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Jan., 1912 BIRDS OF A MOHAVE DESERT OASIS 33 Daggett, San Bernardino County, California. Here the water comes to the surface making two ponds about a half a mile apart, connected by a little stream of flow- ing water. One of the ponds is about one hundred yards long by fifteen wide, the other about half as large. In some places the water is twelve feet deep. On one side of the pond thick brush, mesquites and cottonwoods come right down to the water's edge, and on the other side it is open and sandy making it especially favor- able for shore birds. For probably a half a mile surrounding the water-holes mes- quite trees and bushes grow profusely, with a scant mingling of cottonwoods. Outside of this tree area is the desert, mostly sandy, and in the majority of places covered with small pieces of broken lava. The only vegetation is the grease- wood bushes and other low desert shrubs. N'o cactus or tree yuccas grow in this vicinity. With the exception of a little water above Daggett and twelve miles below the oasis, there is none for miles around, so this place becomes indeed a place of rest for the migrants, and an ideal home for the residents. 'The climate here is mostly very warm during June, July, August and Sep- tember, generally 100 degrees or more every day. In the winter time the ther- mometer sometimes goes as low as twenty-five degrees above zero in the early mornings. There is practically no rainfall. I only saw rain twice that would wet one were he out in it, and that only lasted for two hours. During the twelve months from August 1, 1910, to August 1, 1911, the writer was located. at a mine three miles from the water hole, and eleven hundred and fifty feet up the mountain side from the floor of the valley. The little railroad town of Yermo three miles away produced a couple of birds seen nowhere else. Around the railroad shops is a small oily pond, formed from the waste from the shops, and this sometimes attracted a few birds, often to their sorrow, on account of the crude oil all about. I desire here to extend to Mr. H. S. Swarth and Mr. J. Grinnell my sincere thanks for their trouble in identifying many of the birds. For the sake of identification specimens of all birds mentioned in this article were secured, with the following exceptions: Forster Tern, Black 'Tern, Canada Goose, Wood Ibis, Sandhill Crane, Wilson Phalarope, Turkey Vulture, Marsh I-I?iwk, Prairie Falcon, White-throated Swift, Rufous Hummingbird, Western Chip- ping Sparrow, San Diego Towhee, Cliff Swallow, Barn Swallow, and California Yellow Warbler. Below is the list Of the birds seen. Colymbus nigricollis californicus. Eared Grebe. Two were recorded, one seen August 28 and one secured September 27. Podilymbus podiceps. Pied-billed Grebe. These are resident in small numbers the year round and could be seen on nearly every trip to the water hole. Some small young were seen July 30. Gayla iramet. Common Loon. One seen April 10, and one secured April 16. This one was in an extremely emaciated condition. Lartm philadelphia. Bonaparte Gull. But a single bird was seen, secured November 8. Sterna forsteri. Forster Tern. A single one was seen fishing at the water hole August 13. Itydrochelidon nigra surinamensis. Black Tern. A single bird was seen hover- ing over a small oily pond near the railroad shops June 28. Phalocrocorax auritus albociliatus. Farallon Cormorant. Two were seen dur- ing the year of these observations, one August 12, and another seen and secured November 8.