34 
THE CONDOR 
Vol. XVIII 
Notes from the San Bernardino Mountains, California. — From June 21 to July 1, 
1915, I spent in field work at Big Bear Valley and Bluff Lake in the San Bernardino 
Mountains. I was also in the same locality from September 16 to 20, 1915. The follow- 
ing are some of my notes that may be of interest. 
Dafila acuta. Pintail, or Sprig. This duck was abundant from September 16 to 
20. There were at least a thousand, and probably many more, on Baldwin Lake, and 
several hundred at the east end of Bear Lake. The greater majority were either females 
or birds of the year, very few adult males being seen. 
Ortyx picta plumifera. 'Plumed Quail. I saw a pair of these birds on June 27 in 
the buckthorn along the lake shore near the I. S. Ranch. Their actions showed that 
they had a family of young. These are the only ones that I have ever seen in Bear 
Valley during several collecting trips there. 
Accipiter velox. Sharp-shinned Hawk. Several were seen in Bear Valley from Sep- 
tember 16 to 20. They were apparently absent during June. 
Falco mexicanus. Prairie Falcon. One flew over me, near enough for certain 
identification, along the lake shore near the east end of Bear Lake on September 17. 
Bubo virginianus pacificus. Pacific Horned Owl. Heard nearly every night along 
the lake shore both in June and September. Specimens were very hard to obtain as 
the birds were exceedingly wary. No adults were taken, but on June 24 I shot a nearly 
full-fledged young female from a pine tree. 
Chordeiles virginianus hesperis. Pacific Nighthawk. Pacific Nighthawks were 
very common at both Bear Lake and Bluff Lake during my stay in June. They were 
most often seen in the evenings when they were flying high overhead apparently catch- 
ing insects. At this time their shrill notes, and loud “whoof”, made at the end of a 
dart downward through the air, were often heard. Several times late in the afternoon 
I heard their notes high overhead, most often near Bluff Lake, so that at times these 
birds must fly about during the daytime. From September 16 to 20 I did not see or 
hear one of these birds. 
Cyanocitta stelleri frontalis. Blue-fronted Jay. A nest was discovered June 21 near 
Bear Lake, placed fifteen feet up on a large branch of a silver fir. The nest contained 
five very small young at this time. This pair of birds seemed to take particular delight 
in attempting to approach a Western Robin’s nest, that was in a small pine tree near 
our camp and not far from the Jay's nest. Apparently they were never successful, as 
the Robins were always on their guard and would drive them away with many angry 
notes and much fluttering of wings. 
Xanthocephalus xanthocephalus. Yellow-headed Blackbird. I shot an adult male 
along the east shore of Baldwin Lake on July 1. This was the only one met with and 
I believe is the first recorded from the valley. 
Sturnella neglecta. Western Meadowlark. One pair was seen on a meadow near 
the I. S. Ranch, and several others were noted near Knight’s Camp on June 30. 
Carpodacus cassini. Cassin Purple Finch. About Bear Lake Cassin Finches were 
very common feeding on small weed seeds in the meadows near the lake shore. Out of 
a dozen specimens, nearly all apparently breeding birds, there was only one female. 
Melospiza lincolni lincolni. Lincoln Sparrow. On June 21 in a small meadow near 
Bluff Lake I found a nest containing five eggs of this bird, incubation just started. The 
nest was placed on the ground at the base of a small bunch of hellebore, and was com- 
posed mostly of grass, with a little hair and one feather for a lining. I spent consider- 
able time in further search but did not find any more nests although there were several 
of the sparrows apparently nesting there. On June 26 in the same locality I shot an 
immature male just able to fly, but did not discover any more nests. The five eggs 
taken strongly resemble Song Sparrow eggs; they are, however, a very little smaller, 
more coarsely blotched, and with a lighter blue ground color. 
Myadestes townsendi. Townsend Solitaire. Only one of these birds was seen. On 
June 23 in a little canyon near Bluff Lake I shot an adult male, a breeding bird. The 
bird had only one long tail feather, but a new tail was about a third developed. 
Hylocichla guttata sequoiensis. Sierra Hermit Thrush. One, a breeding female, 
was taken and another seen on June 26 along a little stream near Bluff Lake. — Wright 
M. Pierce, Claremont , California. 
