1940 Palm Springs As we started to leave after breakfast I heard a sharp insistent whistle in the vacant lot back of La Cita, and following it up and a Verdin again. There were a number of scattered flowers in bloom - sand verbena, Honeybird bush and several others I did not know. We were told there were many more toward Indio so we drove on and found many places where there were masses of Verbena. At Shields date farm there were many evening primroses also. They were very beautiful on the little sandy hills and in wide stretches between - snow-clad San Jacinto and San Bernardino in the distance gleaming white in the sunshine. Color was exquisite. There was considerable rain on the desert last week. Last night was chilly but not frost. Very Clear. Birds: Gnatcatcher, Quail, Sparrow, Warbler, W. Goldfinch. At Indio we turned back on the main highway and drove as far as San Bernardino where we had lunch. Not many flowers on that roadway - Occa- sionally a Shrub, Spanish Honeysuckle. At our stop near Indio a huge flock of Gambel Sparrows. We continued through Cajon Pass and then drove on to Palmdale and Lancaster. Until we neared Palmdale the only bird I saw