Sept., 1920 : FROM FIELD AND STUDY 189 
the Bird-lovers’ Club of the Southwest Museum about May 5 carrying nesting material. 
Later they were seen by members of the Audubon Society. On July 9, 1920, the presi- 
dent and two other bird students from the Bird-lovers’ Club saw four of these birds in 
Griffith Park near the Western Avenue entrance. Though fully feathered two of them 
were evidently young birds, for they had the light colored edges to the corners of the 
mouth that indicate youth, the soft downy look of new plumage, a different tone from 
that of the older birds, and they were actually being fed by a mature Blue-fronted Jay. 
The food given them was a highly sophisticated type for these creatures of the wild, for 
it consisted of pieces of what upon examination appeared to be an ice-cream cone which 
had been soaked soft and left on the bank beside a much-frequented trail. The birds 
however, were evidently used to civilization, for the one feeding paid no attention to the 
three observers less than twenty feet away, but made several visits to the flat, pancake- 
like object, tearing off strips and stuffing its mouth as full as possible before flying into 
a large sycamore tree where it was seen to feed the two young birds. This air of wonted- 
ness to civilization in the old bird, and the evident fact that the young birds had not 
been long out of the nest seem sufficient proof to me that the nest must have been in 
the immediate neighborhood. It would be interesting to know if this is the first record 
of the Blue-fronted Jay nesting in the Upper Sonoran Zone in Southern California.— 
Mary Mann Miuter, Los Angeles, California, July 10, 1920. 
Domesticating California Birds.— 
That many of our California birds will 
become more domestic with the years is 
evidenced by the experience of the 
writer. I have put up boxes, cans and 
gourds about my suburban home and 
made several drinking fountains in suita- 
ble places. For three years a San Diego 
Wren has occupied gourds near the door. 
A Black Phoebe has built over the win- 
dow. An Ash-throated Flycatcher raised 
a brood in the elbow of an abandoned . 
stove-pipe on an out-house. The Green- 
backed Goldfinch, House Finch (in boxes 
also), and California Shrike nest close 
to the house in orchard trees. A Mock- 
ingbird invariably builds in a thick tree 
in the back yard. The Anna Humming- 
bird and Arizona Hooded Oriole nest 
every year in one of my sugar gums. 
Cliff Swallows build on my neighbor’s 
barn—and feed on my bees. 
The Anthony Brown Towhee has 
often built in an elder bush or orchard 
tree; but not until last year did one ever 
use an artificial nest. A’ bird chose to 
raise a brood in a gourd hanging on the 
corner of a chicken yard in the full sun 
without a bit of shelter near it. 
Last April another Anthony Towhee 
(perhaps the same bird) nested in 
Fig. 38. GOURD USED AS NEST SITE BY A another gourd which was placed 
PAIR OF ANTHONY BROWN TOWHEES. in the lower forks of an_e acacia 
tree about four feet from the 
ground. Although disturbed’ daily this bird raised her brood of four. I have seen 
scores of nests of Anthony Towhee in low bushes and found one years ago on the edge 
of a low bank in the grass, but never saw one in an artificial nest until last year— 
which shows that the birds can learn to get along with people-——CarroLL DEWILTON 
Scott, San Diego, California, July 15, 1920. 
