Page:Condor13(6).djvu/41

Nov., 1911 i*URTHER NOTES I?ROM SANTA 'CRUZ ISLAND 209 with oak trees and scrubby growth. There is one tract, however, that appears to possess a touch of boreal at its highest part. It is composed of dense forests of the Santa Cruz pine, brok?u by precipitous dark gorges, with growth that strongly re- minds one of northern Oregon. Here in this pine region we stayed from April 24 until May 2, 1911. Mr. C. B. Linton during his long visit to this island iw1907 (CoNt)OR X, 1908, pp. 124-128) has given us such an excellent list of the birds which occur there that we deem it unnecessary to do more than record those of the sixty-six species we observed which 'are not in his list, and to mention facts of especial interest. Aechmophorus occidentalis. Western Grebe. At least one seen. Lunda cirrhata. Tufted Puffin. Rather common, and reported by the fisher- men as breedin g at the northern end of the island. Larus glaucescens. Glaucous-winged Gull. A group of three seen. Larus delawarensis. Ring-billed Gull. Not rare. Larus philadelphia. Bonaparte Gull. Several seen. Accipiter cooperi. Cooper Hawk. One pair in the pines acted as if it had a nest near by, but we were unable to locate it. Buteo swainsoni. Swainson Hawk. A single bird flew over, permitting .a close inspection. Halia?etus leuc0cephalus. Bald Eagle. Rather common, both adults and im- mature birds of last year. One pair had a nest in a pot-hole on a cliff along the shore, and another was about thirty feet up in a pine on the side of a canyon. It was occupied by one young the size of a large chicken, and the old birds were very aggressive. Aluc0 pratinc01a. Barn Owl. One seen flying silently over camp just after dark. C01aptes cafer c011aris. Red-shafted Flicker. The flickers of Santa Cruz present an interesting problem which can be solved. only by one who has the time to collect a large series of them.. Unfortunately we were unable to get a shot at any but typical collaris. This is by far the commoner form, but others, by no means rare, certainly closely approach the Northern Flicker (C. a. luteus), and still others appear to be intergrades. between the two. 0t00ris alpestris insularis. Island Horned Lark. Although we searched dili- gently no Island Horned Larks were found. We looked in suitable localities, roll- ing grass land, but they are evidently of local distribution, as other observers have reported them as common. Aphe10c0ma insularis. Santa Cruz Jay. To us the most interesting bird on the island. Abundant in the pines. They were not as much in evidence as their cousins on the mainland, but when one did happen upon them they were as a rule unsuspicious. At this time of year they are quiet unless one of a pair is killed or a nest disturbed, and if one does not know where and when to find them they might almost escape notice. However, if one goes along with much noise, so that the jays know he is about, and then sits down at a convenient spot and remains quiet, their curiosity will get the better of them. In nine cases out of ten it is useless to watch in front because the birds will not come that way, but after several minutes, Ul?l?n a surreptitious glance to the rear, a jay will be discovered sitting motionless on a pine branch a few yards away. Practically all of their nests con- tained young at this date. Two nests examined were placed about twenty feet up in "palo fierros", slim trees growing in small groves in the valleys; and were sim- ilar in construction to nests of the California Jay. One contained two small young and an addled egg, and the other had four young about a week old? A surprising