the camps, where they would 

 come around looking for table scraps, and be very friendly. The juvenal plum- 

 age of the younger members was especially interesting. Well along in Septem- 

 ber the numbers increased rapidly until there were several flocks in the valley 

 like those we are accustomed to see during the winter season near the coast ; but 

 whether or not they were all tlnirbcri remained unproven. 



Both Widmann and Grinnell mention the White-crowued Sparrow (Zono- 

 trichia leucophrys leucophrys) as occurring in the valley. Probably both writers 

 referred to the higher elevations around the valley, as none were noted by the 

 writer upon its floor although W. L. Dawson records one nest found June 10. 

 1914, at 4000 feet altitude, on the banks of the Merced River (Condor, xviii, 

 Januar} r , 1916, p. 28). The Gambel Sparrow (Zonotrichia leucophrys gambeli), 

 however, was identified (the first time seen, and one taken) on September IS, 

 and rapidly increased in numbers after that date until there were several good- 

 sized flocks, presumably all of this form. 



Another spot much favored by birds was the edge of the meadow just 

 across the auto road from Camp Curry, where a few bunches of bushes and small 

 trees gave good shelter, and from there across the road two or three hundred feet 

 to the LeConte Lodge where larger trees, such as oaks and conifers, seemed to 

 be a popular feeding ground. The bird life around here was second only, numer- 

 ically, to that in the choke cherry hedge spoken of above, some being in evidence 

 there at any time of day. The writer's first observations were made here on 

 the morning of August 19, when Western Chipping Sparrows (Spizella passerina 

 arizonae), House Finches (Carpodacus mexicanus frontalis), Black-headed Gros- 

 beaks (Zameloclia melanocephala) , California Yellow Warblers (Bendroica aes- 



