Cécs - July 12, 1929. July 12 (contin.) In afternoon I walked by way of Mud Lake to the Yuba river and back (part way through the brush). Near the river there were many Warbling Vireos and near the iron spring a Lincoln Sparrow was singing freely. Between the river and spring a family of Killdeer with young full grown was feeding. One of the parents (male) called constantly and tried to lead me away. I followed and he crouched fluttering on the ground as if he had a broken wing. On the brushy hillside where there was no trail I flushed a family of Scrub Grouse - eight young ones about the size of half grown quail flew with some difficulty. One tried to run but had difficulty climbing over the stones though they were small stones. The mother ran ahead but did not fly so I had a good look at her. I did not see a male or hear any sounds except the whirring wings of the young and possibly some peeping calls of the young - Green-tailed Towhees were feeding noisy young that flew from bush to bush. Evening Grosbeaks were near the hotel all day - not seen elsewhere. July 13. A family group (some with smaller wing patches) were at the back door of the hotel this morning. They go constantly to a place at the bottom of the R.R. embankment where there is some fine red soil and some old boxes containing ashes. They eat the red soil - they do not scratch in it or select bits from it but take the soil from the surface in their beaks. I took a sample of the soil to bring home. I walked up to Forest Lake (the reservoir for Cécs). Junipers grow on the shoulders and Silver Pines are mixed with Red Firs, Tamaracks and Jeffrey Pines. The usual fox sparrows and Green-tailed Towhees in the brush areas. What surprised me were the numbers of Western Tanagers all the way along where there were trees - even up to 7000 ft - in full song. As I returned