Sept., 1919 FROM FIELD AND STUDY 213 
sence of that bird from the bags of many hunters, not merely from that of one collector 
alone. 
With all the collecting that we have carried on in California, it was but recently 
that this Museum received its first specimen of the Sandhill Crane. Two cranes were 
sent in by Mr. Al. Chavis, one Sandhill and one Little Brown, both shot on the Hall 
Ranch, near Corcoran, Kings County, California, November 17, 1918. The birds were 
- ghipped in the flesh, and prepared as study skins at the Museum. The Sandhill is an 
adult male, the Little Brown an immature male. That is, the latter still retains much of 
the rusty, immature plumage, and has the top of the head feathered, though it is appar- 
ently fully developed as to weight and measurements. 
It was probably two days after the birds were killed that we received them, and 
the colors of eyes and of the naked skin on the head may have changed somewhat since 
death. These colors, however, are here noted as they appeared when the specimens ar- 
rived, comparison being made with Ridgway’s “Color Standards and Color Nomencla- 
ture” (1912). Measurements are in millimeters. Stomach examinations were made by 
Dr. H. C. Bryant, of this Museum. Details of the two birds are as follows: 
Grus mexicana, male adult (Mus. Vert. Zool., no. 29547). Weight 11 lbs., 15 oz. 
(no fat whatever upon the bird). Length (legs extended), tip of bill to tip of toes, 
1552 mm.; length, tip of bill to tip of tail, 1170; spread wings, 2105; wing, 541; tail, 193, 
culmen, 151; tarsus, 239; middle toe and claw, 98. Number of rectrices, 12. Iris yel- 
low, close to salmon-orange; the eye was somewhat sunken and filmy when examined. 
Feet and claws, black; upper mandible, black; lower mandible, black basally and at tip, 
dirty grayish at middle. Naked skin on top of head close to pomegranate purple. The 
last mentioned area was of a particularly difficult color to match, as it was blotchy and 
uneven, and the character of the skin made close comparison impossible. The best that 
could be done was to give the color as it appeared in general effect at a little distance, 
regardless of differences in detail caused by papillae, etc. Stomach contents: Vegetable 
matter, 100 per cent; about 325 kernels of wheat and 6 kernels of barley, together with 
some hulls. Much of the grain had sprouted, as though taken from a grain field where 
‘it was beginning to come up. 
Grus canadensis, male immature (Mus. Vert. Zool., no. 29548). Weight, 7 lbs., il 
oz. (bird very fat). Length (legs extended), tip of bill to tip of toes, 1270 mm.; length, 
tip of bill to tip of tail, 940; spread wings, 1780; wing, 455; tail, 150.5; culmen, 93; tarsus, 
207; middle toe and claw, 89. Number of rectrices, 12. Iris dark; naked edge of eyelid, 
dirty whitish; feet and claws, black; bill blackish. Stomach contents: Vegetable matter 
100 per cent; about 180 kernels of wheat, with an abundance of wheat hulls and bits of 
straw, as though gleaned from a stubble field—H. S. SwartH, Museum of Vertebrate 
Zoology, Berkeley, California, April 30, 1919. 
Sharp-shinned Hawks and Small Birds——May I make a small correction in Mr. 
Law’s account of the incident he relates on p. 27 of Tur Conpor for January-February, 
1919? The hawks were Sharp-shinned not Cooper, the third female was a bird of the 
preceding year in the first plumage, and it, together with the male, was also shot, making 
a clean sweep of these pestiferous destroyers. 
_At the risk of being quoted as an awful example by the ultra-protectionists of the 
“palance of nature” school, I must repudiate any desire, whether prompted by curiosity 
or otherwise, of seeing an Acciniter raise a brood—I know too well at what a sacrifice 
of small bird life this result would be achieved.—ALLAN Brooks, Okanagan Landing, B. C., 
August 4, 1919. 
Notes from Inyo County, California.—Several weeks of the month of March, 1919, 
were passed by me at Lone Pine, Inyo County, California. Birds, while numerous as in- 
dividuals, were hardly so in species, and only the following seem worthy of note: 
Pipilo crissalis senicula. A pair was discovered in vine tangle bordering a boggy 
field one mile south of Lone Pine, March 22. The female of this apparent pair was se- 
cured. 
Amphispiza nevadensis canescens. Careful search of congenial locations for this 
species failed to disclose any individuals until March 21, when one was secured. After 
this date it was fairly common. 
