6 THE) AUDUBON” B Us Dele 
“We have several varieties of petrels, the predominant one being the 
wedge-tailed shearwater, or “moaning bird,” about the size of a pigeon, 
dark on top and with a white breast. It cries, moans, howls, and screams 
all night in a most eerie manner, and being of extremely gregarious 
instincts, gathers in huge flocks to emit a concerted howling. When one is 
killed on the runway the mate and several hundred others gather around 
it like professional mourners. They nest under the shrubbery or in grassy 
patches, digging holes in the coral (which you invariably step into at night). 
The black petrel is a smaller edition of the above, less noisy and very gentle. 
“Among the terns we have the white tern, very beautiful and friendly, 
being pure white with large, dark eyes and about the size of a robin. They 
hover over your head in an inquisitive manner, and will occasionally alight 
on your outstretched hand. The young will perch on your shoulder enjoy- 
ably. The majority of young birds here are fed by regurgitation, so it is 
difficult to really tame them. 
“The Hawaiian tern is black and white, sharply marked. They live in 
immense flocks, breed prolifically, and are very noisy when around, uttering 
a peculiar warning cry which sends the young scurrying to the underbrush. 
It looks like a dark cloud rising when you encroach on their territory, and 
they aren’t beyond pecking your head in their wrath. We have several 
species of terns as yet unidentified by us. They are like the oak family in 
their endless variety. 
“Our greatest character is a species of albatross. I could write end- 
lessly about this bird, with the censor’s permission, but I will say that I 
have never seen a bird with such human characteristics. He provides a 
never-failing source of amusement to us. We taught the young ones how to 
fly, each pilot having his pet bird, and it was a riot to see them amble out 
on the runway in early morning and attempt to fly. They would manage 
to soar about twenty yards, forget to put their landing gear down and go 
head over heels. We would launch them from mounds, thus giving them 
the benefit of a little altitude. The last of the young ones has disappeared 
now, but they’ll be back in force in another month, returning from the 
Aleutians and thereabouts. 
“At present there are some migratory land birds here with their 
strange woodland cries. The golden plover and the curlew are most preva- 
lent. I discovered one bird tagged with the following: F & W Service 41- 
308540. Maybe you can tell me what F & W means.” 
In an article in a recent number of the Bulletin Miss Belle Wilson 
wrote of the birds about Banning, California, and in a letter to Dr. Lewy 
she makes these further comments: 
“Indian School Lane is one of the best outlying streets in Banning and 
the one on which I have found the greatest number of different species of 
birds. Number 295 is directly across the street from the large, beautiful 
estate of Dr. White of Los Angeles, where, since only a caretaker is present, 
I often hang over the wide gate and check up the birds that move about in 
the magnificent trees or upon the lawn. Recently I saw a covey of forty-one 
California quail on the lawn—all quite unafraid—a beautiful sight. 
