BIRDS OF SOUTH ERN CALIFORNIA. 
345 
minds one of domestic fowls, for it is always with them 
scratching in the litter of the stables. It runs in and out of 
the brush or woodpiles like a mouse, and loves to stay under 
the orange trees scratching among the leaves and mulching. 
One might take the sound it makes to be that of some large 
bird or animal; and, peeping, be surprised by the tiny plump 
creature making the leaves fly in all directions. It is confiding, 
and loves to wait at the door or window for crumbs, preferring 
sweet cookie to bread, and picking at tiny green leaves as 
soon as they appear in the lettuce bed. 
We have many times brushed a towhee from the doorsteps 
when opening the screen, and it is a common thing to catch 
them in the woodshed where they are sure to forget at what 
particular spot they gained admittance and fly distractedly in 
all directions. If it were not for our door and window screens 
the towhees would occupy our homes with us. In spite of 
their usual dull color we have known one exception. This in¬ 
dividual bird had three white feathers in one wing which were 
moulted and re-appeared for four successive years. The sexes 
of this species are not distinguishable. The towhee breeds 
mostly in April and May, choosing shrubs or low trees for its 
nesting places. The nest is of twigs, grass, paper and string, 
lined with any soft material. One pair of towhees chose the 
fur from a buffalo skin hung out on the balcony for an airing. 
Others, the hairs from a very old elk skin. Stray hairs from 
horses’ tails are most often used, and we have often picked up 
these and hung them upon trees or posts on purpose to attract 
the attention of the towhees and other birds. One may induce 
the birds to use all sorts of odd material in nest-building by 
anticipating their needs and beginning in time. 
The towhee lays three or four eggs, specked with black and 
brown on a pale-bluish ground. The young tumble out of the 
nest early, and may be picked up almost anywhere in the 
season. Indeed, at nesting-time, in a Southern California 
garden in which birds are numerous, the entire time of a 
trained nurse might be employed in caring for helpless little 
ones. 
Unlike the mockers, who tell all about their nest before you 
ask them, the towhees are shy and quiet. We have seen them 
fly far past the nest and back again several times with food in 
their bills to be quite certain they are not observed. They may 
be sitting in a bush, or a tuft of pampas grass, or an orange 
tree and speak not a word though you could touch them with 
your hand, until you look straight at them, when they will 
whisk away with their familiar chirp. The young go about 
very much as the mockers, teasing for food, but in a less noisy 
and insistent way. They become self-supporting much earlier 
in life. Since they are not singers, no one cages these birds ; 
