AUGUST AT LAKE TAHOE

Craigmile — On August at Lake Tahoe. 11 This list contains no doubtful records, plenty of which I have. No special efforts have been expended upon the ducks, waders and game birds, hence all of my records within these groups have come in the course of my other bird studies. Attention to these groups would almost certainly considerably increase the list of species. AUGUST AT LAKE TAHOE. BY ESTHER CRAIGMILE. Lake Tahoe is situated in the obtuse angle which forms the western boundary of Nevada, so it is the property of Cal- ifornia as well. It has an altitude of G200 feet and is sur- rounded by mountains. It is twenty-three miles long, thirteen miles wide, and of a great depth. The Nevada side is mostly barren, but the California region is rich in yellow pine, tam- arack, balsam, alder, aspen, and willow. Goldenrod, asters, and sunflowers bloomed almost as profusely as in Illinois in the fall. Manzanita, buckthorn, elder, wild goose-berry, and numerous shrubs unkown to me covered the mountains. Bird life was abundant on land and water. The White-headed Woodpecker is said to be a silent bird, but he attracted my attention first by drumming on a tree trunk ; then he flew, giving a rattling call like the Hairy. He was usually quiet in feeding, but more or less noisy in flight. California Poor-will does not believe in corporal punishment, so he omits the first syllable of his song and gives the mid- dle west people a feeling of something incomplete. The trees were so large that many gleaners could work without molesting each other. A White-headed Woodpecker, two Red-breasted Sapsuckers, and a Slender-billed Nuthatch were seen feeding contentedly on the same tree. It was not uncommon to see three or four Sierra Creepers climbing a tree in regular procession. The last one seemed to find plenty to satisfy his hunger, too. One day I saw a creeper and a nuthatch banqueting from the lumber of which the new car shop was constructed. Cliff Swallows had hundreds of nests along the high banks of the lake. A few preferred to build under the eaves of the store which was built on the wharf. Hummers were omni- 12 The Wilson Bulletin — No. 54. present. They were usually too hurried to foster careful ob- servation. The Green-tailed Towhee, with his long tail, his unexpected crest, his spotless throat, and cat-like " mew " was one of the camp delights, together with the friendly Black-headed Gros- beaks who gathered crumbs from the camp stove, the noisy Blue-fronted Jays who disputed with the dog and chipmunk the right to the scraps, and the social Chickadees who con- versed with us on all occasions. Pileolated, Macgillivary's, and Myrtle Warblers were abund- ant. The first two were so similar to Wilson's and Palm of Illinois. Belted Kingfisher, Spotted Sandpiper, Hammond Flycatcher, Western Gull, Mountain Bluebird, Slender-billed Nuthatch, Cliff Swallow, Western Chipping Sparrow, Cabanis Woodpecker, West- ern Robin, Arkansas Goldfinch, Rufous Hummingbird, Brewer Blackbird, Red-shafted Flicker, Blue-fronted Jay, Sierra Junco, Thurber Junco, Black-throated Gray Warbler, Mountain Chickadee, Nighthawk, Desert Sparrow Hawk, Green-tailed Towhee, Hermit Warbler. Yellow Warbler, Killdeer, Louisiana Tanager, Black-headed Grosbeak, Great Blue Heron, Sierra Creeper, American Bittern, Canada Goose, White-headed Woodpecker, California Poor-will, Plumed Partridge, Warbling Vireo, Pacific House Wren, Western Golden-crowned Kinglet, Pileolated Warbler, Barn Swallow, Red- breasted Sapsucker, Mountain Song Sparrow, Myrtle Warbler, Au- dubon Warbler, Macgillivray Warbler, Cassin Purple Finch, House Finch, Townsend Fox Sparrow, Olive-sided Flycatcher, Western Wood Pewee, Western Lark Sparrow, Cassin Vireo, Pacific Yel- low-throat, Townsend Solitaire, Turkey Vulture, Sooty Grouse, La- zuli Bunting, Calliope Hummingbird, Williamson Sapsucker, Ruby- crowned Kinglet, Western Red-tailed Hawk, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Black-crowned Night Heron, Allen Hummingbird, Western Mead- owlark. A HAMMOCK LIST OF SPARKS, NEVADA. BY ESTHER CRAIGM1LE. Early in May I arrived in this pioneer town among the Si- erras. It is located in a valley fifteen miles square, through which flows the rocky Truckee river. The whole region had been an alkali desert, but the presence of irrigation has trans- formed it into a rich farming region. Trees are not common. A few willows grow along the irrigation ditches, and Cana-