Page:Condor19(5).djvu/4

150 THE CONDOR VoL XIX nest by peculiar squeak uttered by brooding bird. Nest was directly over me in juniper tree, but eight feet above ground, and old bird sat close as I watched her, with beak pointing straight up and partly open; her attitude suggested one of hiding, endeavoring to make herself as little conspicuous as possible. A light snow was falling at the time, and when I flushed her (which was not until 1 was within a foot of the nest), the flakes settled on the three naked youngsters, recently hatched and apparently about three days old. Both adults stayed close by, the Fig. 50. ADULT CLARKE NUTCRACKER ON .XEABB PERCI? UTTERING PLAINTIVE CRIES ?VIIILE ITS /'qEST 1S BEING EXAMINED. while uttering plaintive cries which I have not heard from this species at other seasons. (See fig. 50.) When I slipped away a few paces, hiding. the old bird returned and covered her brood; this tinhe in natural position. "March 25th. Nest no. 2 found in sanhe vicinity, a? bottom of canyon, placed close to trunk of large fir, seven feet above ground. Adult was brooding, and as- sumed same attitude as bird in nest no. 1 (bill high up, open, etc.). Nest contained three young, apparently a few days older than those in the previous nest, as they were partly covered with down. "March 26th. Nest no. 3 with set of three eggs. Nest, eggs and parent bird taken and forwarded to you. Old birds acted in no way differ- ent than in former cases. Nest in pinyon tree at bot- tom of canyon, eight feet above ground. Male bird taken. "March 27th. Nest no. 4 found in bottom of can- yon, in top of pinyon tree sixteen feet above ground, well hidden and the only nest found in top of tree to date; contained two young about same age as previous ones found. "None of these nests were in close proximity to each other. The four nests occupied a territory of perhaps several miles in area and the birds are nesting in the Transition zone, junipers and pinyohs of the upper Sonoran zone reaching well into the Transition; associated with Pinyon Jays, Bush- tits, etc.