62 THE CONDOR Vol. XVI all, by "; . I)s inches deep, xvith a cavity 2 inches in diameter, by x).5 inclies in depth. A rather pretty affair, made outwardly in part of brownish rootlets and a few pine needles, both of which strikingly contrast with the bleached bark strips and light-colored vegetable fibers which are also used. Strips of red cedar bark, horsehair, with here and there a scattered feather, form the lining. The five eggs, fortunately fresh, measure in inches: .66x.49, .67x.48, .67x.5 o, .67x.5 o, .69x.49. They are ovate in shape and have a very faintly tinged white ground color. The markings consist of well defined spots and blotches, which predomi- nate around the larger end, where they form rough xvreaths, and in color vary from mars brown to burnt umber, and, in a few places, even black. Equally as well distributed are the washy blotches of light violet-gray. This description is based on a comparison with the plates in "Color Standards and Color Nomen- clature", by Robert Ridgway, I912 edition. While I remained in the vicinity the female flitted anxiously about, much as a Yellow Warbler would do; but although I waited patiently for hours, the male did not appear. It was almost noon before I completed my work at the nesting tree, and with notes, specimens and photos tramped triumphantly back to Fyffe, for although I had succeeded in locating a nest of the Hermit Warbler on my first day, it nmst not be thought I underestimated their extreme rarity. I may add that during my stay of ten days, in which I covered over one hundrea miles ariel(l, not only were no further nests located, but the birds themselves prover! extremely scarce. Though conntless scores of various other warblers were noted, but a very few birds that appeared referahle to this species were seen, and these being well up in conifers, could not be positix, ely identifie. l. In the afternoan, in the burnt district east of Fyffe, I noted a nest of the Western Bluebird (.?'ialia ?,exicana occidcntali?) in a cavity of a pine stump ten and a half feet up. The nest was noteworthy in that it formed part of a nest of small black ants, which gained entrance through crevices below. The ever wan- dering hordes and countless nun:bers of their eggs were amid the material of the bluebird's nest. The latter, made of grasses and lined with bark strips, held tl'.ree fresh eggs. On May ?5 these were increased to four and on the ?8th I noted five, slightly incubated. Nearby, a White-headed Woodpecker was flushed from a nesting hole seven feet up in a burnt stub, containing four badly incubated eggs. A week later the nest held three young and an infertile egg. Close to this nest was also one of the Cabanis Woodpecker (Dryobatcs villosus hyloscopus), with four small young, fifteen feet up in a slender dead tree. On taking a road that led in the direction of Webber Creek I came upon a large rattler stretched full-length across the road, with a mouse in its mouth. The reptile, which boasted eight rattles, quickly coiled and showed fight. A1-- though it was promptly dispatched, the incident caused me for some little time afterward instinctively to tread very gingerly through the brush-covered rocky tracts: Later, along the main road half a mile west of the "Hall", the nest of a new breeding bird for Fyffe was found, that of a Sierra Hermit Thrush. This was openly placed three feet up in the crotch of a small dead tree, which afforded but scant concealment. The nest, of grasses, stems, leaves and bark strips, lined with fine rootlets and grasses, held a single fresh egg. Later visits showed as follows: May 15, two eggs; i6th, three eggs; ?7th, four eggs; I8th, four eggs, xvith bird sitting closely. For a second time at dusk a puzzling nest was located. 'Phis was at the very end of a pine bough, thirty feet up; from the nest a bird took wing and disap- peared before I had opportunity to identify it. The nest I conld see, from above,
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