May, 1914 FROM FIELD AND STUDY 145 Least and W. estern Sandpipers Summering In San Diego County, California.--On July 12, 1908, while collecting at a small alkaline lake near San Luis Rey, I took one Pisobia minutitta and two Ereunetes mauri from a small flock of about a dozen individu- als. They are apparently in complete breeding dress with the exception of the wings which are similar to those of winter specimens.--ADR?N vA? ROSSEM, Pomo?, CatiSornia. Ferruginous Rough.leg at Los Angeles.--On investigating the reason for several gunshots heard within one hundred and fifty yards of the La Brea fossil pits, on Decem- ber 8, last, I secured a beautiful specimen of the Ferruginous Rough-leg (Arc?.iSuteo ferrugineus) that had just been killed by a rancher whose poultry it was threatening. It proved to be a female of the year and' in perfect plumage. Its craw was entirely empty, Which probably explains the boldnests of the bird in invading a locality bristling with oil derricks and with the noise of pumping engines all about. The rancher told me later that there was a pair of the hawks, but the other vanished when this one was killed.--L. E. WYmAn, Museum of History, Science, and Art, Los Angeles, California. Variation in Coloration of Male House Finches.--In a series of skins Of Carpo?cus mexicanus frontalis that I collected near Claremont during March, 1914, I find the col- oration of the mal'es to vary greatly. One specimen has a distinct white band back of the head, and is dirty white on the throat, with several white, red, and brown feath- ers on his head. The rump of this bird is au especially brilliant red. The breast is reddish. In the rest of the series the red coloration of the head, neck, breast and rump runs through several shades of red, pink, and salmon to a dirty pale lemon yel- 1Ow.--WRXOHT M. P?ERCE, Claremont, California. Notes from the San Bernardino Mountains.--The following notes may be of inter- est, as they contain several records of species new to the San Bernardino mountain region of southern California. These notes were made in the summer of 1910. Dafila acura. Pintail. Common at Bear Lake, August 25 and 26. Spatula clypeata. Shoveller. Common at Bear Lake, .?ugust 25 and 26. Helodromas solitarius cinnamomeus. Western Solitary Sandpiper. Two birds of the year in fresh fall plumage were taken at Bear Lake, August 26. They were accom- panied by a third individual and were feeding on a mud fiat at the edge of the rules. Two more were seen but not secured. Lophortyx californica vallicota. Valley Quail This quail was met with commonly in the brushy hills between Oak Glen and Beaumont. About 3000 feet altitude seemed to be the limit of its range. Few quail were met with between 3000 and 5000 feet. At the latter altitude Plumed Quail (Oreortyx picta ptumifera) were rather abundant. Aluco pratincola. Barn OwL While at Oak Glen a rancher told me of a curious owl which had nested for two years in an oak near his barn. Investigation showed it to have been of this species. Though the young had flown at this late date (July 1), the numerous feathers in the cavity and on the ground nearby left no doubt as to the identity of the species. This altitude (5280 feet to be exact) is by far the highest at which I have encountered this bird. Corvus brachyrhynchos hesperis. Western Crow. Several were seen chasing a Western Red-tail in a small sycamore canyon about half way between Oak Glen and Beaumont. Passerella iliaca megarhyncha. Thick-billed Sparrow. One specimen taken at Seven Oaks, September 25. Passerella iliaca schistacea. Slate-colored Sparrow. One specimen taken at Seven Oaks, September 25. Progne subis hesperia. Western Martin. A colony of about twenty pairs was nesting in a large dead pine near Oak Glen. Several smaller colonies were found in the surrounding country. Dendroica occidentalis. Hermit Warbler. An immature bird taken August 1, two immatures August 2, adult male August 11, 'immature August 13 and an adult male August 31. The young birds were in new fall plumage and all were without doubt mi- grants. Columba fasciata fasciata. Band-tailed Pigeon. At the time of my arrival at Oak Glen, June 25, Band-tailed Pigeons were not common, though they had evidently been
