Mar., 19o? I THE CONDOR 47 lChoes l'tom the l*ield. [?vening 6rosbeak Near Pain Alto. Notes in the January CONDOR indicate a gener- al invasion of the coast valleys by flocks of grosbeaks (Uoccothraustes v. montanus.) As none are recorded from the San Francisco peninsula, I will note two males and four females, taken by Mr. T.J. Hoover on November 25, now in my collec- tion. These specimens were secured from a flock on the lower San Francisquito Creek where they were feeding in the willows. Mr. Hoover states that since the above date he has seen several flocks in the vicinity of Palo Alto. RICHARD C. McGREGOR, Oakland Cal. Price as Enemies ol 0round-nesting Birds. The carnivorous habits of chipmunks as related in the recent issues of THe; CONDOR were very interesting to me, though I believe mice are far more guilty. Mice are a perfect pest to ground- builders in this country, as they burrow into the ground several yards away from the nest and then tunnel until they reach the botto?n of the nest. They then dig upward into the nest and carry the eggs into their tunnel to eat. I'have.often found broken and ? unbroken eggs several feet from the nest in a burrow. I have never actually seen mice do this, but the tunnels are much too small for anything else. The Ruffed Grouse (tonasa umbellus sabini) are the worst sufferers that I have yet found, and their eggs are the largest that I have seen destroyed in this manner. All the small ground-builders suffer more or less. J. H. Bowx,?s, Tacoma, Wash. Notes From Oakland and Vicinity. In the gulches back of Oakland birds have been exceptionally numerous this winter, some species appearing in numbers such as are rarely known here. I might note especially that during the months of De- cember and January I saw five Townsend's Warblers (I)endroica townsendi) in one gulch; three of these were together in the same bush. In different places in Oakland and Berkeley I saw four Western Winter Wrens, (,4northura h. paczfica) a very unusual occurence. The Red-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta canadensis) was found, but in smaller numbers than two years ago when they were comparatively numerous. Audubon's Warblers (/). auduboni) seem less common .than last year. The California Woodpecker (?relanerpesf. bairdi) is quite numerous in the oaks around the University grounds; much more so than for some years. The Western Golden-crowned Kinglet (Regulus satrapa olivaceus) has been quite common in flocks in Oakland and Berkeley. JOHN M. WILL2XRD, Oakland, Cal. Occurrence of the Black Brant and American Goldeneye in Los Angeles Go., 6al. The twentieth century was opened in a very satisfactory manner on the morning of Jan. xst. when Mr. E. R. Hull presented to the writer a handsome pair of tranta n?ricans, shot at the Bolso Chico Club grounds near Newport, on that date. These, the first actual specimens taken in the territory covered by Grinnell's list, confirm the statement nmde therein that it is an occasional visitor along our coast. At one time the Black Brant was a much sought-for game bird about San Diego Bay, eighty miles south but of recent years has decreased rapidly in numbers and is now only occasionally taken. Another interesting take is that of a pair of Clangula clan?ula americana shot at the same place on Jan. 5, by Dr. A. Fenyes. Mr. Grinnell notes in his list a single specimen of the American Goldeneye taken in x894. All these birds have found their way into my collection. F.S. DA?,?', Pasadena, Cal. Jan. 8, x9o?. 6aptare of Another White-throated Sparrow. I have an adult female White-throated
