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118 THE CONDOR Vol. XV rules, and their eggs or newly hatched young no doubt figured prominently oil the menu of many very large repellant looking snakes, which at any time lnight be seen sunning themselves ou the broken down rules. Great Blue H'erons (Ardea h. herodias) were very abundant and.wary as usual. A single Anthony Green Heron (Butorides v. anthonyi) was seen, and on the 9th, three white birds were noted flying far overhead--evidently Egrets (Herodias egretta). The week before, a bird of this species was killed by a pro- fessional hunter. There were several Caspian Terns (Sterna caspia) about, but they did not seem to be interested in any one locality, which was quite the opposite of what was expressed by a number of Forster Terns (Sterna forsterO; for the latter showed great uneasiness whenever we approached the spot where they chanced to be fishing. Black Terns (Hydrochelidon n. surinamensis) were numerous, monoto- nously flying back and forth over a certain stretch of marsh, but they did not act as if they were nesting. Between Kern and Buena Vista lakes there are very extensive swamps, and this is evidently a paJadise for water fowl, but on account of interrupted sloughs, rules, et cetera, it is very difficult to work, and it can only successfully be done with the aid of a light canoe. Months could inferestingly, profitably and uncommrt- ably be spent here. A trip.up th? river to the marshes proved to be a full day's work, and what with frantically rowing against a swift current and wading half of the time up to our necks in mud and water, not much collecting was done. We found Fulvous Tree-ducks (Dendrocygna bicolor) and White-faced Glossy Ibis (Plegadis guarauna) in some numbers but they did not evince any interest in us except to keep well out of range. As far up the river as we went, every tree had its full share of Black-crowned Night Heroh's nests, while the grove of water-killed trees in the mouth of the river was crowded with thei.r nests and those of the Cormorants. Many Great Blue Herons were perched about; but as to their nesting we cannot say, as we had no desire to climb such unstable iooking snags. A fact which impressed us was the great scarcity of ducks other than Rud- dies (Erismatm'a jamaicensis.). With the exception of these and Fulvous Tree- ducks hardly a score of other individuals were seen at the lake. These were straggling Pintails, Shovellers (Spatula clypeata), and Green-winged Teal (Net- tion carolinense. On the' ?th we started for Fort Tejon, arriving at our camping ground among the oaks and beside a pretty little waterfall in time for a full afternoon's work. We made good use of this waterfall in removing the alkali of Buena Vista. Cassin and Western Warbling Vireos (f, ani?ireo s. cassini and Yireosylva g. swainsoni) and Lazuli Buntings (Passerina amoena) were especially num- erous by the stream, and a number of nests of the latter were located within a small space among the weeds. A Black-chinned Hummingbird (ztrchilochus alexandri) had her nest right at our front door and seemed in no way discon- certed by our presence. Between ot/r camp and the ruins of the. Fort was as magnificent a grove of giant white oaks as one could wish to see, with undergrowth strongly suggestive of an eastern woods. Below, the floor Of the canyon is well watered and wooded, with oak-studded grassy flats at the sides. In such a favorable snot it is small wonder that we found birds to be unusually plentiful both as to species and in- dividuals.