Jan., 1903 NOTES FROM TI-IE DIARY OF A NATURALIST IN NORTHERN CALIF. 39 part of every duck hunter's bag. They often spend the day in the open ocean and return to the' marshes to feed at night. Spatula clypeata. Shoveler. These ducks appear to fall an easy prey to the duck hunters. They are nearly always seen in a bag of any size. Observed at Crescent City, Orick and Trinidad. DaftIll acuta. Pintail. Seen at Klamath Lake during early October. Many Teal were observed in the region of Klamath Lake, but by curious chance they were seen either at a distance or were flushed from ponds and wet meadows at dusk when their markings could not be seen. Flocks of Blue-bills were seen at Requa and Orick but as no specimens were taken, their identity can not be stated. Scoters were frequently seen resting lazily just outside the surf at Crescent City or flying heavily just above the water. Pure white geese were seen on an inland lagoon between Orick and Trinidad. Branta canadensis. Canada Goose. This bird was abundant about Lower Klamath Lake during our stay there. Gaut shot a fine male with the rifle. An immature bird of one of the smaller subspecies was secured at Lower Klamath Lake in a peculiar manner. A flock was seen rapidly flying in a wedged-shaped flock toward where we stood near a barn. Suddenly seeing us the flock quickly veered upwards and to one side and for a moment it was in complete confusion. Sudden- ly from the midst of the beating wings a helpless bird fluttered down to the gr?)und. The bird was easily captured alive, but unfortunately was not preserved. These smaller geese (hulchinsii or minimus) were about Lower Klamath Lake in great abundance, and their return from their feeding grounds in the direction of Butte Valley lying south of the Lake, was an impressive spectacle. The lake and its ad- joining plain is girdled by low hills and ridges and into this amphitheater countless numbers of the geese, and their larger cousins, the Canada Geese, would come at night to roost. The air resounded with the din of harsh, squeaking, cackling notes, which could be likened to nothing so much as to the creak of an ungreased wagon- wheel. A reminder of this experience was had at Crescent City where the geese during foggy weather and at dusk would pass from the ocean to some unknown feeding ground inland. Branta nigricans. Black Brant. This bird is probably of more or less com- mon occurrence in suitable localities in the Siskiyou mountains. In 1890 while staying at Beswick, I can remember a Black Brant being shot in the tall grass bor- dering Klamath River, and just back of the Klamath Hot Springs Hotel. On Sep- tember 26, 1905, a flock of four of these birds was flushed from a swampy clearing near Topsey. Botaurus lentiginosus. American Bittern. One or two seen at Lower Klam- ath Lake. Ardea herodias. Great Blue Heron. Common at MarshalIs, Beswick and Klamath Lake. 13rus mexicana. Sandhill Crane. This bird was exceedingly plentiful about Lower Klamath Lake and Meiss Lake at the southern end of Butte Valley. Railus virginianus. Virginia Rail. One seen at Crescent City. Porzana carolina. Sora Rail. Seen at Lower Klamath Lake. Fullca americana. American Coot. This bird was first met with near Beswick under very peculiar circumstances. While setting traps on a high brushy ridge about five miles from the Klamath River, a large black bird awkwardly fluttered out of a clump of mountain mahogany. As it flew clumsily down into the canyon of Shovel Creek, it was plainly identified as an American Coot. Possibly a weary migrant had fa?llen into this predicament thru sheer exhaustion. This species was
