70 
THE CONDOR 
Vol. XIV 
became objects of considerable interest about the hotel grounds. The goslings 
ventured early to a little pond along the stream which courses lakeward from the 
Bijou meadow, and as they grew older were to be found disporting themselves 
on the crystal waters of Tahoe or wandering with a complacent and impudent 
air about the lake village. While not wild, the birds were not particularly friendly, 
except to Mrs. Connolly, for whom they displayed remarkable affection and whom 
they would follow almost everywhere. 
Unfortunately, before reaching goosehood one of the band was killed by a 
dog, and another being stolen their number was reduced to three. It soon became 
necessary to clip the wings of the birds to prevent them from taking flight. Mr. 
Heinemann took a series of photographs of the young birds at different dates, 
but unfortunately the entire box of plates proved defective. This we did not 
learn, however, until some time after our return to San Francisco in July. I 
wrote to Allen, a photographer of Bijou, who took the picture herewith shown. 
The birds were then two months old, so one may get an idea of the astonishing 
rate at which they grew. I may add that Mr. Connolly found he would be 
unable to keep the birds through the winter and they were shipped by a bird 
fancier to his home in .southern California. 
The spring of the present year (1911) was as late as that of the previous 
year had been early, and as I rowed to the marsh on the morning of May 15 the 
shor.es en route were covered with snow, while such a bitterly cold breeze was 
blowing that even ardent ornithological enthusiasm was somewhat chilled. On 
reaching the marsh 1 found snow about everywhere, pond lilies were just bud- 
ding up beneath the water, marsh grass was timidly peeping up in the bare 
places where the snow had left, while tules, lying dead and mottled like the naked 
willows, showed no evidence as yet that the grip of winter had been broken. 
In the matter of nesting, notwithstanding the lateness of the season, I found 
the geese farther advanced than last year ; but I attribute the later date last year 
to the fact that most of those found were no doubt second sets. 
1 visited practically the same sections as I had previously, and found the 
birds had increased in numbers. In all I located five nests, three of six eggs, one 
of seven and one of five. The sets varied from those almost fresh to those in 
which incubation was w'ell advanced. In situation and composition the nests, 
some of which are herewith pictured, were in nowise different from those of 
1910. In one instance the bird, before leaving, hurriedly covered the eggs with 
material of the nest after the manner of a grebe. 
With the second nest found the parent goose was collected (weight 8)4 lbs.), 
but 1 was unable to secure the gander, as the bird kept well out of range. Wading 
in frigid water and over snow-banks with shot-gun and camera, while a most 
cutting- wind blew off snow-covered hills and mountains, was an experience I do 
not look forward to repeating. At half-past two an approaching storm suggested 
the advisability of a hasty departure, which I was not reluctant to make. 
I had heard of another colony of geese nesting on Dead Man's Isle, in Emer- 
ald Bay, ten miles from Bijou, but as rough weather prevailed most of the time 
on Tahoe I did not take this trip until the 25th of May. Dead Man’s Isle is only 
about an eighth of a mile long, very narrow, rocky and precipitous. Trees are 
quite numerous, although there is but little apparent soil, and they seemingly 
rise from crevices between the bare rock. Rather curiously, nearly all the com- 
mon species found around the lake are represented. In winter, with the freezing- 
over of Emerald Bay, the island becomes virtually a part of the mainland, and in 
