Page:Condor16(6).djvu/19

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Nov., 1914 FROM FIELD AND STUDY 261 February 15, 1910, I secured a Tree Swallow, Iridol?rocne bicolor, from a small flock that flew about a stream of water during a shower. I have seen two Audubon Caracaras (Polllborus c/?eriwa//), one on each side of the Gila River, and also the head, wings and tail of one shot at Sacaton by an Indian. September 4, 1910, I secured a male Anna Hummingbird, Calypte anna. Two Ru- f0us Hummingbirds, 8elasl?l?orus r?f?s, immature males, were secured the same year, one September 4, the other October 1.--M. FRENCH GILMAN, ?aeaton, Arizona. Migrations of the Gannet--If any correspondent would be so good as to inform me of any authenticated occurrence of the Gannet (Sula bassaria) in any part of the Carib- bean Sea, or off the shores of Panama, Venezuela 'or Columbia, I should be greatly obliged, as information is lacking on the points. The Gannet (Sula bassaria) is stated to make an annual migration in the winter to the Gulf of Mexico, which is some 2500 miles from its Canadian breeding-places--Bird Rocks and Bonaventure. It has been identified, although not actually obtained, at trinidad island, lat. 10 50' N (see The Field, April 17, 1897, p. 586), but it must be a very occasional visitant so far south as this, and there is no other notice of it on such a latitude. According to Mr. Beebe it is not uncommon off Vera Cruz (Bird Lovers in Mexico, p. 381).-- J. H. GURNEY, Keswiclc, ?rorwich, England. New Breeding Records for Cslifornia.---Early last spring the services of Mr. Adriaan van Rossera were engaged by my brother and myself for a collecting trip which was to start from Los Angeles, going northerly through Los Angeles County to the Tejon Pass, take in some of the Buena Vista Lake country, then cross the valley past Bakers- field toward the more northeastern part of Kern County, to the South Fork of Kern River. The writer hoped to join the expedition but was compelled by developments to abandon the idea, to his great regret. Tejon Pass was one of the halting places on the itinerary, and there a small number of (tallinago delicata were found breeding, making the first nesting record in southern California, or for any part of the state south of the extreme northern portion. Mr. van Rossem's notes regarding this find are as follows:--(Near Gorman, Tejon Pass, Los Angeles County, California, April 24, 1914) "Wilson's Snipe are fairly com- mon. About a dozen in all were seen. While walking toward erie of the Redwing's nests I kicked against a small tussock of grass and flushed a snipe which merely flut- tered a few feet and stood watching me. A glance downward revealed the nest, and the bird was promptly 'auxed' for positive identification." This bird is now number 7636, and the set number 4269/4-14, collection of J. & J. W. Mailliard. Incubation was so far advanced as to necessitate drilling out a very large hole, cutting the embryo into small bits with scissors and removing the pieces with forceps. In the center of the bunch of grass above referred to, which was about one foot in diameter and two in height, in a swampy area, the nest was situated, it being "simply a few fine grasses, probably pulled ' from the stems directly beside the nest, as several bare stalks were noticed." Other individuals, according to van Rossem's notes, showed indications of anxiety regarding the spots from which they were flushed, and, as no more nests were found, doubtless had young ones hidden nearby. Another record is that of the Dwarf Cowbird (Molothrus a. obscurus) near Buena Vista Lake, where the nest of a Western Gnatcatcher (Poliol?tila c. obscura) was found containing three of the owner's eggs and one of the Dwarf Cowbird, the contrast in size between the two varieties being very marked. This set was taken on May 12, 1914, and is now number 4273/3-1-14, collection of J. & J. W. M.--JOsEPH M?ZLLIA?O, ?an Francisco, California.