May, 1921 FROM FIELD AND STUDY 97 
Duck Hawk. Falco peregrinus anatum. One seen. 
Say Phoebe. Sayornis sayus. One seen. 
Intermediate Sparrow. Zonotrichia leucophrys gambeli. A number, apparently 
winter residents, were seen. One shot. 
San Clemente Song Sparrow. Melospiza melodia clementae. Several seen, two 
shot. Not very near breeding. 
Rock Wren. Salpinctes obsoletus. Two seen.—FRANK STEPHENS, Museum of Nat- 
ural History, San Diego, California, March 15, 1921. 
Does the Wren-tit Sing a Scale?—I have so often met with differences of opinion 
regarding the notes of the Wren-tit (Chamaea fasciata), and these differences of opinion 
spring from the minds of such excellent bird students, that I am led to offer a word 
regarding my own impressions of the bird’s vocalization. I had thought Dr. J. Grin- 
nell’s paper (Conpor, xv, 1913, pp. 178-181) a pronouncement, almost, of the last word 
upon the subject; and as I review his excellent article, there appears but little for me to 
add. In his analysis of notes, under caption A, no. 1, he describes what is perhaps the 
most commonly recognized performance of this bird in these words: ‘‘Loud series of 
staccato notes all on the same pitch but with decreasing intervals, the last of the series 
run together to form a trill: pit-pit-pit-pit-pit-tr-r-r-r-r. Several counts gave from three 
to five of the first, distinctly-uttered notes.” With this description of note no. 1, my 
impression agrees almost absolutely. Only very rarely have I heard the slightest degree 
of flatting from the original pitch as the interval of time diminishes. Yet again and 
again, during work with many academic generations of students, have I had the question 
asked, ‘““What is the bird in the hills that sings down the scale?” I have long since ceased 
to suggest the Canyon Wren, but attempt instead the call of the Wren-tit (keeping at 
least on the pitch), and they at once recognize the bird. Just what is the psychology of 
interpreting this note as a descending scale, it is hard to state, except it be suggestion 
of falling bodies by the accelerated tempo. Certainly the average listener would not 
consider that flatting by less than a quarter of a tone could properly be considered as a 
descending scale. 
The only marked decline in pitch that I have recognized for the Wren-tit is de- 
scribed in Grinnell’s note no. 3 which he syllabifies as keer-keer-keer-keer, with slightly 
falling pitch. Here the decline in pitch does not exceed one and a half or two tones 
during the repetition of five to ten notes. Certainly such would constitute a pretty 
tinely chromatic scale. 
Perhaps I may be pardoned for adding a suggestion or two in regard to Grinnell’s 
syllabification of note no. 1. The simple pit-pit-pit-, etc., can be fairly well imitated by 
the human whistle, but the bird sometimes complicates the performance by a grace note 
that renders the syllabification more properly plit-plit-plit, or even tupit-tupit-tupit. I 
have never yet met the mere human who could reproduce this variant to any degree 
accurately. Then, again, this note is capable of a remarkable degree of ventriloquism 
and this fact is made use of by the bird, whether with intent to deceive or not, I can 
not say; but certainly it produces a deceptive effect. 
I appreciate the fact that these remarks do not constitute any decided addition to 
our sum of knowledge; but it is hoped that they may serve as a corroboration of the 
previous observations referred to, on this unique bird.—LoyrE MI.LirrR, Southern Branch, 
University of California, Los Angeles, February 17, 1921. 
Southern California Screech Owl in Western Orange County.—Although I had met 
with this owl in the live oak association of the Puente Hills, ten miles to the northeast, 
and in the Orange County Park, twenty miles to the east, it was not until 1913 that 1 
observed it in the vicinity of Buena Park. Thirty years ago this vicinity was a treeless 
plain, but now some of the eucalyptus trees are quite large, especially those on our prop- 
erty. Screech Owls (Otus asio quercinus) first appeared in December, 1913, and have 
since been seen, and more often heard, during every month of the year. I have suspected 
them of nesting for several years, but as the only large trees are eucalyptus, which 
afford poor shelter for this purpose, I was rather doubtful until June 13, 1920, when my 
wife and I found two adults feeding three full-fledged young in some trees near our house. 
They appeared at dusk on the lower branches of the trees, and the old birds hunted by 
