50 
THE CONDOR 
Vol. XIII 
Herodias egretta. Egret. In view of the fact that this species was at one time 
nearly extinct in this state it is encouraging to the advocates of bird protection to 
note that these egrets are increasing in numbers. There are quite a number to be 
seen nowadays in the fall and winter in the lowlands and along the sloughs of the 
San Joaquin River. I have, in fact, seen as many as seven or eight at a time near 
the junction of the San Joaquin and Tuolumne rivers, and a group of two or three 
together is no uncommon sight in that locality. The sight of even one of these 
birds was a rare event for a number of years in most parts of the state, and is so 
yet in many places where they used to be quite common. In Marin county, for 
instance, one or two could be found in every small marsh thirty years ago, w'hereas 
I have not seen one there for many a long year. As this species has not been defi- 
nitely recorded from Marin county it might be of interest to state that there is one 
in our collection shot by myself in January, 1880, as it was flying over our buggy 
in the outskirts of San Rafael. I was then returning with C. A. Allen from a trip to 
Pt. San Pedro ( Marin County) after a vain search for the Barrow Golden-eye ( Clan- 
gula islaudica) , some of which he had taken there shortly before. The spot where 
this egret was shot is now near the heart of the town, and on one of the prin- 
cipal streets. 
Egretta candidissima. Snowy Egret. While the Egret {Herodias egrettai), as 
noted abov^e, seems to be increasing in numbers, it has not been my fortune to come 
across any Snowy Egrets for a very long time. In fact the only one in our col- 
lection is a male from the vicinity of Sacramento, California, taken in June, 1880. 
However, the chances are that this species has gained also by the efforts to restrict 
the slaughter, and probably is to be found in places most suited to it. 
Grus canadensis. Little Brown Crane. There are two specimens of the Little 
Brown Crane in our collection which came to us from Mr. H. B. Kaeding, when 
we took over his collection on his departure for the Orient some years since. These 
specimens were purchased in the flesh by him in the San Francisco market, being 
among several (inis mcxiraua which he had bought at various times in the winter 
season, and were supposedh^ shot in the vicinity of Los Banos, California. At any 
rate they came from somewhere along the San Joaquin River in that part of the 
state. As records of this species from California seem to be rather meager and un- 
reliable it may be worth while not only to mention these two specimens, but to give 
their measurements; 
(5 , Coll. J. & J. W. Mailliard, no. x3226: wing .522.1 (mm.), tail 174.6, cul- 
men from base 101.6, depth of bill at base 24.8, tarsus 199.4, middle toe 72.6, bare 
portion of tibia 72.6. 
? , Coll. J. & J. W. M., no. x3227: wing .519.2, tail 162.3, culmen from base 
93.9, depth of bill at base 22.6, tarsus 211.0, middle toe 79.7, bare portion of tibia 
73.1. 
As the distinctive difference between these two species is principally a matter 
of length of the culmen, tarsus and bare portion of the tibia, a comparison of these 
particular measurements as above given, with the minimum of each as laid down 
for a. )}iexicaiia will show that these two individuals are well below the prescribed 
limitations of (d. niexicaua, and that there can be no doubt as to their identity. 
Minimum measurements of (i. mexicana, according to Ridgway, are: Culmen 
from base 130.8 mm., tarsus 251.4, bare portion of tibia 116.8. 
Piranga ludoviciana. Western Tanager. We have two records of the Western 
Tanager breeding at low elevations in Sonoma county, California, which may be of 
sufficient interest to mention here. We have, that is to say, two records, and one 
nest, but no eggs. A fall of twenty-five to thirty feet proved so damaging to the 
