Mountain Springs Canyon, Argus Mts., Inyo Co., Calif. Dec. 18, 1948. Valley floor. We spent some time at the very mouth of the canyon, thinking that the snow might have forced the towhees to a lower elevation; but none were seen. The general impression is that a ground foraging bird could not survive with a blanket of snow on the ground. They must be forced out of the canyon. Perhaps they scatter out on the desert. At any rate, the willows in this canyon, which presumably account for the presence of P. fuscus, are certainly subjected to a fairly heavy snowfall, and one which deposits enough snow to last forseveral days. The air temperature was quite cold, and when we left the canyon at about three p.m., the snow had not started to melt appreciably, although lower down it was more wet than above. It is evident, however, that the three demands of P. fuscus, for bush, open foraging ground, & observation posts, are provided by the vegetation present. Dr. Fish said that he had seen willows in several other places, including Wilson Canyon, to the south. It was evident that a visit to this locality on the 19th would be a waste of time, so Betty & I drove to Kernville, arriving at about 1:30 p.m.