34 ‘ THE CONDOR ; Vol. XXIV 
Duck Hawk (Falco peregrinus anatum). About a dozen Duck Hawks were seen 
during the September flight. On the thirteenth, a flock of Cinnamon Teal whizzed past 
my head as I stood on the bank of Silvies River. They were traveling at a terrific rate 
of speed, but not until they had passed did 1 see the Duck Hawk close behind. Within 
a few seconds after passing me it struck one of the teal, and made for a nearby cliff with 
its victim. On August 24, late in the evening, while with a companion trying to secure 
a yellow-headed blackbird, a Duck Hawk darted viciously into a flock of blackbirds. As 
it was about to strike, it saw me and swung over my companion who brought it down as 
it passed overhead. It proved to be a fine adult male. 
Pigeon Hawk (Falco coluwmbarius columbarius). An immature female bird was 
secured on September 16, 1919, as it flew over. 
Desert Sparrow Hawk (Falco sparverius phalaena). This is very common during 
September and October; it is less so in May and June, but is in evidence along the roads 
every day.—Ira N. GABRIELSON, Portland, Oregon, October 24, 1921. 
The Validity of the Catalina Island Quail.—A series of sixteen quail from Cata- 
lina Island, of which thirteen are winter and three are fresh fall specimens, was re- 
cently examined by us. These bear out precisely the characters as given by J. Grinnell 
in his description of the form Lophortyx [californica] catalinensis, in The Auk, vol. 23, 
1906, pp. 262-265. An additional character to which we wish to call attention is the wing 
formula of catalinensis as compared with vallicola. In catalinensis, the seventh primary 
is longest in thirteen out of the sixteen (or 81.25 percent), and the seventh and sixth 
are equal and longest in the remaining three (or 18.75 percent). The eighth primary is 
equal to or longer than the fifth in exactly the same high proportion. In a series of 
seventeen vallicola, from the San Diegan district, the seventh primary is longest in only 
three birds (or 17.65 percent), the remaining fourteen having the sixth, sixth and sev- 
enth, or fifth, sixth, and seventh longest. The eighth is equal to or longer than the fifth 
in only four (or 23.53 percent). It will thus be seen that the Island wing is the more 
pointed of the two. The wing formula of L. californica californica seems to be quite 
similar to that of catalinensis; but as most of our birds are moulting, we cannot be posi- 
tive on this point. 
Three birds from the southern San Joaquin Valley agree in some particulars of 
coloration with those from Catalina, namely, in color of flanks and broad striping on 
under tail coverts. However, the resemblance ceases here, for they are quite as small 
as the average vallicola from the San Diegan district (see Grinnell, Auk, vol. 23, p. 263). 
The one available quail from Los Coronados Islands (collection of H. Wright) has the 
small foot and bill of vallicola, but is too badly worn to give any comparative color 
values. 
Catalinensis is a perfectly valid race and is quite as well differentiated from 
vallicola as is vallicola from californica proper. The pronounced characters preclude the 
possibility of artificial introduction, and it is difficult to understand why it has not been 
given equal standing with other insular forms, such as the horned larks and song spar- 
rows, not to mention the San Clemente House Finch!—D. R. Dickry and A. J. vAN Ros- 
SEM, Pasadena, California, November 26, 1921. 
Virginia Rail and Flammulated Screech Owl in the San Bernardino Mountains.— 
On July 16, 1921, and again on the 17th, a Virginia Rail (Rallus virginianus) was seen 
near the mouth of Rathbun Creek, Big Bear Lake. It was feeding in marshy ground be- 
side the road, and when passed in an auto could be closely observed. When we returned 
on foot, however, we could not find it. 
On July 17 and 18, both morning and evening, the peculiar, ventriloquial, notes of 
the Flammulated Screech Owl (Otus flammeolus) were heard in the vicinity of the IS 
Ranch, Big Bear Lake; and on the 19th and 20th we heard the same notes at the Fish 
Hatchery at the north base of Sugarloaf Mountain. We did not succeed in seeing any 
of the producers of these strange calls at either place, repeating our experience with this 
species at Dry Lake, July, 1920, where we failed on three evenings to catch sight of one. 
—JoHN McB. Rosertson, Buena Park, California, December 4, 1921. 
