Sept., 1922 FROM FIELD AND STUDY 185 
hundred individuals. My observations of the Vaux Swift have heretofore been made 
only within its breeding range; while this is my first observance of a migrating flock, 
such an immense gathering of this rather rare wilderness dweller is no doubt a most 
unusual occurrence.—H. H. SHELDON, Santa Barbara, California, June 15, 1922, 
Nesting of the Spotted Sandpiper on the Russian River.—As the Spotted Sand- 
piper (Actitis macularia) breeds but sparingly and locally along the larger streams of 
the coast belt and is thought to be a rare species in the coast region north of Santa 
Barbara (Grinnell, Distributional List of the Birds of California, p. 53; Grinnell, Bryant 
and Storer, Game Birds of California, pp. 431-437) a definite instance of its breeding on 
the Russian River may be of sufficient interest to record. During the period May 29, 
1922, to June 2, 1922, I spent a few hours each day observing birds along the Russian 
River between Hilton and Cosmo in Sonoma County, California, and frequently saw one 
and sometimes two adult birds of this species flying along the river, always very close 
to the surface of the water and following the course of the river. These birds flew in 
the characteristic manner of this species, that is, without raising the wings above the 
back. They did not fly at all in the manner of sandpipers commonly seen along the 
shores of San Francisco Bay. Parties of people in boats or canoes did not disturb the 
course of flight except to cause the birds to swerve to avoid the obstacles by a few 
yards only. 
Again during the period July 20, 1922, to July 26, 1922, I visited the same terri- 
tory and saw the adult birds and two very small young on a pebbly beach on the right 
bank of the river about opposite Cosmo. The adult birds were seen flying as before 
but the young birds could not be induced to fly, although they ran very well and were 
very apt in hiding in the brush along the bank of the river and in concealing them- 
selves among the stones. The adult birds exhibited the habit of constantly tilting or 
bobbing the tail, and symptoms of the same trait were slightly noticeable in the young. 
The food procured apparently consisted of insects, in pursuing which the tilting or bob- 
bing of the tail was greatly accelerated. 
I visited this particular beach every day on my last trip, except the first and last 
days, and found the birds there each time. Upon my approach one of the adult birds 
began calling and the two tiny young would scurry off along the shore until they found 
a hiding place. The opportunities I had of seeing the birds repeatedly at close range, 
the characteristic call note and the habit of bobbing or tilting the tail, leave me with- 
out doubt as to the identity of the birds. I also took the precaution of looking at skins 
in the Museum of Vertebrate Zoology. The fact that the young birds were not yet able 
to fly is strong evidence that they were hatched not far from the point where seen, al- 
though it is said that adult birds of this species have been known to move their young 
to places of safety. One of the adult birds was always near the young, gave warnings 
of my approach, displayed evident anxiety when I was about, and when forced to fly 
returned to near the point of departure, so that there seems no inference but that I was 
observing a pair of adults and their young.—CLAUDE GieNnoux, Berkeley, California, Aug- 
ust 6, 1922. 
Additional Capture of a Black-and-White Warbler in California.—On October 11, 
1918, at a point near the seacoast about seven miles north of Piedras Blancas, San Luis 
Obispo County, California, I shot an immature female Mniotilta varia. The bird was 
sighted at early dusk working, nuthatch-fashion, around the base of a cottonwood and 
among some nearby driftwood. Although the place was shaded I could see with dis- 
tinctness the contrasting black and white stripes on the head and back of the bird. The 
geographic location, more exactly, was just to the right of the road-crossing to the 
Evans ranch, in the bottom of the canyon of San Carpoforo (locally ‘‘San Carpojo”’) 
Creek and about half a mile from the ocean shore. 
That the specimen in question (now no. 30083, Mus. Vert. Zool.) was a “bird of 
the year” was shown conclusively by the condition of the skull. The bird was very fat. 
It was in complete first-winter plumage save for the tail; only two of the rectrices (evi- 
dently belonging to the juvenal plumage) were of full length, the rest being only about 
half-way emerged from their sheaths. This condition was probably due to some accident, 
not being part of the regular molt program. 
