2 4 ) 2 v ; 
II 
Santa Barbara is a poor place for eggs,and three nests of the 
Hutton’s Yireo were the only rewards of interest that resulted from nay 
personal field work.However, various friends sent me some beauti ful sets 
to add to my collection.A set of Blue-throated Hummer n/2(nest built on 
a bit of wire) was sent me by my fried Frank Willard,of Tombstone.From 
A.B. Howel l came Rufous- crowned Sparrow n/4 .I'r. John S. Thayer sent me a 
set of Pacific Shearwater l/l(taken in Alaska), while Dr.A.K.Fisher made 
my soul glad by a gem of a Golden-cheeked Warbler nest and three eggs. 
The above, with several others of lesser value, have made my season very 
successful after all. 
Father and I expect to stay down here until about the first 
of April, when we intend to return to Tacoma.Santa Barbara is beautiful, 
and the climate is perfect beyond description, but I think neither of uti 
could be satisfied anywhere but in Tacoma. 
I was much interested in your article on the flight of gulls 
in the last "Auk”, having wondered at the same thing myself,That,and the 
way a grebe or loon lowers and raises itself in the water, have always 
been among the great puzzles to me in birdlife. 
Taken as a Whole the bird situation has not been very satis¬ 
factory to me.Messrs Ridgeway,Crinrell and Oberholser differ so widely 
as to the identification of several sub-species that I really do not 
know wh&t I srn talking about some of the time, which has left me open to 
some criticism.The Fox Sparrows,Bush-Tits,Yellow-throats, etc.are just 
so many bones of contention. 
With best regards from both father and myself, I am, 
/ 
Very sincerely yours, 
