May, 1914 
FROM FIELD AND STUDY 
145 
Least and Western Sandpipers Summering in San Diego County, California. — On 
July 12, 1908, while collecting at a small alkaline lake near San Luis Rey, I took one 
Pisohia mlnutilla and two Ereunetes mauri from a small flock of about a dozen individu- 
als. They are apparently in complete breeding dress with the exception of the wings which 
are similar to those of winter specimens. — Aueiaan van Rossem, Pomona, California. 
Ferruginous Rough-leg at Los Angeles. — On investigating the reason for several 
gunshots heard within one hundred and fifty yards of the La Brea fossil pits, on Decem- 
ber 8, last, I secured a beautiful specimen of the Ferruginous Rough-leg (Archibuteo 
ferrugineus) that had just been killed by a rancher whose poultry it was threatening. 
It proved to be a female of the year and in perfect plumage. Its craw was entirely 
empty, which probably explains the boldness of the bird in invading a locality bristling 
with oil derricks and with the noise of pumping engines all about. The rancher told 
me later that there was a pair of the hawks, but the other vanished when this one was 
killed. — L. E. Wyman, Museum of History, Science, and Art, Los Angeles, California. 
Variation in Coloration of Male House Finches. — In a series of skins of Carpodacus 
mexicanus frontalis that I collected near Claremont during March, 1914, I find the col- 
oration of the males to vary greatly. One specimen has a distinct white band back 
of the head, and is dirty white on the throat, with several white, red, and brown feath- 
ers on his head. The rump of this bird is an especially brilliant red. The breast is 
reddish. In the rest of the series the red coloration of the head, neck, breast and 
rump runs through several shades of red, pink, and salmon to a dirty pale lemon yel- 
low. — Wright M. Pierce, Claremont, California. 
Notes from the San Bernardino Mountains. — The following notes may be of inter- 
est, as they contain several records of species new to the San Bernardino mountain 
region of southern California. These notes were made in the summer of 1910. 
Dafila acuta. Pintail. Common at Bear Lake, August 25 and 26. 
Spaticla clypeata. Shoveller. Common at Bear Lake, August 25 and 26. 
Helodromas solitarius cinnamomeus. Western Solitary Sandpiper. Two birds of 
the year in fresh fall plumage were taken at Bear Lake, August 26. They were accom- 
panied by a third individual and were feeding on a mud flat at the edge of the tules. 
Two more were seen but not secured. 
Lophortyx calif ornica 'vallicola. Valley Quail. This quail was met with commonly 
in the brushy hills between Oak Glen and Beaumont. About 3000 feet altitude seemed 
to be the limit of its range. Few quail were met with between 3000 and 5000 
feet. At the latter altitude Plumed Quail (Oreortyx picta plumifera) were rather 
abundant. 
Aluco pratincola. Barn Owl. While at Oak Glen a rancher told me of a curious 
owl which had nested for two years in an oak near his barn. Investigation showed it 
to have been of this species. Though the young had flown at this late date (July 1), 
the numerous feathers in the cavity and on the ground nearby left no doubt as to the 
identity of the species. This altitude (5280 feet to be exact) is by far the highest at 
which I have encountered this bird. 
Corvus brachyrhynchos hesperis. Western Crow. Several were seen chasing a 
Western Red-tail in a small sycamore canyon about half way between Oak Glen and 
Beaumont. 
Passerella iliaca megarhyncha. Thick-billed Sparrow. One specimen taken at Seven 
Oaks, September 25. 
Passerella iliaca scliistacea. Slate-colored Sparrow. One specimen taken at Seven 
Oaks, September 25. 
Progne subis hesperia. Western Martin. A colony of about twenty pairs was 
nesting in a large dead pine near Oak Glen. Several smaller colonies were found in the 
surrounding country. 
Dendroica occidentalis. Hermit Warbler. An immature bird taken August 1, two 
immatures August 2, adult male August 11, immature August 13 and an adult male 
August 31. The young birds were in new fall plumage and all were without doubt mi- 
grants. 
Columba fasciata fasciata. Band-tailed Pigeon. At the time of my arrival at Oak 
Glen, June 25, Band-tailed Pigeons were not common, though they had evidently been 
