A^^^^ and Eggs of the California Pine Grosbeak, 33 



THE DISCOVERY OF THE NEST AND EGGS OF THE 

 CALIFORNIA PINE GROSBEAK.* 



By Milton S. Ray. 



With the taking of the eggs of the gray-crowned rosy finch 

 at Pyramid Peak in June of 19 10, there remained only three or 

 four birds, known to breed in CaHfornia, whose nests and eggs 

 were yet undiscovered. One of these remaining few was the 

 CaHfornia pine grosbeak {Pinicola calif ornica) . . . . 



At the beginning of 191 2, notwithstanding past reverses, 

 plans were laid for a return journey to the Pyramid Peak 

 region to make another search for its eggs. By far the most 

 important point to be settled was the selection of the proper 

 time to visit the region. As no actual nest of the bird had ever 

 been found, this was purely a matter of individual calculation. 

 After a careful comparison of nesting dates of certain species 

 for a number of seasons at Forni's (7,500 feet), Phillips' Sta- 

 tion (6,900 feet), and Lake Valley (6,220 feet), it seemed 

 apparent to me that June ist of a normal year would be the 

 proper date to visit the region. . . . 



The writer reached Bijou, Lake Tahoe, our 1912 base, on 

 May 19th, in time, should the season be early, to still reach 

 the Pyramid Peak region at a proper date. By the 25th of May 

 I felt sure of the late seasonal conditions and immediately 

 wrote Heinemann and Little john to change the date of their 

 arrival from May 28th to June 8th. . . . 



At 8,500 feet altitude, where a roaring torrent billowed over 

 rocks and boulders and through high drifts of snow, we stopped 

 for luncheon to compare notes. A little after one o'clock and 

 the three of us, about fifty yards apart, were rounding a very 

 rocky hillside at the foot of which a shallow, placid lake glit- 

 tered in the sunlight. Hearing the distant song of a pine gros- 

 beak I drew nearer and soon saw the bird at the top of a fir 



*Condensed extract of an article to be found in its entirety in the Condor, 

 September, 1912. 



