July, 1908 SIERRA FORMS ON TIlE COAST (}F SONOMA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA 135

curred in 1907, as no wind could have reached so deep in the. woods, and was lying almost horizontall3- with the butt end iu the bottom of a little stream and the tip lying against the bank. Mr. Sheldon and his companion left for home the next day, hut hequeathed the nest to me. As my time was limited to the 18th it was nec- essary to visit the nest on the 17th, even tho the complemeut of eggs might not have been laid. The bird was setting and in full view when the spot was reached, and creeping along the bank, trying to hypnotize the bird with the eye while feeling the way with my feet I set up the camera at a guess of ten feet with the idea in view of a possible eulargement should a good negative result, focussed and took a time exposure. Cautiously moving aloug with my heart iu my throat I tried again at eight feet, timing the light with au actiuometer. And yet again at six feet, and the bird never moved ! The snmllest stop was used and the exposure was six minules in these somber woods, during xvhich I do not believe the bird took her frightened eyes off the camera for an instaut. The accompanying photo is an en- largement of this six foot ex- posure. Gradually creeping along inch by inch, keeping my head covered. and looking under the camera aud focuss- ing doth, I vas setting up and focussing at jbur feet when my heel dislodged a stone which fell with a slight NEST AND EGGS OF MONTEREX, ' HERMIT THRISI-I crash doxvn the bank and the bird flew. Too had! I would have liked to hide aud wait for her return to the nest, but time pressed and we were far from home, .so I took a couple of plates of the nest and eggs in situ before adding them to our collection. It was a great disappointment to me not to have had a telephoto lens along, as here was a fine chance to use oue, hut an error of a friend at the last moment left me without such au aid. ,bn (;eronimo, California. A BIT OF EARLY CALIFORNIA NATURAL HISTORY By FRANK S. DAGGETT I RECENTLY came across a .set of txveuty volumes, published l)y the anthor, Dr. John Trusler, eutitled "The Haititable World Described". Volume I wv, s published in 1788 and the last one in 1795. The>, coutaiu ninny plates and a great amount of inforumtion from countries theu but little known. Volume VII