Page:Condor10(4).djvu/22

 152 THE CONDOR Vol,. X juveniles seen in the mountains in July, and four of the same noticed along the river July 28. Sialia raexicana bairdi. Chestnut-backed Bluebird. A few seen in March along the river. Several noticed in the mountains. The location seemed favorable but their scarcity was quite noticeable. 'Sialia arctica. Mountain Bluebird. Six seen one day in July among the pin- yons. Possibly a family. Their absence from the higher part of the mountains seemed strange. Sacalon, Arizona. AN ANNOTATED LIST OF THE BIRDS OF MESA COUNTY, COLORADO By ROBERT B. ROCKWELL WITH TWO MAPS AND NINE PHOTOS BY THE A'UTHOR N undertaking the compilation of an annotated list of the birds of Mesa County, Colorado, it has been the purpose of the writer to collect such information as might be available relating to this subject, with a view to preserving these pioneer observations and thus furnishing a skeleton around which future observers may build a complete Ornithological structure. In placing this list before the reader, the writer wishes to emphasize the fact that it is purely preliminary; the amount of work he has done in the County, tho comparatively small, forces upon him a full realization of the remarkably small amount of information existing, regarding the bird life of the County, and also of its great possibilities along Ornithological lines on account of its geographical position and varying topography. The information contained herein has been secured by an extensive correspond- ence covering a period of about fifteen months during which time every probable source of information on the subject which has come to the writer's knowledge has been investigated and the information thus secured embodied in this list. Added to this information are the observations of the writer covering two entire years and portions of the six intervening years between 1897 and 1905, about one- half of which time was spent within the confines of the County and during which time 109 species were encountered and a close study made of the commoner varieties. In response to requests for information the writer has received generous and efficient assistance from the following persons and he wishes to take this opportu- nity to express to them his gratitude and appreciation of the valuable notes so willingly furnished. To Prof. W. W. Cooke, U. $. Biological Survey, Washington, D.C., to whom the writer is indebted for a working model (Cooke's Birds of Colorado being followed as closely as possible both as to contents and to form), the entire list as completed was sent for correction and criticism. Prof. Cooke, after carefully examining the manuscript of the list, added nine new species and impor- tant notes on several already included in the list. Mr. Richard H. Sullivan, Local Forecaster, U.S. Weather Bureau, Wichita, Kansas, formerly of Grand Junction, Colorado: An annotated list of 93 species, observed in that vicinity during about three year's residence, and containing mong much other valuable information a very complete record of dates of arrival and de-