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52 THE CONDOR VOL. XI trilled. Occasionally I heard a scolding note from both Palmer and Crissal, some- thing like "ch?i." Once while a Bendire was singing I saw a Gila Woodpecker fly and alight on the same branch near him. He at once ceased singing and used his "cuss" words and the Gila departed. As thrashers were always favorites of mine I made extensive notes on the nests g?en. The locality was most favorable as theIndians never molest them and hence they were quite tame generally. The Crissal Thrasher ( Toxosloma crissale) began nesting earliest of all. The first nest I found was February 29 and contained three eggs about hatched. March 1st I found four nests, three of three eggs each and one containing two young re- cently hatched. Of the 45 nests noted, one was in February, 27 in March, six in April, ten in May, and one containing two fresh eggs June 10. A list of Crissal's choice of nesting sites may be of interest. Twenty-seven were in mesquites and mostly in typical situation, i.e., close under a large limb, making it difficult in some cases to insert a hand in the nest. One was on top of a stump but hidden by dense, sprouting twigs. Eleven were in "squaw-berry" bushes, four in grease- wood, one in a palo verde, one in.a mistletoe and one in a low brush fence. The average hight of the nest from the ground was three feet ten inches and the extremes were two feet and eight feet. One Crissal nest I saw is not included in the foregoing list. It was in a brush fence three feet from the ground and con- tained ten eggs of the Gambel Partridge (Lophorlyx ?ambeli). The Crissal is a rather close sitter and I could usually approach near enough to see the extremely curved bill and straw-colored eyes which sufficiently identified the bird. Upon too near an approach she would slip out the other side of the bush and perhaps give either the call or the scolding note, while I counted the eggs or young. If the nest contained young some solicitude was usually shown in which the male bird joined. As compared with other thrashers here the nest is not much for architecture, being rather shallow and made of twigs and usually lined with fine rootlets. ?ometimes a variation is shown, as one found had lining of white horse-hair; other some feathers, hair and grass; and others a little fine bark with the rootlets. I watched a nest from the time eggs were deposited till young left the nest. The set was completed April 6. At 6 a.m., April 20, one young was just out of the shell and the other egg pipped. At 6 P. m., the same date, both young were open- ing their mouths and trying to swallow my finger. No egg-shell could be found. May 6th both young birds left the nest. In California I found several sets of four eggs, but here three seems the rule and two are often found. None of four were seen. The short time from egg to leaving nest--30 days--probably allows the raising of more than one brood, and would account for such a protracted breeding season: five months, February to June inclusive. The Palmer Thrasher (Toxosloma curviroslre ;bahneri) showed a decided preference for the cholla cactus as a nesting site. Of twenty-seven nests found, eleven were in the cholla; seven in the jujube, about as spiny as any cactus; four were in mistletoe of mesquite and cottonwood; two in Lycium, two in mesquite, and one in a clematis vine trailing over a shrub. The average distance from the ground was six and one-half feet, and extremes were two and one-half feet and ten feet. One old nest was found, in a mesquite five feet from the ground, containing thirteen eggs of the Gambel Partridge. Fourteen of the twenty-seven nests con- tained three eggs each; two had four eggs, and the rest two and one, some of the complete sets being two eggs. Complete sets, partly incubated, were found March 1st. Of the nests noted,