Page:Condor13(4).djvu/22

 136 THE CONDOR Vol. XIII Vermilion Flycatchers, a pair of Arkansas Kingbirds, a pair of Texas Woodpeckers, and dozens of Goldfinches, Brewer Blackbirds, and Gambel Sparrows. 38. Sturnella neglect8. 'Western Meadowlark. Fairly common in the grain fields and wherever there was sufficient grass for cover. 39. Icterus cucullatus neLsoni. Arizona Hooded Oriole. One taken March 28 and another seen the same day were the only ones noted. Possibly common later in the year. 40. Icterus bullocki. Bullock Oriole. Several seen every day, the majority being adult males. The numerous old nests hanging from the cottonwoods would show them to be more abundant in the nesting season. 41. Euphagus cyanocephalus. Brewer Blackbird. Large flocks stayed about the horse corrals and along the railroads and freight yard. 42' Astragalinuspsaltriahesperophilus. Green-backedGoldfinch: Abundant. Several pairs had nests well under way by March 30, thread and cotton from the skinning table going largely in their makeup. 43. Astragalinus lawrencei. Lawrence Goldfinch. Nearly as common as the last, but they had not paired off and specimens collected showed no signs of breed- ing. 44. Spinus pinus. Pine Siskin. A flock of four noted on the evening of March 28, feeding on the cottonwood seeds. The. next day they were common, going in flocks of from four to twenty. Their crops were stuffed with cotton- wood seeds. 45. Passerculus sandwicheusis alaudinus. Western Savannah Sparrow. The Large-billed Sparrows had disappeared from the rule marsh completely and their place was taken by this species, which was very abundant but wild. 46. Zonotrichia leucophrys gambeli. Gambel Sparrow. From March 18 to 25 this was by far the commonest bird. After this they thinned rapidly and the day I left (March 31) only three were seen in a fairly wide range of ground covered. 47. Spizella breweri. Brewer Sparrow. Fairly common on the desert flat ab6ve Mecca, sometimes in company with the Gambel Sparrows. 48. Amphispiza nevadensis canescens. California Sage Sparrow. Sage Sparrows were rather rare. Not more than half adozen were seen and these on the desert country above Mecca. 49. Melospiza melodia fallax. Desert Song Sparrow. A male specimen taken March 20 was in breeding condition, but no nests were found. ' Sometimes they could be heard on the desert a mile or more from water, in the dense mesquite thickets which dotted the desert here, but generally they were near water. 50. Melospiza lincolni. Lincoln Sparrow. Common on our arrival, but rapidly grew scarce. The last one seen was taken March 27. 51. Pipilo aberti. Abert Towhee. Abundant. A nest with two incubated eggs found March 20 in a clump of mistletoe, a set of three fresh in a like situation March 21, and another set of two in an arrow-weed clump March 27. Many old nests were found in locations like the first two. 52. Iridoprocne bicolor. Tree Swallow. Common in flocks during our stay. They were most in evidence in the late afternoon about reservoirs and fields. 53. Phainopepla nitens. Phainopepla. Abundant. Breeding. There were eight occupied nests in the mesquite grove of about four acres in which we were camped, two building, two with-eggs, and four with young in various stages (March 20). Two days before I left such young as were. on the wing, and their' parents were gathering in flocks of from half a dozen to fifteen each. It is not un- likely that many raise a brood before starting northward to their summer home.