Collector: Grinnell - 1925
Location: La Grulla, 7200 ft.
Date: Oct. 3
Page Number: 2566
in a meat-baited steel trap this evening. I got
my first Sciurus this afternoon. I heard a curious
harsh bark from where I was working in the tent,
not at all remindful of any of the numerous notes
of the Sierra Chickaree. When I went out, he
stopped of course; but I soon located the tree he
was working in by the "husked" cone-cores on the
ground beneath. After looking intently for some
minutes I saw him move, on a horizontal
branch out from the trunk, and brot him down.
I have located at least three other "shelling" trees;
no other squirrel here, I think, does that sort of work.
Wren-tits seem to be fairly common here -- right
in the midst of "boreal" species! They are associated
with the cascara bushes (also a Sonoran organism).
It is a strange mixture, but quite explainable
on all scores, I feel sure -- if we knew enuf.
The day has been sultry -- quite cloudy tonight;
a few drops of rain just now. But bright sky
is in sight just off the brink of the plateau to
the eastward, where the mountain drops off
abruptly to the desert.
At least 3 Fox Sparrows seen. The one taken
is of the grey type; I may have been mistaken in
the "brown"iness of the ones I saw on the way
up (see p. 2557);
6393 Sciurus (male sign) 317x111x51x15. See above.
EN