62 
TIIK CONDOR 
Vol. XVI 
all, by i}i inches deep, with a cavity 2^4 inches in diameter, by 1^2 inches in 
depth. A rather pretty affair, made outwardly in part of brownish rootlets and 
a few pine needles, both of which strikingly contrast with the bleached bark strips 
and light-colored vegetable fibers wliich are also used. Strips of red cedar bark, 
horsehair, with here and there a scattered feather, form the lining. The five 
eggs, fortunately fresh, measure in inches ; .66X.49, .67X.48, .67X.50, .67X.50, 
.69X.49. They are ovate in shape and have a very faintly tinged white ground 
color. The markings consist of well defined spots and blotches, which predomi- 
nate around the larger end, where they form rough wreaths, and in color vary 
from mars brown to burnt umber, and, in a few places, even black. Equally as 
well distributed are the washy blotches of light violet-gray. This description is 
based on a comparison with the plates in “Color Standards and Color Nomen- 
clature”, by Robert Ridgway, 1912 edition. 
While I remained in the vicinity the female flitted anxiously about, much 
as a Yellow Warbler would do; but although I waited patiently for hours, the 
male did not appear. It was almost noon before I completed my work at the 
nesting tree, and with notes, specimens and photos tramped triumphantly back 
to Fyffe, for although I had succeeded in locating a nest of the Hermit Warbler 
on my first day, it must not be thought I underestimated their extreme rarity. I 
may add that during my stay of ten days, in which I covered over one hundrea 
miles afield, not only were no further nests located, but the birds themselves 
proved extremely scarce. Though countless scores of various other warblers 
were noted, but a very few birds that appeared referable to tins species were 
seen, and these being well up in conifers, could not be positively identifie.k 
In the afternoon, in the burnt district east of FyflT, I noted a nest of the 
Western Bluebird (Siolia mexicana occidcntalis) in a cavity of a pine stump ten 
and a half feet up. The nest was noteworthy in that it formed part of a nest of 
small black ants, which gained entrance through crevices below. The ever wan- 
dering hordes and countless numbers of their eggs were amid the material of the 
bluebird’s nest. The latter, made of grasses and lined with bark strips, held 
th.rce fresh eggs. On May 15 these were increased to four and on the i8th I 
noted five, slightly incubated. Nearby, a White-headed Woodpecker was flushed 
from a nesting hole seven feet up in a burnt stub, containing four badly incubated 
eggs. A week later the nest held three young and an infertile egg. Close to this 
nest was also one of the Cabanis Woodpecker {Dryobates villosiis hyloscopns) , 
with four small young, fifteen feet up in a slender dead tree. 
On taking a road that led in the, direction of Webber Creek I came upon a 
large rattler stretched full-length across the road, with a mouse in its mouth. 
The reptile, which boasted eight rattles, quickly coiled and showed fight. Al- 
though it was promptly dispatched, the incident caused me for some little time 
afterward instinctively to tread very gingerly through the brush-covered rocky 
tracts. Later, along the main road half a mile west of the “Hall”, the nest of a new 
breeding bird for Fyfte was found, that of a Sierra Hermit Thrush. This was 
openly placed three feet up in the crotch of a small dead tree, which afforded but 
scant concealment. The nest, of grasses, stems, leaves and bark strips, lined with 
fine rootlets and grasses, held a single fresh egg. Later visits showed as follows ; 
May 15, two eggs; i6th, three eggs; 17th, four eggs; i8th, four eggs, with bird 
sitting closely. 
For a second time at dusk a puzzling nest was located. This was at the very 
end of a pine bough, thirty feet up; from the nest a bird took wing and disap- 
peared before I had opportunity to identify it. The nest I could see, from above, 
