Page:Condor8(2).djvu/13

44 THE CONDOR I Vol,. VIII teristic species of the county, and in the districts sparsely wooded or covered with lupine bushes it is frequently the only bird met with. A very common bird thruout the Park and Presidio Reservation, and strays also to the public squares and larger gardens in the vicinity. Nests are placed in lupine bushes or low situa- tions in scrub oaks or pines altho occasionally as high as 3o feet up and sometimes on the ground. I have noted fresh eggs from April t to July 24. The percentage of infertile eggs runs very high. Eggs show great variation in size and color, some specimens being finely and thickly dotted and others heavily blotched with chocolate or light brown, obscuring the. ground color, while another type is pale greenish-blue more or less heavily spotted and blotched with liver-brown fre- quently in the form of a circle around the larger end. 29. Melospiza cinerea santaecrucis. Santa Cruz Song Sparrow. A common resident in the western half of the county especially about the fresh water ponds and lakes. I have also seen it at times in public squares in the heart of the city. Nests on the ground or in bushes a few feet up. 3 o. Melospiza pusillula. Salt Marsh Song Sparrow. Found sparingly in the marshy tracts in the southeastern corner of the county along the bay shore. 3t. Pipilo maculatus falcifer. San Francisco Towhee. Common resident; nests in low bushes, scrub oaks or willows, or among overhanging blackberry vines. I have never found a nest placed on the ground, except once. 32. Zamelodia melanocephala. Black-headed Grosbeak. Scarce at all seasons; no nesting record. 33. Hitundo erythrogastra. Barn Swallow. 34. Petrochelidon lunifrons. Cliff Swallow. Both observed during the breed- ing season but the nesting of either within the county is questionable. 35. Lanius ludovicianus gainbell. California Shrike. But very seldom seen; no nesting record. Several times during the fall I have noticed it on the city streets. 36. Vireo gilvus swainsoni. Western Warbling Vireo. Noticed during the summer; no nesting record. 37. Dendroica ?estiva brewsteri. California Yellow Warbler. Common summer resident, nesting usually in willows in the vicinity of water. 38. Wilsonia pusilia chryseola. Golden Pileolated Warbler. Summer resi- dent, not numerous; no nesting record. 39. Troglodytes aedon parkmani. Parkman Wren. Rather scarce summer resident; no nesting record. 4o. B?eolophus inornatus. Plain Titmouse. Rare; I found a single nest of this species in a tin can lodged in a pine tree, in May, I892. It contained six eggs. 4 I. Chamaea fasciata intermedia. Intermediate Wren-tit. A not abun?tant resident; more frequently heard than seen. No nesting record. 42. Psaltriparus rainlinus minimus. California Bush-tit. A very common resident, nesting abundantly in scrub oaks and gum trees of the park and else- where. I have found completed nests as early as February 22, and fresh eggs the first week of March. 43- Hylocichla ustulata ustulata. Russet-backed Thrush. A common sum- met resident, principally in the park; several nesting records. 44. Sialia mexicana occidentalis. Western Bluebird. I have noticed but a single pair of these birds, and these, strange to say, were occupying a bird box on a pole in the yard of a residence in a thickly populated section known as "The Mission," March i9o 3. San Francisco, Cal.