July, 1901 I 
THE CONDOR 
105 
died, nor why the Jew was authorized to sell the same to the stranger who was 
within his gates. L. Belding, Stockton, Cal. 
Curious Nest of Anna’s Hummingbird. On Feb. 23 I collected a nest of Anna’s 
Hunuiiingbird (yCalypte anna) 60 feet up in the very top of a tall gum tree. The 
hummingbird had used one side of an old goldfinch’s nest, and there she had a 
soft nest of feathers. This bird evidently had an eye for business, as the gold- 
finch’s nest, cosy in itself only required a little lining. Unfortunately the one egg 
which the nest contained was broken in getting it down; the nest I regard as a 
“freak,” as I have never heard of a hummingbird using any old nest except its 
own. 
On April 5 a friend brought me two eggs of the Killdeer {Aigialitis vocifera) 
taken in the middle of a railroad track, directly between the ties. This track is 
the main one on the Santa Fe between Santa Monica and Los Angeles and at this 
place runs through the Ballona swamp. \\'. Lee Chambers, .Santa Monica, Cal. 
Breeding of the Western Robin in Lake Co,, Cal. From time to time T have been 
informed that the Western Rohxn (H/ernla ni. propinqna) nested in Lake Co., at 
about the same elevation as Clear Lake, which is between 1400 and 1500 feet. 1 
have long been anxious to verify this .statement but until June 12 of this year had 
been unable to do so. On that date I was walking in the lower foothills when 
an old robin with food in its bill flew past me intf) a white-oak tree, when observ- 
ing me, it began to screech most vociferously. Looking the tree over carefully I 
discovered a nearly fully-fledged young bird sitting upon one of the branches, 
and further search in near-by trees revealed another young robin. Neither flew 
well or willingly and were a])parently not long out of the nest. Since the be- 
ginning of May 1 have noticed four distinct pairs of Western Robins; one pair on 
the ranch here whose two young 1 ob-served; another pair on the road to Llpper 
Lake, whilst the two remaining pairs have frequented an orchard at Upper Lake. 
I have had the pleasure every Saturday since early in May of seeing one or 
more birds there, but have failed to discover a nest or other sign of their having 
bred. A. W. Johnson, LTpper Lake, Cal. 
Notes on the Loon, Evening Grosbeak and Broad-tailed Hummingbird. While at 
the Hatchery on Battle Creek, California, in the fall of 1898, I secured a loon 
which came ashore entangled in the salmon seine. The specimen was taken 
alive and uninjured. Similar catches have been reported previously from the 
eastern United States. Dr. C. W. Richmond, who kindly identified the bird, pro- 
nounced it Gatia iniber. 
On February 24, 1901, Mr. Walter E. Bryant secured two specimens of Coc- 
cothraustes v. niontaiins at Santa Rosa, Cal., and tells me there were several others 
in the trees near his house. 
Some time ago {Ank. XIV p. 91) I recorded the Broad-tailed Hummingbird 
{ Selasphonis platycercns') from Oakland. While the record was correct, it had been 
reported previously for the state. Dr. J. G. Cooper took a female at Lake Tahoe 
many years ago (Proc. Cal. Acad. Sci. ist ser, IV, p. 7). It is also reported from 
the .Sequoia National Park and as common on the western .slope of the Sierra 
Nevada in California opposite the head of Owen’s River {N. A. Fauna, No. j. p 
59 ). 
R. C. McGregor U. S. S. Pathfinder. 
w ® ® 
Ch.\s. W. Bowles of Waldo, Oregon, writes of taking four sets of Black-throated Gray War- 
bler’s eggs and a set Pileated Woodpecker, thus confirming the suspicion that the Northwest 
is the oologist’s aradise. 
