i6 
THE CONDOR 
1 Vol. HI 
Two Interesting Stragglers for Marin Go. Gal. Coccotlwaiistes v. montamis. While driving 
through our county-road gate about ten o’clock on the morning of Nov. 20, 1900, 
my attention was attracted by a small flock of strange birds in the top of an ash 
tree opposite. They were feeding upon the buds and were not in plain view, 
yet the white bands on the wings at once called to mind the Western Evening 
Grosbeak. It seemed impossible that this identification could be correct, as this 
bird is a very rare visitant to this county, two or three only having been reported 
as seen in years past, one specimen sent me from Olema and nowin our collection, 
and one seen b}^ me on July 15, 1900 while I was deer-hunting. Leaving my 
companion to watch the flock I drove back to the house about half a mile distant, 
after a gun, and upon returning found the flock still in the immediate neighbor- 
hood, and consisting of ten or twelve birds. Three were secured, one of which 
was a male, apparently upon dissection a bird of the year; one an adult female 
and the third a female bird of the year. This last was exceedingly fat, while the 
first two were thin. 
Niicifraga cohimbiana. It is a pleasure to be able to mention the capture of a 
bird never before recorded from this county, and as far as I know, not suspected 
of ever having been even a straggling visitor. On the 20th of November, 1900, a 
box was sent me from Point Reyes station in this count)’, containing besides one 
specimen each of Porzana jamaicensis and Porzana novcboraccnsis, an imnmture 
female Clarke’s Nutcracker to which was attached a note from the donor asking 
what manner of bird this might be. I immediately sent a note of thanks for the 
specimens and enclosed a list of questions concerning the capture, for the donor 
to answer. His replj’ contained the statements that the Clarke’s Nutcracker was 
shot in a pine tree on the top of a ridge on Point Reyes proper, on the south-west 
side of Tomales Bay, Marin Co., Cal. by himself on Nov. 19: that this was the only 
one seen at the time, but that he had seen one about a month before in the same 
place, wnich he thought was the same individual as the one shot, and that one 
was seen about a mile from the spot the day before the capture by a member of 
the Country Club. This he also believes to be the same individual, but premises 
to keep a sharp lookout in order to verify his supposition. This party is a hunter 
of great experience and naturally of an observing nature, yet he states that dur- 
ing all the years in which he has hunted, and at times been game-keeper in this 
county, he has never before seen a bird of this species except as above men- 
tioned. This specimen was much emaciated, as if it had been a difficult matter for 
it to find proper food in this region, though the locality where it was shot is 
partially covered with a species of nut pine which would seem to be adapted to 
the bird’s needs, and yet which grows in no other part of the count)’. 
' Joseph Maielard, San Geronimo, Marin Co., Cal. 
Two Albinos from San Mateo Go.. Gal. I have recently added two more albinos to my 
collection; one, a “white quail” {Lophortyx californiciis vallicolus), a male, and the 
exact counterpart of the bird described by Mr. McGregor in a recent number of 
The Condor. The other is a “white blackbird” (^Agelains giibernator californicus) 
with the exception of about half a dozen feathers on the breast and the same 
number between the shoulders on the back. The bgdy \s pure white, the top of 
the head is normal, the wings each contain about six or eight white feathers; the 
feathers on one side of the tail were shot away, those remaining Ijeing black. The 
bird has red shoulders but they are much paler than normal, and the color seems 
to have “run” across the breast and throat, giving these parts a rosy hue. This is 
the most interesting albino I have ever seen, it having been presented to me by 
Mr. Chas. Nichols of Pescadero, at whic’n place it was shot. Tne quail was taken 
