July, 1912 A JOURNEY TO STAR LAKE COUNTRY AND TAHOESREOION 
147 
A nest presumably of the Pintail Duck [Dafila acuta), which 1 had pre- 
viously found, was also revisited as I desired to show it to Mr. Carriger. On 
reaching- the nest, however, we found it deserted and the six eggs emptied of 
their contents, scattered about on the grass. Mr. Carriger located his first nest of 
the Ruby-crowned Kinglet today in a lodge-pole pine. Examination showed it 
to hold seven fresh eggs. Nearby one of the Yellow Warbler was noted placed 
in the dead portion of a willow without any attempt at concealment and yet for 
this very reason more liable perhaps to be overlooked, as nests of the Western 
Robin and Western Wood Pewee often are, which are built in dead or burnt 
trees. P . 
Three nests of the White-crowned Sparrow, all on the ground in meadow 
land, were noted on June 7, one with four small young, one with one and one 
with four eggs, fresh. In a dead pine Carriger excavated a nest of the Pygmy 
Nuthatch (Sitta pygmaea pyguiaca) with small young, while a nest each of the 
Williamson (Sphyrapicus thyroidcus ) and Sierra Sapsucker [Spliyrapiciis T'ariiis 
daggetti) in dead portions of live lodge-pole pines were found in a like condi- 
tion. We saw the first Gnatcatcher ( Polio ptila, .sp. ?) for the Lake Valley re- 
gion today and were much disappointed in being unable to secure it. 
As we intended leaving for the long tramp to Pyramid Peak the following 
morning we spent June 8 leisurely rowing along the lake shore east and .south- 
east of Bijou. Many nests of the Tree Swallow ( 1 ridoprociic bicolor) were 
noted in cavities in piles in deep water. Mo.st nc.sts contained either eggs or 
young varying from five to seven in number. The Tree Swallows were not the 
only species to take advantage of the protection afforded by water-bound nesting- 
sites, for numerous nests of the Brewer Blackbird and one of the Mountain 
Bluebird were also noted. The most remarkable, however, were two of the 
Red-shafted Flicker, both with almost full-grown young, some of which in the 
excitement caused by our approach fluttered into the water. For a time Carriger 
and I were kept busy returning them to their protected and yet perilous dwelling- 
place. The day's work closed early as we had to spend considerable time after 
reaching camp preparing for the long trip to Pyramid Peak, already recounted 
in a previous number of The Condor. 
THE PRESENT STATUS OF TFIE COLORADO CHECK-LIST OF 
BIRDS 
By WELLS W. COOKE 
T he appearance of “A History of the Birds of Colorado,” by W. L. 
Sclater, reviewed in this number of The Condor, marks an opportune 
time for presenting the status of the Colorado state list of birds in the 
light of the new records furnished by Sclater and accessions that have become 
known since the third supplement to the Birds of Colorado was published in 
the rJuk for October, 1909. 
The Sclater list of 1912 shows both additions and subtractions as compared 
with the Cooke li.st of 1909, as shown in the following table. 
