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Jan., 1918 The Green-tailed Towhee (Oreospiza chlorura) may possibly breed to a small extent in the valley, but if so it seemed to be rather shy in August, and certainly very silent. None was encountered until September 5, although one or two were reported as seen on the edge of the meadow just across the road from Camp Curry several days before this date. After this they increased in numbers, and in favorite spots—notably at the eastern end of Sequoia Lane—one might see eight or ten inside-of a couple of hundred yards. About a quarter of a mile west from the end of this lane was a hedge of choke cherries, loaded down with fruit, alongside of a fence. As this ran north and south, with open fields on each side, it received all the sun there was, and seemed to be the most attractive place in the valley for some varieties of birds, among which were the Green-tailed Towhee and the Sacramento Towhee (Pipilo maculatus falcinellus). In this hedge were also some cascara bushes, and near one end was a watering trough that was constantly overflowing. Some trees were scattered along while parts of the hedge were quite thick, and taking it altogether more individual birds were seen here than in any other place in the whole valley. Band-tailed Pigeons (Columba fasciata) and Western Robins often crowded on the cherry bushes, already loaded near to the breaking point with their brilliantly colored fruit; and late in September shelter was sought therein by flocks of Thurber Juncos (Junco hyemalis thurberi) and Gambel Sparrows (Zonotrichia leucophrys gambeli) as they gathered from the higher ranges, while at all times was this hedge used as headquarters by numbers of Western Chipping Sparrows (Spizella passerina arizonae), as well as by the towhees mentioned above.

The juncos bred to some extent throughout the valley, but at first were only seen occasionally—a family here and there among the camps, where they would come around looking for table scraps, and be very friendly. The juvenal plumage of the younger members was especially interesting. Well along in September the numbers increased rapidly until there were several flocks in the valley like those we are accustomed to see during the winter season near the coast; but whether or not they were all thurberi remained unproven. Both Widmann and Grinnell mention the White-crowned Sparrow (Zonotricha leucophrys leucophrys) as occurring in the valley. Probably both writers referred to the higher elevations around the valley, as none were noted by the writer upon its floor although W. L. Dawson records one nest found June 10. 1914, at 4000 feet altitude, on the banks of the Merced River (, January, 1916, p. 28). The Gambel Sparrow (Zonotrichia leucophrys gambeli), however, was identified (the first time seen, and one taken) on September 18, and rapidly increased in numbers after that date until there were several good-sized flocks, presumably all of this form. Another spot much favored by birds was the edge of the meadow just across the auto road from Camp Curry, where a few bunches of bushes and small trees gave good shelter, and from there across the road two or three hundred feet to the LeConte Lodge where larger trees, such as oaks and conifers, seemed to be a popular feeding ground. The bird life around here was second only, numerically, to that in the choke cherry hedge spoken of above, some being in evidence there at any time of day. The writer's first observations were made here on the morning of August 19, when Western Chipping Sparrows (Spizella passerina arizonae), House Finches (Carpodacus mexicanus frontalis), Black-headed Grosbeaks (Zamelodia melanocephala), California Yellow Warblers