Sept, 1912 DISCOVERY OF NEST AND EGGS OF CALIFORNIA PINE GROSBEAK 165 
at 7500 feet elevation, on June 9; another was seen on the slope of Pyramid Peak 
at 9000 feet altitude on June 10; and on the day following 500 feet lower we 
watched a pair in a grove of firs for a considerable length of time. At Lake-of- 
the-Woods we noted another pair on June 12. Mr. Carriger also observed a lone 
individual; and, later in the day, on the top of a nearby ridge at 8500 feet, an- 
other pair was seen. On June 13 near Deerington’s, at 7400 feet, we came upon 
a male, in rich red plumage, sitting on the branch of a pine sapling a few feet up. 
All the birds were remarkably tame, seemingly taking but little notice of 
our proximity, and all were watched as long as it was practicable. We observed 
most of them feeding, usually in the trees although occasionally on the ground. 
Others, c|uietly perching on some pine or fir branch, sat for such a long time 
unmoved as to give us the impression that they were either admiring the scenic 
surroundings or indulging in a day-time nap after the manner of a nighthawk. 
Fig. 66. PERSONNEL OF THE 1912 EXPEDITION LEAVING 
BASE ON LAKE TAHOE, JUNE 11; LEFT TO RIGHT, 
LITTLEJOHN, “jIM”, RAY, HEINEMANN 
No birds were heard to sing, and the mellow call note was given but infrequently. 
Carriger freely acknowledged as we left the summit that, in respect to their nest- 
ing habits, the birds presented the most puzzling problem that he had ever at- 
tempted to solve. 
On the second trip to Pyramid Peak in 1910 I noticed five more birds, three 
at Lake-of-the-Woods on June 22, and two near Phillips’ Station June 23. Al- 
though somewhat later than our previous trip, the actions of the birds remained 
the same and no progress was made towards solving the problem of the bird's 
nesting. 
On our return to San Francisco, in reviewing the results of our work afield, 
while we had to acknowledge that we had made little or no headway in the solu- 
tion of the Pinicolan nesting problem, it was this very elusiveness that made 
us the more determined to persist. So, like the trip of 1910 that was planned pri- 
