May, 1922 FROM FIELD AND STUDY 101 
did not, at the time, know the rarity of the object of my vision. However, there is no 
question in my mind as to its identity. It crept up and around the trunk of one tree 
and then did the same on another tree, in full view from the window.—Mrs. T. F. JoHN- 
son, National City, California, March 27, 1922. 
Ring-necked Ducks in Golden Gate Park, San Francisco, California*.—On the 
morning of March 6, 1922, Mr. C. R. Thomas, of the Audubon Association of the Pacific, 
kindly telephoned to Dr. Barton Warren Evermann, of the California Academy of Sci- 
ences, that he had the day before seen some Ring-necked Ducks (WMarila collaris) on one 
of the Chain of Lakes in Golden Gate Park. Acting upon this information, Dr. Ever- 
mann and I repaired to the scene and found the ducks still there. We found Mr. A. 8. 
Kibbe, president of the Audubon Association, also on the ground for the same purpose 
as ourselves. At the time of this visit the ducks were asleep on the water with their 
heads laid on their backs, and, as the light was not good, it was difficult to distinguish 
the female of this species from the Ruddy Duck (Hrismatura jamaicensis). 
As the light was better in the afternoon I took Mr. Chase Littlejohn with me and 
found matters much improved on the lake. The light was just right and the birds were 
moving around. As a result of this we succeeded in counting seven males and twenty 
females in the flock. On this occasion we met Mrs. Jane Schlesinger close to the lake 
and had the pleasure of showing the ducks to her. Mr. Littlejohn states that this species 
of duck used to be quite common on the southern part of San Francisco Bay, and that he 
had seen many flocks of them, as well as many of the birds brought in to Redwood City 
by hunters. But this was the first time I, myself, had ever had the opportunity to see 
a flock of these ducks. Mr. Kibbe has already made a brief report of the event in the 
Gull (vol. 4, no. 3), but it seemed of sufficient importance to warrant enlarging upon 
and presenting to the readers of the Conpor.—JOSEPH MAILLIARD, San Francisco, March 
oo, 1922. 
Field Notes from Riverside and Imperial Counties, Californiaa—On March 27, 1922, 
I took a nest with one egg of the Mexican Ground Dove (Chaemepelia passerina palles- 
cens) at Winterhaven, Imperial County, across the Colorado River from Yuma, Arizona. 
The female was incubating. I had been observing the pair for some moments. When 
first seen they were perched side by side on a slender branch near the nest. They then 
flew to the ground and copulated. The nest was in a slender willow on the edge of an 
irrigation ditch, about eight feet from the ground, wedged between the main trunk and 
one slender branch. I saw two other pairs of Ground Doves in the same general region, 
one of which was evidently also nesting, as the female returned persistently to the same 
clump of bushes. 
The only other published record of the nesting of this species in California of 
which I am aware is that of Leo Wiley for Palo Verde, Imperial County (Condor, vol. 
18, 1916, p. 2830). The time of nesting is not mentioned in his note. Gilman (Condor, 
vol. 13, 1911, p. 54) says that the earliest nest found at Pima, Arizona, was on July 7. 
Lark Buntings (Calamospiza melanocorys) were seen in small flocks at four dif- 
ferent points between Banning and Yuma, feeding in washes or in open fields. One 
flock of about thirty birds was noted at the head of San Gorgonio Pass about a mile 
below Banning. On January 3, 1922, a flock of about twenty was noted at Thermal. 
About a mile below Banning the last Cactus Woodpecker (Dryobates scalaris cac- 
tophilus) was noted. A single Lesser Yellow-legs (Totanus flavipes) was seen near 
Lrawley on March 28, feeding with a flock of about twenty Greater Yellow-legs.—RALPH 
HOFFMANN, Carpinteria, California, April 4, 1922. 
Some Water Birds Seen in San Gorgonio Pass.—Several species are seen regu- 
larly passing overhead during the migrations. Large flocks of White Pelicans (Pele- 
canus erythrorhynchos) go over in spring and fall. They usually fly at a great height, 
in V-shaped flocks, occasionally circling about for a while before going on. Wild Geese 
of several species appear in the spring, and Cranes (Grus canadensis or G. mexicana) 
go over occasionally. 
The reservoir at Banning attracts many water birds. Cormorants (Phalacrocorax 
auritus albociliatus) are frequently seen there, and Mallards (Anas platyrhynchos) and 
*Contribution No. 147 from the California Academy of Sciences. 
