Dec., 1882.] 
AND OOLOGIST. 
179 
Black-crested Flycatcher, I must say that 
my observations go to confirm what Drs. 
Cooper and Cones have claimed for it, they 
being the only natiiralists who ascribe to it 
the power of song. 
During my stay at Santa Paula, my em¬ 
ployment was such as to give me no leisure 
time until after four o’clock in the evening, 
except on Saturdays, so it was my custojii, 
as soon as my regular day’s work was 
ended, to saddle my broncho and gallop uj) 
the canon, where I would usually remain 
until night-fall, observing these and other 
birds. Two or three pairs of these Fly¬ 
catchers were soon detected in their nest¬ 
building, and I watched them for several 
evenings with much interest. Both male 
and female worked at the nest, each bring¬ 
ing and placing its own material. Great 
caution was observed to prevent discovery, 
the nest most generally being approached 
in a circuitous way. One evening, after 
the sun had disappeared behind the low 
mountains to the w^estward, a pair of these 
birds which I was watching ceased their 
labors, and the male, perching upon one 
of the highest twigs of an oak near that 
containing their nest, favored me with a 
most interesting song which he continued 
long after sunset, and no other birds could 
be heard except the pecuhar, prolonged 
linging note of the Ground Tit ( Chamaed 
fasciata) from the hillside chaparral, or the 
petulant, scolding cries of a fiock of Cali¬ 
fornian Quails as they gathered for the 
night’s repose among the thick foliage of a 
neighboring live oak. The nature of the 
song, the time and place, together with the 
memory of certain sentences given by Dr. 
Cones when writing of this bird’s song, 
made this seem to me full of sadness and 
desolation, yet it was surely very sweet and 
fascinating. It was a subdued, sad tone, 
as if the musician was full of grief which 
he did not wish the world to know. I 
could think of nothing with which to com¬ 
pare it, unless it be the lowest, most 2 )lain- 
tive strains of the California Thrasher 
Ilarporhynchus redivivus). There are por 
tions of the song which seem a little dis¬ 
connected and harsh, but taken in its en¬ 
tirety, it certainly entitles the bird to a 
very high rank among the singing birds. 
Though I spent several entire Saturdays 
among these birds, I seldom, if ever, heard 
their song except late in the evening, and 
I am of the opinion that it is very rarely 
that they sing at any other time. Mr. Fred 
Corey, who has si:)ent some time in study¬ 
ing these birds during the present year, 
writes me that he, too, has heard them 
singing, and thus adds his testimony in fa¬ 
vor of the wonderfi;! singing abilities of 
Phahiopepla nitens. — Ji. IF. Eoermnn. 
What Others Think of Us.— We often 
get words of encouragement for our little 
magazine, showing that our ideas of sim¬ 
ple English as apjilied to the life histories 
of our birds is fully appreciated. The 
two following extracts we take from two 
English letters received by the same mail: 
Leeds, England, Sept. 22.—“ In refer¬ 
ence to your paper, I cannot speak too 
highly of it, and I shall most certainly re¬ 
new my subscription when the time comes; 
in fact, I look forward with great eager¬ 
ness when the times ajiproaches for its 
becoming due. ” 
Stone, England.— “ I cannot tell you 
how much I enjoy your splendid little 
magazine. We have nothing like it in 
England.” 
We have never received but kind words, 
and yet our circulation is not what it 
sliould l)e, probably because we have not 
advertised it, lieing edited merely as a 
pastime. If our present suliscribers will 
put their shoulder to the wheel and ask 
their friends to subscribe, we will try our 
best to give them a better volume 
next year. Volume VII will close with 
the year 1882 by publishing an extra 
number. 
Volume VI.—After this date the num¬ 
bers of Volume VI. 1881, will be $2.00. 
