128 
THE CONDOR 
Vol. XV 
who wrote to their legislators urging the reform legislation; (2) to the persistent 
work of the Fish and Game Commission; (3) to the cooperation of the Fish and 
Game Commission of Oregon; (4) to the cordial cooperation of the ablest and 
most enlightened of California’s law-makers; (5) to the leaders of the national 
conservation campaign in New York City and Washington. D. C. ; (6) to the 
far-sighted sportsmen who put real conservation above personal interest ; and ( 7 ) 
to the unsellish devotion of some of the busiest of California's leaders, newspaper 
editors, officials of women’s clubs, doctors, lawyers, ministers, university pro- 
fessors, and business men. 
In conclusion, it may be said that while the laws on the statute books are 
good, still others are badly needed. l>ut there must be something' more than 
laws if the situation is to be permanently improved. A public sentiment more 
favorable to wild life protection must be awakened. This can only come through 
a broad educaton, which shall mean not only completer knowledge of the wild 
life and of the game laws, but also a greater willingness to abide by the law^ 
when these are known and understood, and an increased respect for the authori- 
ties constituted to enforce them. 
FROM FIELD AND STUDY 
Harris Hawk in California. — I got a fine specimen of Parabutco uiiicinctus harrisi 
on November 17, 1912, a male in full plumage. The bird w'hcn seen was perched on a tele- 
phone pole overlooking my neighbor's poultry yard, in Mission Valley, near San Diego. 
The lady shot it on suspicion, and sent it over to me. The skin is now in the collection of 
the San Diego Society of Natural History and is said to be the first recorded for San Diego 
County and the second for California.— Henry Grey. 
An Unusual Nest of the Sora Rail. — On June 18, 1912, I collected a set of eggs of 
the Sora Rail (Porzana Carolina) that num- 
bered eighteen. This nest was located in a 
marsh near Chouteau, Montana. It was first 
found on June 14, at which time it contained 
thirteen visible eggs. Having failed to 
get a successful photograph of this nest when 
it was first found, I visited it again on the 
18th, wdien finding the visible number of eggs 
increased to seventeen 1 decided to collect it. 
-Vfter I had photographed it and removed it 
I found the eighteenth egg, embedded in the 
in the bottom of the nest. In 
ying photograph but fifteen eggs 
the others being in a lower 
probable, from the number of eggs 
found on the different dates, that the eggs 
were laid daily, and that the last one had been 
laid the morning of the 18th. Had it been 
possible it would have been interesting to have 
left the nest for another visit to see w'hether 
the bird would have laid more, but I had no 
opportunity to visit it again. The eggs were 
all the way from fresh to advanced in incuba- 
tion. From appearances, some of them would 
have hatched in a few days more. The nest 
w-as placed in thick rushes, supported by them, 
and roughly arched over by drawing the tops 
of the ones surrounding the nest together. It 
was I'uilt of dead rushes, and the bottom of it rested in the water, which at that place in the 
marsh was about six inches deep. — ArETas A. Saunders. 
Fig. 39. Nest and Eighteen Eggs of the 
Sora Raid; Photographed June 18, 
1912, near Chouteau, Montana 
