Sept., 1911 .MAY N()TES FROM SAN JACiNTO I, AKE 159 apparently not yet nesting. This is one of the latest breeding ducks in this vicinity. Plegadis guarauna. Vhite-faced Glossy Ibis. In nearly every patch of rules was a nest or two of this species, and in the patch farthest west which covered about a half acre, there must have been at least two hundred nests. They were built on bent down tules, andSwere composed of tule stalks and lined with marsh grass. They were situated from two to six feet above the water, the average height being about four feet. About half the nests examined contained young and most of the others held badly incubated eggs. A very few fresh sets were found but the height of the nesting season was past. The sets almost invariably consisted of three or four eggs. In one or two instances sets of two incubated eggs were noted, and three nests contained five eggs.each, two nests six eggs each, and one nest had seven. It is probable that_?sets,'numbering more than five eggs were deposited by Fig. 45. TYPICAL NES'I? OF WHITE-FACED GLOSSY IBIS more than one bird. In fact they invariably showed two different types of eggs. The color of the eggs evidently fades with incubation, as the heavily incubated eggs are a much lighter blue than the freshly laid ones. This is probably the largest breeding colony of these birds in southern California west of the mOUlltaius. Botaurus lentigin0sus. Bittern. Rather common but no nests were found. The pumping note of this bird was heard continually, both day and night. Ixobrychus exilis. Least Bittern. Rather colnmon. Seven nests were found. These contained three sets of five eggs each, one set of which was hatching, one
set of four, badly incubated, Olie set of three, slightly incubated, and one fresh egg.
The nests were flimsy affairs, built of snmli tule stalks and marsh grass, and were placed in the rules from three to four feet above the water. In one case the nest was built on top of an old blackbird's nest. In no case xvas the bird flushed from the immediate vicinity of the nest.
