May, 1901 I 
THE CONDOR 
81 
A Study of the Birds of Santiago Canyon. 
MoivLiri Bryan, Orange, CaliJ'ORNia. 
I N A NOOK in Santiago Canyon, 
where foothills and mountains meet, 
nestling among the live oak trees is a 
little home, the ranch of Mr. J. E. Pleas- 
ants, where two bird lovers dwell, and 
where other bird lovers delight to come. 
Here may be found many of the birds 
of both mountain and plain. 
In days past the Bald Eagle was a 
common visitant, and the California 
Condor was almost as plentiful as the 
Turkey Vulture is now. Many eagles 
have been killed by those who kept 
goats, but why the condor lias departed, 
no one can tell. None have been seen 
here for twelve years or more. 
It lias never been my good fortune 
to see as many birds in one spot as can 
be found in this grove of trees, for here 
food and water are kept out for them, 
and protection afforded from all ordin- 
ary means of harm. In this ‘bird’s par- 
adise’ all life is spent lieneath the trees. 
It is a luxury to lounge on couches or 
in hammocks and study the birds as they 
are enticed within the garden and 
grove. It is here that for more than 
two years the most of my study of the 
habits of birds has been made. 
At this point we are over eleven 
hundred feet above the sea level, and 
in the shadow of Santiago Peak, the 
highest point of the Santa Ana range. 
After a night of refreshing sleep in the 
pure mountain air, we are awakened by 
a concert given by the residents of the 
the grove. The Arkansas Kingbird, 
lark, sparrows, linnets, orioles, and 
Plain Titmice and the metallic call-note 
of the California Towhee may be heard. 
The woodpecker and the bluejay 
join in. An ^obligato solo is rendered 
by the Black-headed Grosbeak from 
high in a sycamore tree, and the Pasa- 
dena Thrasher sends out his song from 
the top of the sumach bush. The mock- 
ing bird at a distance, adds his glorious 
.song to this unrivaled chorus. 
One morning there was great excite- 
ment under the arbor over the advent 
of a Violet-green Swallow, who alighted 
on the fence and remained so long all 
the household had ample opportunity 
to observe his beautiful colors and 
silky plumage. Eater in the day, while 
lazily swinging in the hammock, glasses 
and note-book by my side, the domestic 
life of many of these birds has 
’oeen studied. The linnet and Cal- 
ifornia Towhee are on very intimate 
terms with my bird friends, and make 
their homes beneath the roof of the 
arbor, where our every movement may 
be seen. 
The orioles festoon the vines of the 
porch with their dainty baskets of 
palm fiber. Anna’s Hummingbird 
swings his dainty cradle beneath the 
arbor, the Black Phoebe plasters its 
mud nest to the frame of the arbor, 
darting above the table for a fly for his 
little ones. The California Thrasher, 
here familiarly called by its pretty 
Spanish name of “huita-coche”ventured, 
once only to build it loosely-woven 
home of coarse sticks within the limits 
of the grove. The Phainopelpa perches 
on a fence post and with airy crest out- 
lined against the sky, sings its sweetest 
melod}^ But we already know that a 
nest is being built in a sycamore tree 
close by. 
i\ daily visit to the nests about the 
place is made. The gentle dove, whose 
frail nest failed her, readily accej)ted a 
strawberry box, wired in i)lace, as a 
substitute. The Kingbird, Phainopepla’s 
Pewee’s, and both the Arizona Hooded 
and Bullock’s Orioles’ nests were all ob- 
jects of interest. As we wander farther 
away the brilliant colors of the 
Louisiana Tanager illumine the 
landscape, though it is only for a 
time, as he passes on to the higher 
mountains to nest. The Pasadena 
Thrasher sits on the top of a small live- 
oak tree, pouring forth a sweet song 
and looking so awkward with its long 
