52 THE CONDOR Vol. XXIV 
hot, and the birds not much in evidence at that period of the day, although 
Lamb found a spot near the river late cne afternoon that had quite a number 
moving around or feeding in it. 
Whether the sparrows we saw on the 4th and 5th of October were migrat- 
ing or not we could not at first determine, but there did not seem to be any- 
thing about their actions that would lead ene to conclude that such was the 
ease. In order to determine this better | went on the morning of Oetober 6 to 
the narrow canyon where the fox sparrows had been so numerous on the pre- 
ceeding day. If none was there the conclusion that they were migrating would 
‘naturally be reached. A few ‘“‘squeaks’’ from me, however, filled the sur- 
rounding bushes with an excited lot of birds eager to find out the cause for 
this unwonted noise. With a little Lining up, from a couple to half a dozen 
individuals might have been secured at a single shot with my 20-gauge gun, 
could one have backed far enough away to avoid blowing them to pieces. 
In order to see whether the fox sparrows were mostly congregated in this 
canyon a tour was made, where cattle or goat trails permitted, through the 
brush on a hillside coverine an area of something like half a mile square, and 
it was found that these sparrows could be ‘‘squeaked up’’ anywhere in this 
territory, from one or two up to six or eight appearing every time such a trial 
was made. If a similar condition exists over all the territory covered by the 
thorn bush in this locality, these birds must have been here in thousands. 
Later that morning | went down the river canyon and found fox spar- 
rows scattered all along wherever suitable places oceurred. At the same time 
Lamb went into the brush on another hillside across the river and reported 
similar conditions there, with ‘‘half a dozen fox sparrows around me all the 
time’’, as he expressed it. As the large majority of these birds were of the 
same subspecies not very many were taken, our efforts being principally con- 
fined to observation and to seeurine any individuals that appeared darker or 
lighter than the others. The thorn bush here bears quantities of small. round 
seeds about the size of, and somewhat resembling, the hemp seed used as a 
food for canary birds, and this food appeared to be what attracted such num- 
bers of the sparrows to this loeality. 
While it would have been advisable to remain here for some time in order 
to learn more of what the fox sparrows might do, there were weightier rea- 
sons for our leaving it, which we did, much to my regret. on the morning of 
October 7. The only other stop on the way back to San Franciseo was made 
on Rattlesnake Creek, near Cummings P. O., Mendocino County, California. a 
loeality best known today by the presence in the vicinity of an inn. much fre- 
quented by automobilists, known as ‘‘Twin Rocks Hotel’’. Our means of 
transportation acted exeeedinely mean aud finally ceased to transport. so that 
here we were laid up for several days for necessary revairs. Althouch there 
was a %o°d deal of brush on the hillsides in places and up some of the ean- 
yons. we failed to find any traces whatever of fox sparrows in this vicinity and 
our observations upon that genus were abruptly ended. 
No matter at which camp fox sparrows were secured during this trip. they 
are anparently nearly all of one subspecies.. Thev appear to be practically of 
‘the same form as the darkest colored individuals we had taken during the 
field work of the two previous autumns and which T have placed as the Sootv 
Fox Sparrow (Passerella iliaca fuliginosa), although but few are typical, 
