July, 1909 FROM FIELD AND STUDY Vaux Swift (Chaelura vauxii): Two pairs of this swift have used a chinmey in an old farm house near here for their nesting site for several years. It is to be hoped they will be undis- turbed and thus become civilized like their eastern cousin, the Chinracy Swift. The nnusual cold of this past winter was hard on our resident birds. During January I found dead birds in the snow of the following species: Mallard, Varied Thrnsh, Oregon Towbee, Rusty Song Sparrow, Western Meadowlark, Northwestern Flicker and Mountain Quail. The China Pheasants stood the cold remarkably well altho they became much emaciated, and I know of several being caught alive and cared for until the snow disappeared. Resident birds are much scarcer this spring than they have been for the past five years.--ST?sLE G. JEWETT, Porl/and, Ore. on. Two Waders of Note from Santa Catalina Island.--Records of the following two species from California are yet not so numerous but that additional ones are of interest. The Grinnell collection contains a male in juvenal plmnage of the Baird Sandpiper (Pisobia baitalii) taken at White's Landing, Santa Catalina Island, California, September l, 1907. The same collection contains a juvenal male of the Ruddy Turnstone (Arenaria inlerpres morinella) taken at Howland's Landing, Santa Catalina Island, California, September 3, 1907. Both birds were secured by Mr. Howard W. Wright.--J. GRINNELL, ]?erkeley, California. A Cor?ection.--In THE CONDOR, March-April, 1909, p. 60, paragraph 2, read Baird Fly- catcher (Empidona?c diffcilis bairdi) in place of Western Flycatcher (]?mpidona.r diffcilis); careful examination of specimens secured show their affinity to the first-named subspecies. --AusTIN PAUL SMITH, ]5'townsville, Tea:as. Further Notes on the American Crossbill in California.--In the last issue of this magazine, page 102, I neglected to state that the second example of on:ia curvirostra minorreferred to had also been obtained at Nicasio. The exact date is not known, but it was many years ago and doubtless in winter. Under the name minor, Mr. F. S. I)aggett has recorded six Crossbills as taken December 26, 1898, in Pasadena (Bull. Cooper Orn. Club 1, May 1899, p. 51). At my request Mr. Daggett has sent me the measurements of these specimens, now in his collection at Oak Park, Illinois.. With very little doubt, the form they represent is also L. c. minor just as originally recorded. Perhaps others of our winter records for the state pertain to the small race. Collectors having specimens should re-examine them.--J. GRINNELL, Berkeley, California. A Correction.--My attention has been called to the fact that in my recent catalogue of Boulder County birds I omitted to credit the Red-eyed Vireo record to Mr. Horace G. Smith, who recorded it in the Auk in 1908. I certainly had no intention of claiming any credit for the record and do not know how the omission occurred.--Ju?Ius HENDERSON, l?oulder, Colorado. Queries.--The publisht literature relating to California ornithology, altho r?latively volumi- nous, still fails to inform ns definitely of many apparently easily-obtainable facts we are continu- ally wanting to know. The following are some instances in point; and it is highly probable that every one of these queries can be answered by various observers froin personal experience. As the replies will be of general interest and value I suggest that. each be written up as an article, either brief or extended, for the "Field and Study" department of THE CONDOR. (1) What is the status of the "Olive-backed Thrush" in California? It should occur as a migrant. Has anyone specimens? (2) Is there a definite instance of the nesting of the Lead- colored Bush-tit in California? It should be.fonnd along the east side of the Sierras. (3) Does the Wren-tit occur at any point east of the Sierran divide? (4) Does the Audubon Warbler breed anywhere in the "Humid Coast Belt"? (5) Does the Brewer Sparrow nest anywhere west of the Sierra Nevada? (6) Has the Western Martin begun to nest about buildings exten- sively, as with the Eastern Martin? (7) There are very few nesting recordsof the Bank Swallow in California. What is its breeding range in the state? (8) Has anyone found any subspecies of the Fox Sparrow in summer in the Humid Coast Belt of California? (9) What is the status of the Junco reported from the coast region north of San Francisco Bay? (10) Does the Bi- colored Blackbird intergrade with the San Diego Red-wing? (11) What is the subspecific iden- tity of the Cowbird reported as breeding in the southern San Joaquin Valley?--J. GRINNELL, ?erkeley, California.
