I lO 
THE CONDOR 
VoL. VI 
tained 5 j'Oiing about 5 days old, material and location practically the same as No. i; nest 
foundation of stones and walk of stones extending about 10 inches. JVest 4 contained 5 young 10 
or 12 days old; nest placed in small cavity formed by root of tree 10 feet up in wall of quarry. 
Nest was typical, placed in shallow cup-shaped foundation of stones; no room in cavity for walk. 
Nest § contained 6 young 10 or 12 days old. Nest was placed in cavity under boulders on bottom 
of quarry and had the usual .stone foundation; two matches, a few splinters of wood, lining of 
black goat hair and considerable wool, especially round the rim; no sign of a walk. Nest 6 
contained 3 eggs; typical; location practically same as No. 5; cup-shaped foundation of rocks; no 
sign of a walk. Nest 7, .A.pril 8, 1899, containing 6 young, one week old; nest situated in 
crevice in wall of quarry; typical stone foundation and 9 inches of walk. Nest S, April ii, 
containing 5 young a few days old. Nest typical, placed in cavity in wall of stone powder 
magazine; usual stone foundation; slight walk of stones. Nest g, April 15, containing 5 fresh 
eggs; nest typical; location, foundation and walk same as No. i. Nest /o, .'lipril 29; in a cavity 
formed by large rocks on bottom of quarry; nest typical, usual cup-shaped stone foundation, no 
sign of walk; 6 eggs. Nest 11, May 18, containing 7 eggs; nest, location and foundation same as 
No. 10; no sign of stone walk. Nest J2, June 3, containing 7 eggs; nest typical, placed in crevice 
in wall of quarr}’ 10 feet up; usual foundation of stones, also 7 inch walk; evidently second nest of 
pair of birds, whose nest was located on .-\pril 8th. Nest /j, June 3, containing 7 eggs. This 
nest was typical, but the location was quite unusual, the structure being placed in a small waste 
or outlet pipe in an old open cistern. This pipe was 4 inches in diameter and about 3 feet from 
top of cistern. This nest had (juite an extensive walk and stone foundation consisting of at least 
a pint of stones. 
Summing up the above it will be seen that where the nests were located at the bottom of the 
(piarry there was no attempt at building a walk, but when the nest was situated in a crevice the 
walk was invariably there provided. Of course there was room for it. In everv case, however, 
the cu]) or saucer-shaped foundation was there. Query: could not this walk have been built to 
keej) the young birds from falling into the crevices or getting their feet caught in same ? I find 
that as a rule two broods are raised in a season and that their food consists to a large e.xtent of a 
species of beetle which they find in the crevices of the rocks. 
One interesting trait and one which I should judge to be purely local is their habit of dodging 
under a boulder or overhanging rock upon the loud report of a blast, and remaining there until the 
shower of falling rock is over. They are then among the first upon the ground, searching fear- 
lessh' among the Mexican cpiarrymen for such beetles as may have become exposed b}' the blast. 
They seem perfect!}' fearless of the quarr3mien and the heavy cannonading, but on the appear- 
ance of a stranger they become quite perturbed and suspicious and very cautious in going to their 
nests. It was some days or even weeks before they permitted any familiarit}' whatever on my 
part. Mow they stand the terrific heat and glare in that quarry during Juh' and .\ugust is a 
mystery to me. — Philo W’. Smith, Jr., .S'/. Louis, Mo. 
Melanism in Buteo borealis calurus. — While overhauling a number of Buteo skins a few 
months ago there was one which did not answer the tag I>. swainsoni. On comparing it with 
some dark phases of /s’/i/^’o 6£>m?//^ of the last month’s collecting I found this particular 
skin to be a beautiful nielanistic phase of caturiis. It is a female, number 1446, coll. W. O. E., 
Haywards., Cal., August 20, 1897. The general color of the plumage is a blackish brown over 
the whole body, with a purplish reflection on the back and wings; the edges of the feathers of the 
breast, belly and thighs washed with chestnut brown; thighs also sparsely mottled with the 
same color. The measurements are: length 22 inches, wing 17 inches; while another female taken 
December 18, 1903, measures 23^^ inches in length, wing iS'ji inches. This specimen compares 
more with some dark phases of B. Scuainsoui . The rufous tail is black-banded, twice as deep as 
in a typical red-tail, and is edged with same at end. The head and throat are rufous black, 
fore-breast more grayish, belly brownish black, thighs rufous, barred with black, wings dusky 
brown and black, edged and slightly barred with grayish white; upper and under tail-coverts 
similar to thighs. A slight purplish reflection is seen over the wings, but not so much as on the 
first bird described. 
In a large .series of these hawks there are rarely two out of five but show a difference in 
the plumage color. Seven out of twelve before me run either to a light or dark phase; some wdth 
grayish backs, others with dark brownish black or chestnut. The throat, breast and belly run 
from ochraceous grav to reddish brown, chestnut and yellowi.sh white. — W. Otto Emer.son, 
Ifaywards, Cat. 
A Few Notes on Bird Fife at Three Rivers, Tulare Co., Cal.— The varied thrushes 
have been here in numbers, and the plain titmouse {Beeolophus iuornatus) is giving out its 
pleasant call; zvheetit, ivheetit, 7v/ieetit. Band-tailed pigeons (Cotuuiba /aseiata) have been and 
