July, 1910 
LATH SPRING IN RAKE VALLEY 
129 
still remained; but this was melting fast. Bijou, my destination, was reaeht at one 
o’clock in the afternoon, and not long after I selected a spot on high ground as the 
site of my camp. I was told that there had been a light fall of snow two days pre- 
viously; but weather conditions did not cause me any worry as I had a storm proof 
tent of 10 oz. army duck. 
After arranging the camp, time did not allow much opportunity, but I could 
not forego a short ramble around the camp-grounds and up the meadow. Mr. Wil- 
ton Young of Bijou took me to a nest of the Sierra Junco ( J unco hyemaiis thurbcri ) 
that he had found a few days before; but the nest was deserted and the four eggs it 
had then held had disappeared. Along the meadow I noticed Brewer Blackbirds 
(EupZiagns cyanocephalus ) nesting in unusually large numbers; but as it had al- 
ready become dark I postponed investigation until the following day. 
The next morning was spent as planned, but as the season's work in the Brewer 
Fig. 41. BENEATH THE PINES OF BIJOU, AT LAKE TAHOE 
Photo by Richard Duttke 
Blackbird colonies has already been described at length in two articles publish t in 
The Condor I shall omit further reference to it. In the afternoon a tramp was 
taken along the lake shore to Lakeside, but a blinding rainstorm before long forced 
me to return. 
The next morning being clear I decided on a ramble among the higher ranges 
southeast of Bijou. Here I reaeht an altitude of about 6750 feet. At this eleva- 
tion deep snow lay in patches, and the willows and aspens showed but faint buds, 
while every brook was a turbulent stream of snow-water running bank-full and 
singing its wild Sierran song. Altho about Bijou (6220 feet) many nests contained 
even young birds, yet here the birds that were in evidence as nesting were few. 
The real find of the day was a nest of the Blue-fronted Jay ( Cyanocitta stellen 
frontalis). This bird, while common on the ranges and along the lake shore where 
the mountains rise from its edge, is scarce in the vicinity of Bijou and all other low 
