I have observed the Western Winter Wren here only several times. Took one Oct. 6.
Plain Titmice are fast disappearing and are growing quite uncommon. Further back in the hills is where civilization has driven them. Young were found in two nests April 8.
The American Pipit in winter appears to be as much at home in town as the urban English Sparrow. After a rain they can be found singly or in small bunches along the pavements in the densest part of town looking for worms.
Took a ♂ California Creeper Jan. 14, making the first one I ever saw in the county.
Parkman's and Vigor's Wrens are seen almost the year around. Last winter (1897-8) a Parkman's remained about my garden and the winter before last (1896-7) a Vigor's wintered near by. Neither species passed this winter here.
In January I took a ♂ Tule Wren from the salt marsh near here. Several of the crown feathers and one wing primary (secondary) were pure white.
Peculiar Eggs of California Shrike and Other Notes. In the San Joaquin Valley about twenty-eight miles southeast of Stockton, on May 23, 1898, I found two nests of the California Shrike in a grove of locusts near the road, both containing eggs partly incubated. One egg in the set of four is pure white, with a faint greenish tint, marked at the larger end with a black scrawl, and over the surface are a few obscure specks of light brown. The other three are typical specimens although one is lightly marked. The set (?) of two also contains an almost unmarked specimen.
On June 15, 1897 near Soquel, Santa Cruz Co., Cal. I took a nest of the Western Wood Pewee containing three fresh eggs. On examining the nest after reaching camp I was surprised to find two more eggs beneath the lining, in which the contents were partly dried. They differ much in size and color from the other eggs and do not seem to have been laid by the same individuals.Milton S. Ray, San Francisco, Cal.
Notes from Marin and San Benito Counties, Cal. In Bulletin No. 2 are some interesting notes from different sections of the state concerning the appearance of birds unusual in the localities mentioned. It strikes me that it would be beneficial to the students of ornithology if such notes were supplemented by additional ones from persons who have been in position to make observations upon the species mentioned in different localities at corresponding dates, as this would assist very materially in studying distribution and habits. Accordingly I will endeavor to make a start in this line by adding my notes to those of the last issue.
Red-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta canadensis). Mr. Otto Emerson speaks of these birds having appeared in Alameda Co. in September and mentions their occurrence in Marin County. At that time they were very abundant here, the first having been observed on Aug. 29 when two or three were seen. A few days later they were very numerous, frequenting almost altogether at this time the fir and cypress trees on the ranges. In October they became less abundant and toward the middle of the month were found feeding among the live oak trees, even in the valley near the house. By Nov. 1 they had all disappeared. This bird has never to my knowledge, been recorded in Marin Co. before. I saw a few in San Mateo on Nov. 6.
Lewis' Woodpecker. (Melanerpes torquatus). These birds breed to a greater or less extent, seemingly depending upon the season, at Paicines, San Benito Co., Cal., where we have taken several sets. On the first of last October a large number of immigrants must have come in as they were far more numerous than those breeding there would account for by natural increase. My brother and I collected a beautiful series at this time of birds of the year in different plumages, some of which were exceedingly interesting.
