May, 1909 
FROM FIELD AND STUDY 
101 
such a good opportunity to show 
the structure of the nest and the 
customary half-hood over it that 
the next day found me at the right 
hour on the spot with a camera, 
with the accompanying more or 
less unsatisfactory result. This 
nest was built in a cow track, faced 
toward the east, and was on a hill- 
side in such a way that the opening 
was up hill. In consequence of 
this the camera had to be more in- 
clined even than if the ground were 
level, thus distorting the relative 
positions. But the structure and 
hood show fairly well. The photo 
was taken May 25, 1908, and the 
eggs were about fresh. — Joseph 
Mailliard, San Francisco , Cali- 
fornia. 
Condors in a Flock — On Octo- 
ber 1, 1908, about noon, I saw 18 
Condors ( Gymnogyps californian- 
us) at one time at a point about ,3 
miles southwest of McKittrick, 
Kern County. In all of my work 
along the southeastern side of the 
Diablo and Temblor ranges during 
the last two years I have seen but 
two or three Condors, and this flock 
of 18 certainly were a surprise to 
me. As soon as I saw them I laid 
down on top of a hill and while 
eating my lunch had an excellent 
opportunity of observing them. I 
had my no. 8 binoculars and was 
able to bring some of them in very 
close as they circled over me. It was a great sight and one that I will never forget, as the 
greatest number I ever saw at any one time before was a flock of four which I saw in 1896, I think 
it was, on my way to Bear Valley, above San Bernardino. — Ralph Arnold, Washington , D. C. 
NEST OF WESTERN MEADOWLARK, SAN GERONIMO, 
MARIN COUNTY 
Photo by J. Mailliard 
Scolecophagus carolinus in Colorado. — While returning from a short trip up the South 
F'ork of the Platt River, from Littleton, Colorado, February 20, 1909, I had the good fortune of 
meeting with a small flock of blackbirds, resembling the Brewer. There were about eight in the 
flock, males and females. I shot one and attempted to secure more, but they were very wild and 
escaped. They were in thick cottonwood growth near the river. The weather was mild with no 
snow on the ground. 
Later, the bird taken (a male) was identified by Mr. Horace G. Smith, as a Rusty Blackbird, 
Scolecophagus carolinus , a rare bird for Colorado. The skin is now in my collection. 
According to Prof. W. W. Cooke (Birds of Colorado, page 95) there are but two other records 
for Colorado: a pair collected near Denver, December 17, 188.3, by H. G. Smith, and one taken 
by Prof. Wm. Osborn at Loveland, in November, 1889. Note that all these are winter records. — 
George Richards, Littleton , Colorado. 
The Swamp Sparrow on the Lower Rio Grande. — From rush grass growing along the 
banks of the Rio Grande, near Brownsville, Texas, I flushed three or four birds of this species 
( Melospiza georgiana ) on December 23, 1908. One bird being secured proved to be an adult 
male. 
Whether or not the species has been taken previously this far south, I cannot say positively; 
but the most extreme record I find (for Texas) prior to this note, is near San Antonio. — Austin 
Paul Smith, Brozvnsville , Texas. 
