5 ° 
THE CONDOR 
I Voi,. V 
The Summer Birds of Washoe Lake, Nevada. 
By Forrkst S. Hanford. 
W ASHOE Lake, Washoe Co., Nevada, is a typical Nevadan lake, with an 
area of eighteen square miles and an altitude of 5,045 feet above .sea 
level. Its shores are barren of anything approaching trees, except for a 
few clumps of willows here and there. Extending along the eastern shore lie a 
chain of sand dunes rising to a height of thirty feet, and cut through in many 
places by numerous ‘wash-outs.’ 
Here in the cliffs the bank sw'allows make their homes, and I have found 
many relics and arrowheads of the Washoe tribe of Indians who once made these 
small, wdnd-sheltered gullies their home. About half a mile back of these sand 
hills is the Washoe range of mountains, covered only with sage brush, the 
first of the desert ranges. 
Passing around to the west side of the lake we find a country entirely differ- 
ent; here lies the fertile Washoe valley and two miles distant rise the Sierra Nev- 
ada, its pine forests and snow-capped peaks making a strong contrast to the des- 
ert country to the east. The tule fields are at the north and extend four miles, 
ending in Little Washoe Lake. The following short notes were taken during the 
months of May and June of the last two years. 
*^ichmophorus occidentalis. Western (Irebe. About ten noted in May, 1900. 
I have tried shooting at them with a ri.fle but always with the result of seeing 
them disappear under the water at the flash of the gun. 
Colymbus nigricollis californicus. American Eared Grebe. A set of nine 
eggs collected in June constitutes the first record of this grebe breeding at the lake. 
Larus californicus. California Gull. One seen on shore with white pelicans. 
Hydrochelidon nigra surinamensis. Black Tern. Not uncommon. Several 
pairs noted flying over tules where they probably breed. 
Pelecanus erythrorhynchos. American White Pelican. About 50 pelicans 
were observed at the lake last year and the number had increased to 100 this 
year. Three eggs were found a foot under water in June, but no nests have been 
found for a number of years. 
Anas boschas. Mallard. Breeds abundantly at the lake in May. 
Chaulelasmus strepera. Galwall. Not common. Only afew pairs noted this year. 
Nettion carolinensis. Green-winged Teal. 
Querquedula discors. Blue-winged Teal. 
Querquedula cyanoptera. Cinnamon Teal. All three of the above ducks were 
common breeders at the lake. 
Dafila acuta. Pintail. Mr. J. Steinmetz tells me that the pintail has been 
observed at the lake several times. 
Histrionicus histrionicus. Harlequin Duck. A male w'as taken at 
Frank.stown near the lake and identified by Mr. Steinmetz. 
Erismatura jamaicensis. Ruddy Duck. Noted quite a number of times in 
open lanes of w'ater in tule fields, but appeared quite shy. 
Branta canadensis. Canada Goose. A number of nests of this goo.se have 
been found at the lake in pa.st years. In May 1900 a nest was discovered near 
the shore, containing the shells of eggs and w'as suppo.sed to belong to this species. 
Branta nigricans. Black Brant. Accidental, liarly in May a pair was ob- 
served near shore of lake. 
