366 ^ Journey Across the SierrasS. California. 
A Journey Across the Sierras, S. California 
By Wm. Shork Baily. 
Coniini(Cd from page 321. 
Wc lunchcil this day 0:1 tl'e i aiik of a pond. This j:)ond, 
unlike the last, was suriounded by a heavy belt of tule.s. 
While my partner was taking his siesta, I strolled around it 
with the dog. I was rather surpi-ised to find that no Blaek- 
\y\vi\.\ were ])resent nesting. I suppose that the elevation was 
too high fov them. The only birds noticed were a Cinnamon 
Teal {Qaerqiie'Jnla cyanoptera) with young that quickly van- 
ished into the tules, a troop of half grown Moorhens {Galliunla 
galeata). and a Merlin (Falco coinmharius); this little Hawk 
is locally known as the Pigeon-Hawk. It is a very plucky 
little bird and will easily kill a Pigeon or Quail, although they 
are so much larger than itself. When aljout half way round 
the pond, we surprised a Coyote, but not having the gun 
with me it saved its scalp. The retriever gave chase very 
valiantly, but when he began to overhaul the Coyote, the 
latter rounded on him, so that he in his turn " turned tail," 
the Coyote pursuing him a short distance. It takes a really 
plucky dog to tackle one of these animals. The State pays a 
bounty of five dollars for their scalps as they do a good deal 
of damage lo young stock. After lunch we continued our way 
thi'ough the valley. Woodpeckers, both Green and Pied, 
were the commonest birds, and we saw a pair of Nutcrackers 
in the distance. Towai'ds evening the trail branched off into 
a side canyori. ascending rapidly, so that we were soon again 
amongst the pines. Here we met a Rancher on a wall-eyed 
cayuse, carrying an ancient musket. He was the first man 
we had seen since leaving Fort Tejon, so we halted and had 
a few words witli liim. It appeared that a Bear had killed 
one of his heiieis the night l>efore, and he was out to lay up 
over the carcase. He rather snorted, when I asked him if it 
were a Black Bear. " Should I take a Igun for an old Black 
Bear, a knife's plenty good enough for them. Cuess this un's 
an old man grizzly, and a big un' too." I much wanted to 
Join the old chap in his hunt, but my Dutch partner wouldn't 
hear of it. Said " he hadn't lost any grizzlies," so I had to 
give the idea up. I have no doubt Ixit that he got his bear 
all right. 1 knew of one or two others being killed in this 
