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NOV., 1916 MORE SUMMER BIRDS FOR SAN FRANCISCO COUNTY 227 10. Geococcyx californianus. Roadrunner. A second record for the County, Lake Merced, March 19, 1911 (Carriger and Ray). 11. Ceryle sicyon. Belted Kingfisher. We located a freshly-dug nesting burrow March 19, 1911, and an old one, July 4, 1912; both in sandy cliffs at Lake Merced. 12. Colaptes cafer collaris. Red-shafted Flicker. De Groot found a nest in a fence-post cavity in Golden Gate Park, May 21, 1916, with five well-incubated eggs. 13. Calypte anna. Anna Hummingbird. An early nesting date is that of a set of two fresh eggs noted by De Groot at Lake Merced, February 23, 1915. He notes that this and other early nests were thickly lined with feathers, perhaps for the reason he gives, that plant down and "willow cotton" were not procurable. He states that all late nests had the latter lining. 15. Selasphorus alleni. Allen Hummingbird. I have since found this hummer to be a common nester through a long season in our County. Carriger found a very beau- tiful nest in an acacia tree near North Lake, April 18, 1915. It was exceptionally high walled, very light colored and daintily decorated. Incubation had made a slight start in one of the two eggs it held. In sharp contrast to the actions of Calypte anna, this hum- mingbird usually whizzes off its nest and does not return to debate fine question of own- ership. This, a very striking difference in temperament, I do not remember having seen noted by other writers. 17. Empldonax difficilis. Western Flycatcher. A second breeding record for the County is De Groot's nest found in the Lake Merced region, May 26, 1916. It was placed fifteen feet up in a cypress crotch and held four eggs, d'ark with incubation. 18. Otocorls alpestris actia. California Horned Lark. On April 22, 1911, Carriger collected a set of four well-incubated eggs in a very open situation on the Ingleside Golf Links. The bird flushed at our feet it being almost dusk at the time. De Groot also found a nest of this bird, May 24, 1915, on the top of Twin Peaks about ten feet from the reservoir. The nest, a slight hollow, grass lined, contained three eggs well along in incubation. 19. Sturnella neglecta. Western Meadowlark. 23. Euphagus cyanocephalus. Brewer Blackbird. Carriger and I have noted both these species breeding in the Lake Merced district. 24. Carpodacus mexicanus frontalis. House Fin'ch. I saw a veritable cloud of these birds, at least 5000, settle on the telegraph wires and nearby trees near Lake Mer- ced, April 23, 1911. From the thousands of feathered throats came a great chorus that was indescribably beautiful. 27. Passer domesticus. European House Sparrow. I can record two very late nest- . ing dates: August 30, 1914, birds building in the Mission district; October 10, 1914, four fresh eggs noted in a nest above a door step, where I then lived, no. 299 San Jose Ave- nue. 34. Petrochelidon lunifrona Cliff Swallow, Carriger and I noted an unusual de- parture in the nesting of this bird, in the sandy cliffs at Lake Merced. The sand was evidently too soft to hold a plastered 'nest, so the birds were using burrows like the Bank Swallows, with a very small arch of mud plastered over the entrance. 43. Hylocichla ustulata ustulata. Russet-backed Thrush. My only nests of this bird were several found years ago. De Groot located one May 21, 1916, in Golden Gate Park, with four fresh eggs. It was situated in a patch of bamboo bushes close to the nest of the Western Robin, previously noted. San Francisco, California, October 9, 1916. FROM FIELD AND STUDY Grammatical Errors in Vernacular Names.--Many times we see earnest recommen- dations in these columns from ardent ornithologists advocating changes in the vernacu- lar names Of birds, the present names of which seem to be misleading or erroneous. Two apparently glaring grammatical errors seem to have escaped notice up to now but here we have them. Most birds have qualifying names which tend to point out some peculiarity in the