ry 
i “a 
> 
168 THE CONDOR Vol. XXIII 
being in the direction in which the flock was progressing. Certain of the birds were 
always on the alert more than others and when approached would utter a soft chucking 
sound which has been described as “whit, whit, whit”. I have seen, on a few occasions, 
birds posted in orchard trees near where the flock was feeding. Whlie they were usu- 
ally engaged in preening their plumage they were probably sentinels on guard for they 
were the first to utter the cry of alarm when approached. 
Early in April the large flock of birds began to decrease in size and instead of 
{here being twenty-three birds in the flock there were at first two flocks of smaller size 
and later in the month I failed to find more than seven birds together at any one time. 
Aiso, instead of using the same brush pile as a place of refuge, two other brush piles at 
the opposite side of the orchard were appropriated by a part of the flock. 
My observations were brought to a close the first of May and while no nests had 
been made as yet, it was probable that the flocks further subdivided into pairs or 
groups of threes for nesting purposes. The assemblage of the birds in large flocks after 
the nesting season will make an interesting study. Do the birds from each individual 
nest remain together and constitute a flock till the next breeding season, or do several 
families unite in the autumn?—JoHN F. KESSEL, Berkeley, California, June 18, 1921. 
The Doves of Imperial County, Californiaw—The intention of the observations 
recorded in this article was to determine the extent of the breeding season of the doves 
nesting in Imperial County. Of the three species nesting in this immediate locality 
(Brawley) two, the Western Mourning Dove (Zenaidura macroura marginella) and the 
Mexican Ground Dove (Chaemepelia passerina pallescens) are residents. The third, the 
Western White-winged Dove (Melopelia asiatica mearnsi) is migratory. 
A nest of the White-winged Dove was found May 24, 1921, about a mile from my 
ranch, containing two full-grown young. 
The Mourning Dove furnished the following data in 1920: 
January 18, 1 nest containing 2 eggs 
February 7, 3 nests containing 2 eggs 
May 10, 10 nests contained eggs or young 
June 22, 16 nests contained eggs or young 
July 17, 7 nests contained eggs or young 
August 12, 5 nests contained eggs or young 
September 23, 1 nest contained eggs or young 
The Ground Dove furnished the following data: 
January 22, 1 nest containing 2 full grown young 
February 14, same nest containing 2 eggs 
April 10, 1 nest containing 2 eggs 
May 5, 1 nest containing 2 eggs 
June 2, 2 nests containing 2 eggs 
August 12, 1 nest containing 2 eggs 
September 23, 1 nest containing 2 eggs 
November 7, an old dove seen feeding half-grown young 
The Mexican Ground Dove appears to be partial to old nests, using its own or 
that of a Mourning Dove generally; but I have seen a pair trying a Sonora Red-winged 
Blackbird’s nest; and during 1921 a pair has used an old Abert Towhee’s nest for three 
broods, beginning to sit January 30, on the first eggs, and June 21, on the third set. I 
have never seen more than five of these doves about at one time. The area covered con- 
tains about one acre, the farm residence and 83 trees, mostly eucalyptus and a few pep- 
per-trees.—JoHN C. ForTiner, Brawley, California, July 1, 1921. 
A Specimen of the Black Swift from San Diego County, California.—With one ex- 
ception, all of the published records of the occurrence of the Black Swift (Cypseloides 
niger borealis) in southern California, which have come to the writer’s notice, have been 
based on “sight” records. The securing of a specimen by J. B. Dixon, 4 miles north of 
Hscondido, San Diego County, California, on June 5, 1921, is therefore of interest. This 
bird was picked up under a telephone wire. It had met death by flying into the wire as 
