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Jan., I9OO I THE CONDOR which I removed, but subsequent sets were laid and young raised. Other high, gigantic trees were climbed, some having been trimmed up from the ground, rendering it necessary to use a ladder and a rope to gain foothold on the first branches. Small, weak bran- ches for a few feet had to be overcome before firmer ones higher up were gained and a thick coating of accumu- lated guano and a sort of dust peculiar to thick evergreens which the heaviest rains fail to remove, many squeezes and contortions, the cumbersome work of bringing the pole and can being accom- plished, standing room was frequently at a premium, and the swaying of the tree tops rendered it risky reaching for the eggs and it was safe only during in- termissions to work the scoop on the eggs so as to insure no damage to them. Many nests were out of reach, so the pole was dispensed with nearly alto- gether and only several were "easy." All the nests held sets of three eggs ex- cept three nests of four eggs each, in- cubation fresh to far advanced. No young were noted. This data is also applicable to May 2 9 . In all, I judged there were sixty nests containing eggs, including those in trees not climbed, this being corrob- orated by the cries of the young emanating therefrom from one to two weeks later. Their racket continued as late as September in rare cases, so some sets were laid perhaps in late July. Their incessant din commenced about dusk and lasted long after daybreak. slept outdoors most of the summer and listened to the din of of a heronry in town whether willing or not. (If any- body calls this a "shitepoke" town there may be some consolation in the thought that I saw a Green Heron roosting on a front yard fence in the main street of Alviso). The usual note was a "chuck, chuck, chuck, chuck" continued for a few seconds, varied with a "ehueka- chuck-chuck, chuck-chuck" with an oc- casional ghastly screech or squawk. One bird after another in the same nest would keep the concert up all night with casual intermissions, and two or more birds keeping their own time created a rag-time jargon highly ludi- crous. At times a series of guttural squawks and yells from one spot probably indi- cated a scramble for food from a return- ing parent rather than a disagreement, the noises suggesting anything sepul- chral and uncanny. The nearest ap- proach to the "quack" note of the adult were guttural hisses and a squawk re- sembling that of a half-grown chicken. Even in the sunshine of midday the birds were not altogether silent. The trees were all close to the houses and barns as if so chosen for protection, and several times I noticed young birds on the tops of chicken yard fences or feed- ing at the trough. Others were walk- ing about industriously seeking food, probably bits of fish that had dropped from the nests to the dry, parched ground, and instead of seeking safety by flight would hop to the low limbs and ascend foot-over-foot. Some were captured before getting out of reach and gave vent to loud, ?nost diabolical squawks, alarming the nearest adults to fly out of the trees, and fought vicious- ly, striking with their beaks, open- mouthed, with necks hunched up ready to strike at the captor's eyes. The adults returned from the marshes apparently at intervals all night judg- ing by the renewed clamor of. the young. They were noticeable at dawn approaching with steady wing beat that changed into a long glide down an in- clined plane toward the trees, then a few flaps and they Were hidden in the tree tops. Others arrived at intervals up to ioo'clock, low tides seemingly influencing late feeding. The feeding 9f the young is done apparently by the process of regurgitation and I have never detected one carrying food in its. beak. The common note of the adult is heard from dusk to sunrise, much more so at dusk. They are sociable and peaceable yet ludicrously timid and when harassed by blackbirds and small hawks or even frightened by gun fire or earthquakes they freely utter loud, guttural squawks indicative of the high- est expressions of cowardice and fear imaginable, laughable in the extreme. During the day, in early spring especi- ally, they often use a garrulous note, a sort of subdued "cluck," exactly re-