126 . THE CONDOR Vol. XX 



resolved themselves into the feathers of a Short-eared Owl. The close correspondence be- 

 tween the localities where the wing-feathers, and the dead Horned Owl, respectively, 

 were found, immediately linked up in a suggestive manner two events hitherto not 

 guessed to De related. Thereupon, Mr. Swarth, who skinned the Horned Owl, testified 

 that it had already been dead from two to four days when found, and thereby proved a 

 correspondence between the two circumstances in date as well. From these facts and 

 clues, from other evidence (such as the finding by Mr. Swarth of shot in the body of the 

 owl), and from a study of the canyon and an elimination of certain events that probably 

 did not happen, has been constructed the story of what well might have and probably did 

 happen. 



This much at least is positive: A Short-eared Owl has occurred on or near the 

 Campus — which is interesting because this owl has not previously been recorded as a 

 Campus bird. — Richard Hunt, Museum of Vertebrate Zoology, Berkeley, California, 

 March o, 1918. 



Nesting Notes from the San Bernardino Valley. — A nest with five eggs of the Rock 

 Wren {Salpinctes obsoletus) was taken in Colton, California, on March 15, 1917. The 

 weather was unusually cold in January, February and March, 1917; yet this is the earli- 

 est instance that I have noticed. 



On July 4, 1917, I found a Pasadena Thrasher {Toxostoma redivivum pasadenense ) 

 incubating three eggs. Apparently incubation was advanced. Several days later when 1 

 visited the nest I was sorry to find that the eggs had been destroyed. These birds nest 

 early and this is, by far, the latest record that I have. — W. C. Hanjsta, Colton, California, 

 Feoruary 15, 1918. 



The Salton Sink Song Sparrow at Oro Grande, California. — I spent two days, Feb- 

 ruary 17 and 18, 1918, collecting at Oro Grande, near Victorviile on the Mohave Desert, 

 San Bernardino County, California. Nine Song Sparrows were taken, six of which were 

 the San Diego (Melospiza melodia cooperi), two were the Modoc (Melospiza melodia 

 fisherella) , and one was the Salton Sink (Melospiza melodia saltonis). To quote Mr. J. 

 Grinnell, who has examined the specimens, "the saltonis is of particular interest as it 

 seems to be our first known occurrence of this species north of the Colorado desert, prob- 

 ably a winter straggler. Only cooperi has been known to breed along the Mohave River." 

 — Weight M. Pierce, Claremont, California, March 4, 1918. 



A Surprising Trait in the Black-necked Stilt. — One who has observed the Black- 

 necked Stilt (Himantopus mexicanus) in the field or who has considered its extreme spe- 

 cialization as a wader would scarcely suspect it of much ability as a diver, yet it has 

 such ability to no little degree. While collecting at Nigger Slough, in the vicinity of 

 Los Angeles, this spring, I brought down a male Stilt from a flock overhead. The bird, 

 with the tip of one wing injured, came down into open water some eighteen inches in 

 depth. It repeatedly tried to escape by diving. These efforts were watched with much 

 interest on my part, and a fairly good view of the performance was obtained. The wings 

 were used in making progress but the position of the feet was not learned. The injured 

 wing tip was an apparent handicap and the bird did not remain below very well. A dist- 

 ance of some four or five feet was the longest dive made. The adult bird must have 

 practically no use for such an accomplishment in a state of nature. Is it a diver wheD 

 in its infancy? Is this a juvenal character persisting in the adult but coming to the sur- 

 face only under unusual stress? — Loye Miller, State Normal School, Los Angeles, Cali- 

 fornia, May 9, 1918. 



Wood Ibis at San Diego. — A pair of Wood Ibises (Mycteria americana), male and 

 female presumably, which I first observed on March 17, 1918, were here for over one 

 month, and, if they have not been shot, may still be in the vicinity. I never before saw 

 an Ibis here so early. These birds apparently were mated, as they always remained 

 close together when feeding or flying. I have not seen them myself since April 17, but 

 have heard of one being seen lately. My previous earliest record for the species was 

 June 29, 1915, when six appeared and were promptly shot by local gunners, to be left 

 where they fell. It is a pity that the game laws are not recognized to any extent in San 

 Diego city and county by such a large percentage of gunners. — Hexry Grey, San Diego, 

 California, May 1, 1918. 



Evidence on the Food of Hawks and Owls in California. — Most questions as to the 

 food of hawks and owls can be answered by reference to A. K. Fisher's "The Hawks and 

 Owls of the United States in their Relation to Agriculture" (U. S. Dept. Agric, Div. Or- 

 nithology and Mammology, Bull. 3, 1893). In this volume are to be found 210 pages of 



