May, 1910 
FROM TAHOE TO WASHOE 
87 
hollow. Bird life became more and more abundant as we walkt towards the 
northern end of the lake, Red-winged Blackbirds (Agelains phoeniceus neutralist, 
Yellow-headed Blackbirds (Xanthocephalus xanthocephalus) , and Wilson Phalaropes 
(. Steganofus tricolor) being especially common. One of the latter fluttered along 
the ground almost at our feet, but a careful search failed to reveal the nest. We 
soon realized, however, that not much could be accomplish! without the use of a 
boat, and as all those about were securely chained, and, to reach the boat-house 
meant a walk of twenty miles, with the chance of finding no one in, our prospects 
for a series of views of water-bird homes were not very bright. 
After wading some distance among the tules, from where coot and various 
ducks and grebes headed out, we began to appreciate the wealth of Washoe’s water 
bird-life, and felt that a region so rich as this deserved the work of a summer’s 
Fig. 25. OUR FIRST VIEW OF MARLETTE LAKE 
vacation rather than the short time we were able to give it. Consulting our watch, 
we found we had been at the lake two hours and a half, and that we still had ample 
time to catch the train to Carson City. Leaving the great marsh almost untoucht 
we walkt west to the railroad station at Franktown, but even in this short span 
of territory a number of interesting nests were discovered. The first, that of a 
Brewer Blackbird (. Euphagus cyan o cep halus) was in the top of a sage two feet up, 
made of weed stems, and grasses and lined with horsehair. The four eggs it held 
appeared to be in a condition of advanced incubation. 
Not far from here in a grain field, altho the growing grain offered no con- 
cealment, being but little above the ground, I found a nest of the Dusky Horned 
Lark (Otocoris alpestris merrilli), made of weed-stems, with two eggs which to 
my surprise showed incubation had already begun. In a thick patch of clover 
along an irrigation ditch a Cinnamon Teal ( Querquedula cyanoptera) , was flush! ; 
