68 THE CONDOR. Vol. XXI The snake was distended from eating, presumably, the eggs or young, but made its es- cape before I could make. certain. A/lelaius pboenlceus ne?tralis. San Diego Red:wing. A large colony nested in a wheat field. Their nests probably all were destroyed, as the grain was ready to reap and the nests contained one or two eggs each. E?pbag?s cyanocepbal?s. Brewer Blackbird. Seven nests were destroyed by people near a house: the birds annoyed a sick person. Carpodacus mexicanus frontalis. House Finch. Numbers of these nests are torn down around dwellings, and on the deserts small mammals cause'a heavy loss. Astragalinus tristis salicamans. Willow Goldfinch. Two nests of this species were found which had been taken possession of by white-looted mice. The eggs were' still in the bottom of the nest. This happens commonly. Astragalinus psaltria hesperophilus. Green-backed Goldfinch. Newly hatched young were found dead under a nest after a wind storm. Junco oreganus thurberi. Sierra Junco. Sterility seems to be common in.thi? spe- cies, particularly in certain sections where the nests are placed in wet moss and fern banks, though perliaps loss is due to chilling. Melospiza melodia cooperi. San Diego Song Sparrow. A number of nests found had been taken possession of by white-looted mice. Piplie maculatus rnegalonyx. San Diego Towhee: Four eggs disappeared over night. The nest was torn out, probably by an animal of some kind. Piplie crissalis senicula. Anthony Towhee. Fourteen nests were destroyed. Of these, one was destroyed by a gopher snake, two by jays, two by man, and the rest by unknown causes. This species suffers heavily during the nesting season. One reason for this is that the actions and calls of the birds attract attention to their nests. Passerina amoena. Lazuli Bunting. This is another species whose home the white-footed mouse frequently preempts. The eggs may usually be found buried in the bottom of the nest. Petrochelidon lunifrons lunifrons. Cliff Swallow. Practically as many nests as there were pairs of birds were destroyed in Claremont, as the birds persisted in nesting on the college buildings, where they were a decided nuisance. Repeated destruction of theit nests, and dousing the birds by means of fire hose, did not discourage them. I suggested letting them complete their sets before destroying the nests. This was done, whereupon they removed to other buildings where they were unmolested. Vireo solitarius 'cassini. Cassin Vireo. Four nests were destroyed by rain 'and windstorm. Mr. Pierce reports others destroyed by the same cause. Dendroica niGrescens. Black-throated Gray Warbler. One nest was torn out, cause unknown. Wilsonia pusilia cbryseola. Golden Pileelated Warbler. Two nests, in which sets were never completed, were found in a marsh. Mimus poly21ottos leucopter?s. Western Mockingbird. Three nests were de- stroyed by jays. Toxostoma redivivum pasadenense. California Thrasher. The sets disappeared irom seven nests. One pair nested near a house, one egg was laid, and hatched. When the young bird was full grown, another egg was laid in the same nest, and also hatched. Later'a new nest was built in another tree, and again one egg was laid. This fell prey to a .jay. Thryomanes bewicki charienturus. San Diego Wren. Two nests were destroyed, one by man and one by a snake or small mammal, as it was inaccessible to anything else, being under a large pile of cactus. Chamaea fasciata henshawh Pallid Wren-tit. Three nests were destroyed; cause unknown. Psaltrlparus minimus miniirnus. Coast Bush-tit. Eleven nests were blown to pieces by a windstorm; more were reported to me by others. Hylocichla ustulata ustulata. Russet-backed Thrush. One nest was destroyed. Claremont? California? Janua.ry 22? 1919.
