Jan., 1918 



FROM FIELD AND STUDY 45 



County, on August 28, 1917. The bird is likewise an immature individual, showing pale 

 margins on the mantle feathers. 



The species is not uncommon in Oregon east of the Cascade Mountains during the 

 breeding season; but what is the southward migration route from that region? The reg- 

 ular pathway must make a very positive thrust to the eastward, or else the species would 

 be common in California as a transient. Are these two juvenals, taken more than twen 

 ty years apart in the San Diegan Region, just inexperienced navigators who neglected to 

 put the helm hard over as they set forth for the winter home of the species?— Loye Mil- 

 ler, State Normal School, Los Angeles, California. 



Northern Owls Again Visit Washington. — The indications for the fall of 1917 are 

 very much the same as were those of 1916 as regards the migration of two of the large 

 owls. 



The Dusky Horned Owls {Bubo virginianus saturatus) are again very plentiful 

 and many game birds have been destroyed by them. A number of these owls have been 

 killed, all that I have examined appearing to be saturatus. though showing a rather wide 

 range of variation. As was the case last. year, nearly all of them have been females; in 

 fact I have seen no males at all this season. 



One markedly noticeable feature in the Dusky Horned Owls taken this fall is the 

 great luxuriance of feathers. In the made-up skin this is seen to best advantage about 

 the legs and feet, where the hair-like feathers closely resemble a long and heavy coat of 

 fur. Looking over my series of these owls taken in the past few years I can find none 

 that are nearly as well feathered as those of the present season. This may, perhaps, sug- 

 gest a very severe winter, but up to date it has been about the mildest that I have ever 

 seen here. 



The Snowy Owls (Nyctea nyctea) have also again put in their appearance, in spite 

 of the summer-like weather. The first reported was shot on the Nisqually Flats, Thurs- 

 ton County, on November 11, 1917. Another was shot in the same locality on November 

 14. As was the case with the early arrivals last year, the stomachs were empty and the 

 birds very thin, which I think shows that the owls were at a loss what to catch for food. 

 This was my theory last year, when ducks and other small birds were as plentiful as 

 they are now. — J. H. Bowles, Tacoma. Washington, December 17, 1017. 



September Notes from Keddie, Plumas County, California. — Evening Grosbeaks 

 (Hespenphona vespertina calif ornica) were several times seen along Butterfly Creek. 

 On September 11 a large flock was encountered. In immatures, at least, the molt was 

 not yet completed, the feathers of the crown being more or less in sheath. 



A female Williamson Sapsucker (Sphyrapicus thyroideus thyroideus) was taken 

 near Keddie, September 11. This was the only one seen. 



Pipits (Anthus rubescens) were plentiful on the muddy flats at Smith Lake, alti- 

 tude 3700 feet, three miles south of Keddie, when I visited that locality September 19. 



Pileated Woodpeckers {Phloeotomus pileatus picinus) were frequently heard and 

 seen near Keddie. I flushed individuals now and then from their feeding grounds about 

 the bases of old stumps. So engrossed were they on such occasions that I could ap- 

 proach within thirty feet. 



The White-headed Woodpecker (Xenopicus albolarvatus albolarvatus), like the 

 Lewis, is a woodpecker of erratic disposition, sometimes very shy, again surprisingly in- 

 different to human presence. As a rule, it was easily approached when feeding among 

 burnt-over timber. Often seen to begin its inspection of a tree at the base, working very 

 deliberately to the first limbs, then a-wing to another tree. Very responsive to the "hand- 

 clap" decoy, and frequently at such times uttering a call bearing rememblance to certain 

 notes of the Brewer Blackbird. None of the specimens taken had fully completed molt- 

 ing; the old and new body feathers were pretty well mixed. 



Song Sparrows (Melospiza melodia fisherella) were fairly common, and from some 

 quite young individuals taken I would infer that this is the breeding form. 



The Band-tailed Pigeon (Columba fasciata fasviata) was not common during my 

 stay in the region. I saw a single bird about a spring on several dates, the latest being 

 September 26. 



Sierra Grouse (Dendragapus obscurus sierrae) are sometimes forced by the snow 



