Page:Condor17(2).djvu/24

86

HE FORTY ACRES on which this bird census was taken in the spring and early summer of 1914, may be described in ten-acre tracts. Of the first ten acres half is devoted to an Indian Day School, which consists of school-house, dwelling and barn, to the school garden, and to an incipient orchard. There are a few young cottonwoods growing here, two umbrella and two mulberry trees, and some young grape vines, date palms and pomegranates; also a few scattered mesquite trees that were topped once and have sent up a second growth. An irrigating ditch runs through the grounds and occasionally has water in it. A horse-trough always filled with water stands in the corral, and is an attraction to the birds. In season I always have some pieces of watermelon in the shade of a young cottonwood, and many birds resort to these for refreshment. The Gila Woodpeckers in particular seem to have developed the watermelon habit to a marked degree. In the hottest weather I try to keep water in a basin hollowed out around one of the young cottonwood trees, and this furnishes drink and a bath to many species. The other half of this ten acres has been partly cleared, but has a few scattered second-growth mesquites, quite an area of salt-bush (Atriplex polycarpa), and several clumps of Lycium fremonti, or squaw-bush, as it is called locally.

The ten acres lying to the south of the tract just described is in cultivation, wheat, barley, corn and alfalfa being raised on it. Along the fences and ditches on this tract are a few mesquites, squaw-bushes, and some burro-weed (Dondia torreyana.) Of the ten acres west of this area about one-third is cleared and partly cultivated, one-third is covered with dense second-growth mesquite mixed with a few catsclaws (Acacia greggii), jujube (Zizyphus lycioides), Lycium fremonti, and three species of salt-bush, Atriplex polycarpa, A. canescens and A. lentiformis. The other third of the tract is sparsely covered with the same sort of growth, but with Atriplex polycarpa predominating. The last ten acres of the tract under observation is about the same as the last third section just described, that is, covered with a sparse growth of the plants mentioned.

The following list of nests found probably does not contain all that were occupied during the present breeding season, as I did not make a systematic search of the entire tract until late in the year, and a few of the earliest breeders may have escaped notice. Where there is reason to believe any find is a second set it is so stated.

Oxyechus vociferus. Killdeer. A nest with three eggs found on plowed ground in the school garden. The three eggs hatched and the young probably were safely raised, as I saw them at different times in fields nearby. The eggs were found about April 1, and on June 14 I found three more eggs in the same nest depression. As a Killdeer's nest is easily and quickly scratched out and made ready for occupancy there seems no particular reason for a second set in the same place, unless, from the successful outcome of the first set, the bird considered it a good safe location. Two of this set were hatched, one egg being found with a hole in it the day the young left the nest. This departure seems to take place the same day they hatch.

Lophortyx gambeli. Desert Quail. Five nests were found in the confines