154 
THE CONDOR 
I VOL. V 
to a country bearing a few oaks, and below this is a land still of a hilly character 
which has no trees, except along the streams and where they have been planted 
by man. 
After we had spent several days at work in the redwoods we proceeded down 
San Gregorio creek to the coast where we camped on the beach at the mouth of 
the stream. About a mile from its actual mouth and just below the village of San 
Gregorio, the creek forms a lagoon some fifty or sixty feet wide and flows thus, 
slowly to the ocean. Ordinarily the water of this lagoon is perfectly fresh but at 
the highest tides the sea must enter for some distance. The banks of the upper 
portion of this calm water are grown with willows {Salix lasiolepis) and a dense 
tangle of brambles, but nearer the ocean there is a tide marsh of some extent. Ex- 
cept at the stream’s mouth the shore is a line of bluffs for the country preserves 
its hilly character to the very coast. 
The following list lays no claim to being exhaustive, as will plainly appear. 
It is merely a list of the birds we saw and obtained on onr outing. 
Aythya marila. Scaup Duck. Several males were found in the lagoon 
at San Gregorio. 
Erismatura jamaicensis. Rudd}^ Duck. Noticed frequently upon the lagoon. 
Fulica americana. American Coot. Very common upon the lagoon. Large 
flocks were seen feeding upon green grass on the shore. 
Lophortyx californicus. California Quail. Abundant in the underbrush 
everywhere. 
Falco sparverius phaloena. Western Sparrow Hawk. A number of these 
birds were seen in the open fields between La Honda and the coast. 
Bubo virginianus (saturatus?) Horned Owl. At La Honda two were heard 
hooting in the redwoods at dusk. 
Ceryle alcyon. Belted Kingfisher. A kingfisher was often seen flying 
along the creek near our La Honda camp. 
Dryobates villosus hyloscopus. Cabanis Woodpecker. An individual seen in 
a redwood near La Honda. 
Melanerpes formicivorus bairdi. California Woodpecker. Seen working on 
dead redwoods at La Honda where they were common. 
Sayornis saya. Say Phoebe. Three specimens of the Say phoebe were col- 
lected and others were seen in the fields about San Gregorio. 
Sayornis nigricans semiatra. Black Phoebe. Very common in the fields near 
the coast and along the road between the redwoods and San Gregorio. 
Cyanocitta stelleri carbonacea. Coast Jay. This jay was common at La Hon- 
da, where it frequented the redwoods largely. 
Aphelocoma californica. California Jay: California jays were common on the 
outskirts of the redwood forest. 
Sturnella neglecta. Western Meadowlark. Meadowlarks were common along 
the San Gregorio road below the redwood fore.st. 
Astragalinus psaltria. Arkanses Goldfinch. A flock of gold finches was seen 
in a buckeye on the road to San Gregorio. One specimen was taken. 
Ammodramus sandwichensis alaudinus. Western Savanna Sparrow. These 
sparrows were common in the pastures near the coast. 
Ammodramus sandwichensis bryanti. Bryant Marsh Sparrow. At San Gre- 
gorio one of these was taken near a pond on a hill and another in the brush on the 
bank of the lagoon. No others were observed. 
Zonotrichia leucophrys nuttalli. Nuttall Sparrow. Nuttall sparrows were 
