LABORATORY OF ORNITHOLOGY LIBRARY CORNELL UNIVERSITY LIBRARY CORNELL UNIVEBSITV LIBRARY 3 1924 090 277 413 ■z/.^-X^^^^^ /f^^ DATE DUE GAYLORD PRINTEDINUSA \^y 'K. Cornell University Library The original of this book is in the Cornell University Library. There are no known copyright restrictions in the United States on the use of the text. http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924090277413 SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION. UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. SPECIAL BULLETIN. LIFE HISTORIES 01' NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS, FROM THE PAEROTS TO THE GRACKLES, WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO THEIR BREEDING HABITS AND EGGS, CHARLES BENDIEE, Captain and Beevet Major, U. S. A. (Retired). Honorary Curator of the Department of Ooloyij, U. S. National Mvseum, Member of the American Oi-nithologists' Union. SEVEN LITHOGRAPHIC PLATES. WASHINGTON: GOVEKNMBNT PRINTING OFFICE, 1895. ADVERTISEMENT. This work (Special Bulletin No. 3) is one of a series of papers intended to illustrate the collections belonging- to, or placed in charge of, the Smithsonian Institution, and deposited in the United States National Museum. It supple- ments Special Bulletin No. 1, by the same author, which containes descriptions of the breeding habits and eggs of the gallinaceous, birds, pigeons, doves, and birds of prey. The publications of the National Museum consist of two series — the Bulletin and the Proceedings. A small edition of each paper in the Proceedings is dis- tributed in pamphlet form to specialists in advance of the publication of the bound volume. The Bulletin is issued only in volumes. Most of the volumes hitherto published have been octavos, but a quarto form has been adopted for works of the size and character of the present Bulletin. The Bulletin of the United States National Museum, the publication of which was commenced in 1875, consists of elaborate papers based upon the collections of the Museum, reports of expeditions, etc. The Proceedings are intended to facilitate the prompt publication of freshly acquired facts relating to biology, anthropology, and geology, descriptions of restricted groups of animals and plants, discussions of particular questions relative to the synonymy of species, and the diaries of minor expeditions. Other papers of more general popiilar interest are printed in the appendix to the annual report. Papers intended for publication in the Proceedings and Bulletin of the United States National Museum are referred to the advisory committee on publications, composed as follows: Frederick W. True (chairman), R. Edward Earll (editor), James E. Benedict, Otis T. Mason. Leonhard Stejneger, and Lester F. Ward. S. P. Langley, Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution. Washington, D. C, June 10, 1895. TABLE OF CONTENTS. PSITTACEOUS BIRDS. Family PsittaOID^. Parrots, Paroquets, etc. Page. 1. Coniirus caroliuensis, Linnaeus; --. Carolina Paroquet (PI. I, Fig. 1) 1 PICARIAN BIRDS. Family CuculidvE. Tlie Cuckoos, Anis, etc. 2. Crotopliaga ani, LinnfEUS The Ani (PI. I, Fig. 6) ff" 3. Crotophaga sulcirostris, Swainson Grooved-billed Ani (PI. I, Fig. 7) 9 4. Geococcyx californianus, Lesson Road Runner (PI. I, Fig. 2) 13 5. Coccyzus ininor,'Gmelin Mangrove Cuckoo 17 6. Coccyzus minor maynardi, Ridgway Maynard's Cuckoo - 19 7. Coccyzus americanus, Liunfeus Yellow-billed Cuckoo (PI. V, Fig. 1) 19 8. Coccyzus americanus occidentalis, Ridgway . .- California Cuckoo (PI. V, Fig. 2) 25 9. Coccyzus erytbrophtbalmus, Wilson Black-billed Cuckoo (PI. V, Figs. 3 and 4) 27 10. Cuculus canorus telephonus, Heine Siberian Cuckoo 32 Family Tuogonid/E. Trogons. 11. Trogon ambiguus, Gould Coppery-tailed Trogou 32 Family Alcedinid^. Kingfishers. 12. Ceryle alcyon, Linnajus Belted Kingfisher (PI. I, Fig. 3) 34 13. Ceryle americana septentrioualis. Sharp Texan Kingfisher (PI. I, Fig. 4) 39 14. Ceryle torquata, Linnaeus Ringed Kingfisher 40 PICINE BIRDS. Family Picid/e. Woodpeckers. 15. Campephilus principalis, Linnasus Ivory-billed Woodpecker 42 16. Dryobates villosus, Linnirus Hairy Woodpecker 46 17. Dryobates villosus leucomelas, Bodda?rt Northern Hairy Woodpecker 50 18. Dryobates villosus audubonii, Swainson Southern Hairy Woodpecker 51 19. Dryobates villosus harrisii, Audubon Harris's Woodpecker 52 20. Dryobates villosus hyloscopus, Cabanis Cabanis's Woodpecker 53 21. Dryobates pubescens, LiunnMis Downy Woodpecker (PI. I, Fig. 24) 55 22. Dryobates pubescens gairducrii, Audubon. Oairdner's Woodpecker 58 23. Dryobates pubescens ororecus, Batchelder Batchelder's Woodpecker 60 24. Dryobates borealis, Vieillot Red-cockadod Woodpecker 61 25. Dryobates scalaris bairdi, Sclater Baird's Woodpecker 63 26. Dryobates scalaris lucasanus, Xantus St. Lucas Woodpecker 65 27. Dryobates nuttallii, Gambel Nuttall's Woodpecker 65 28. Dryobates arizons, Hargitt Arizona Woodpecker 68 29. Xenopicus albolarvatus, Cassin White-headed Woodpecker 70 30. Picoides arcticua, Swainson- Arctic Three- toed Woodpecker 74 31. Picoides americanus, Brehni American Three-toed Woodpecker 77 32. Picoides americanus alasceusis. Nelson Alaskan Three-toed Woodpecker 80 33. Picoides americanus dorsalis, Baird Alpine Three-toed Woodpecker 80 34. Sphyrapicus varius, Linna?us Yellow-bellied Sapsucker 82 35. Sphyrapicus varius nuchalis, Baird Red-naped Sapsucker 88 VI TABLE OF CONTENTS. Page. 36. Spliyrapicus ruber, Gnielin Red-breasted Sapsncker 9^ 37. Sphyrapicus thyroideus. Cassin AVilliamsou's Sapsucker 97 38. Ceopbloeua pile'atus, Linna-us Pileated Woodpecker (PI. I, Fig. 5) 102 39. Melanerpes BiythrocepUalus, Liunffus Red-headed Woodpecker 107 40. Melauerpes formicivoms bairdi, Ridgway Californian Woodpecker 112 41 . Melauerpes formici%'orus angustifrons, Baird . . Narrow-fronted Woodpecker 117 42. Melanerpeatorqiiatus, Wilsou... Lewis's Woodpecker 117 43. Melauerpes caroliims, Liunaeus Red-bellied Woodpecker 121 44 . Melauerpes aurifrons, "\\"agler Golden-fronted Woodpecker 124 45. Melauerpes uropyglalis, Baird Gila Woodpecker 127 46. Colaptes auratus, Liunaeus Flicker 129 47. Colaptes cafer, Gmelin -.. Red -shafted Flicker 134 48. Colaptes cafer saturatior, Ridgway Northwestern Flicker 137 49. Colaptes chrysoidis, Malherbe Gilded Flicker 138 50. Colaptes rufipileus, Ridgway Guadalnpe Flicker 140 MACROCHIRINE BIRDS. Family Caprimulgid/E. Goatsuckers, etc. 51. Antrostomns caroliuensis, Guiolin Chuck-will's- widow (PI. I, Figs. 8, 9) 142 52. Antroatomus vociferus, Wilson Whip-poor-will (PI. I, Figs. 10,11) 146 53. Autrostomus vociferus macromystax, Wagler. . Stephens's Whip-poor-will 151 54. Phalajuoptilus nuttalli, Audubon Poor-will (PI. I, Fig. 23) 153 55. Phalaenoptilns uuttiilli nitidus, Brewster Frosted Poor-will 157 56. Phalicnoptilus nuttalli ealifornicus, Ridgway. . Dusky Poor- will 1.58 57. Nyctidromus albicollis merrilli, Seunott Merrill's Parauque (PI. II, Figs. 1, 2) 160 58. Chordeiles virginianus, Gmelin Nighthawk (PI. Ill, Figs. 1,2, 3) 163 59. Chordeiles virginianus heuryi, Cassin Western Nighthawk (PI. Ill, Fig. 4) 167 60. Chordeiles virginianus ehapmani, Sennett Florida Nighthawk (PI. Ill, Figs. 5,6) 170 61. Chordeiles acutipennis texensis, Lawrence Texan Nighthawk (PI. Ill, Figs. 7, 8, 9, 10) 172 Family MiCROPODiDyE. Swifts. 62. Cypseloides niger, Gmelin Black Swift 175 63. Ch;Htura pelagica, Liunseus Chimney Swift (PI. I, Fig. 25) 177 64. Cha^tura vauxii, Townsend Vaux's Swift (PI. I, Fig. 26) 183 65. Aiironautes melanolcucns, Baird White-throated Swift 185 Family Trochilid/E. Hummingbirds. 66. Eugenes fulgens, Swainson Rivoli Hummingbird 188 67. Coeligena clemenciiE, Lesson Blue-throated Hummingbird 190 68. Trochilus colubris, Liuuneus Ruby-throated Hummingbird (PI. I, Fig. 27) 192 69. Trocliilus alexandri, Bourcier and Mulsant Black-chinned Hummingbird 198 70. Trochilus violajugulum, Jeffries Violet-throated Hummingbird 201 71. Calypte costoe, Bourcier Costa's Hummingbird 202 72. Calypte anna. Lesson Anna's Hummingbird 206 73. Selasphorus florcsii, Gould Florcsi's Hummingbird 209 74. Selasphorus platycereus, Swainson ^.. Broad-tailed Hummingbird 210 75. Selasphorus rufus, Gmelin Rufous Hummingbird 213 76. Selasphorus alleni, Henshaw Allen's Hummingbird 216 77. Stellula calliope, Gould Calliope Hummingbird 219 78. Calothorax lucifer, Swainson Lucifer Hummingbird 222 79. Amazilia fnscicaudata. Fraser Rieffer's Hummingbird 223 80. Amazilia cerviniventris, Gould Buff-bellied Hummingbird 225 81. Basilinna xantusi, Lawrence Xantus's Hummingbird 226 82. Basilinna lencotis, Vieillot White-eared Hummingbird 227 83. laclie latirostris, Swainson Broad-billed Hummingbird 228 PASSERINE BIRDS. Family Cotincid.k. Cotingas. 84. Platypsaris albiventris, Lawrence Xantus's Becard 230 TABLE OF CONTENTS. VII Family TyuAJS'NiD.n. Tyrant Flycatchers. Page. 85. Mllvulus tyrannus, Linnseus Fork-tailed Flycatcher - 231 86. Milvulus forlicatus, Guieliu Soissor-tailed Flycatcher (PI. I, Figs. 12, 13) 233 87. Tyrauims tyrannus, Linniciis Kingbird ( PI. I, Figs. 14, 15) 23(J 88. Tyrannus dominiccnsis, Gmelin Gray Kingbird (PI. II, Figs. 3, 1) 2U 89. Tyrannus melaucholions couohii, Baird Couch's Kingbird (PI. II, Figs. 5, 6) 243 90. Tyrannus vcrtlcalis, Say Arkansas Kingbird (PI. I, Figs. 16, 17) 24.5 91. Tyrannus vociferans, Swainson Cassin's Kingbird (PI. I, Figs. 18,19) 249 92. Pitangus derbianns, Kaup Derby Flycatcher (PI. I, Figs. 20, 21) 251 93. Myiozetetes texensis, Giraud Giraud's Flycatcher (PI. I, Fig. 22) 254 94. Jlyiodynastus luteiventris, Sclator Sulphur-bellied Flycatcher (PL II, Fig. 7) 256 95. Myiarehus erinitus, Linnseus Crested Flycatcher (PI. II, Figs. 8, 9) 259 96. Myiarehus mexicanus, Kaup Mexican Crested Flycatcher (PI. II, Figs. 10, 11) . . . 263 97. Myiarehus mexicanus magister, Ridgway Arizona Crested Flycatcher (PI. II, Fig. 12) 264 98. Myiarehus einerascens, Lawrence Ash-throated Flycatcher (PL II, Fig. 13) 266 99. Myiarehus einerascens nuttingi, Ridgway Nutting's Flycatcher (PL II, Fig. 14) 269 100. Myiarehus lawreuceii, Giraud Lawrence's Flycatcher 270 101. Myiarehus lawrencei olivascens, Ridgway Olivaeeon.s Flycatcher 270 102. Sayorn is ijhojbe, Latham Phtebe (PL I, Fig. 28) 272 103. Sayornis saya, Bonaparte Say's Pho'be (PL I, Fig. 29) 276 104. Sayornis nigricans, Swainson Black Phujbe (PL I, l"ig. 30) . 280 105. Contopus borealis, Swainson Olive-sided Flycatcher (PL II, Figs. 15, 16) 282 106. Contopus pertlnax, Cabanis C'oues's Flycatcher (PI. II, Fig. 17) 286 107. Contopus virens, Linuanis Wood Peweo (PL II, Figs. 18, 19) 288 108. Contopus richardsonii, Swainson Western Wood Pewee (PI. II, Figs. 20, 21,22) 291 109. Empidonax flaviventris, Baird Yellow-bellied Flycatcher (PL II, Fig. 23) 295 110. Empidonax diflicilis, Baird Western Flycatcher (PI. II, Fig. 24, 25 298 111. Empidonax cineritius, Brewster St. Lucas Flycatcher 301 112. Empidonax acadieus, Gmelin Acadian Flycatcher (PL II, Figs. 26, 27) 302 113. Empidonax pusillus, Swainson Little Flycatcher (PL II, Figs. 28, 29) 305 114. Empidonax pusillus traillii, Audubon Traill's Flycatcher (PL II, Fig. 30) 310 115. Empidonax minimus, Baird Least Flycatcher (PL II, Fig. 31) 312 116. Empidonax hammondi, Xantus Hammond's Flycatcher (PL II, Fig. 32) 315 117. Empidonax wrightii, Baird Wright's Flycatcher (PL II, Fig. 33) 318 118. Empidonax griseus, Brewster Gray Flycatcher _ 320 119. Empidonax fulvifrons, Giraud Fulvous Flycatcher _ 321 120. Empidonax fulvifrons pygma'us, Coues Buff-breasted Flycatcher 321 121. Pyrocephalus rubineus mexicanus, Solater Vermilion Flycatcher (PL II, Figs. 34, 35) 322 122. Ornithion imberbe, Sclater Beardless Flycatcher 325 123. Ornithion imberbe ridgway i, Brewster Ridgway's Flycatcher 325 Family Ai.audidjs. Larks. 124. Alauda arvensis, Linnseus Skylark (PL V, Fig. 23) 327 125. Otoeoris alpestris, Linnseus Horned Lark 330 126. Otoeoris alpestris leuooliema, Coues Pallid Horned Lark (PL V, Fig. 24) 332 127. Otoeoris alpestris praticola, Henshaw Prairie Horned Lark (PL V, Fig. 25) _.. 334 128. Otoeoris alpestris arenioola, Henshaw Desert Horned Lark (PL V, Fig. 26) 338 129. Otoeoris alpestris giraudi, Henshaw Texan Horned Lark (PL V, Fig. 27) 340 130. Otoeoris alpestris chrysolsema, Wagler Mexican Horned Lark (PL V, Fig. 28) 341 131. Otoeoris alpestris rubea, Henshaw Ruddy Horned Lark (PL V, Fig. 29) 343 132. Otoeoris alpestris strigata, Henshaw Streaked Horned Lark 344 133. Otoeoris alpestris adusta, Dwight Scorched Horned Lark (PL V, Fig. 31) 345 134. Otoeoris alpestris merrilli, Dwight Dusky Horned Lark (PL V, Fig. 30) 346 135. Otoeoris alpestris pallida, Townsend Sonoran Horned Lark 347 136. Otoeoris alpestris insularis, Townsend Insular Horned Lark 347 Family Cokvid^. Crows, Jays, Magpies, etc. 137. Pica pica hudsonica, Sabine American Magpie (PL III, Figs. 11, 12, 13) 349 138. Pica nuttalli, Audubon Yellow-billed Magpie (PL III, Fig. 14) 355 139. Cyanocitta cristata, Linntcus Blue Jay (PI. V, Figs. 5, 6) 356 140. Cyanocitta cristata florinoola, Coues Florida Blue Jay (PL V, Figs. 7, 8) 361 141. Cyanocitta stelleri, Gmelin Steller's Jay (PI. V, Fig. 9) 362 142. Cyanocitta stelleri frontalis, Ridgway Blue-fronted Jay (PL V, Fig. 10) 365 143. Cyanocitta stelleri macrolopha, Baird Long-crested Jay (PL V, Figs. 11, 12) 367 Yin TABLE OF CONTENTS. Page. lU. Cyanocitta stelleri annectens, Baird Black-headod Jay 369 145. Aphelocoma floridana, Bartram Florida Jay (PI. V, Fig. 13) 370 146. Aphelocoma woodliousei, Baird Woodhouse's Jay (PI. V, Fig. 14) 372 147. Aphelocoma californica, Vigors California Jay (PL V, Figs. 15, 16, 17, 18) 374 148. Aphelocoma califoruica hypoleuca, Kidgway - - Xantus's Jay 378 149. Aphelocoma californica obscura, Anthony Belding's Jay 379 150. Aphelocoma insularis, Henshaw Santa Cruz Jay 379 151. Aphelocoma eieberii arizonic, Eidgway Arizona Jay (PI. V, Figs. 19, 20) 380 152. Aphelocoma cyanotis, Eidgway Blue-eared Jay 382 153. Xanthoura luxuosa. Lesson Green Jay (PI. Ill, Figs. 15, 16, 17) 383 154. Perisorens canadensis, Linnieus Canada Jay (PI. Ill, Figs. 18, 19) 385 155. Perisorens canadensis capitalis, Baird Eooky Mountain Jay 388 156. Perisoreus canadensis fumifrons, Eidgway Alaskan Jay 390 157. Perisoieus canadensis nigricapillus, Eidgway . Labrador Jay (PI. Ill, Fig. 20) 392 158. Perisoreus obsourus, Eidgway Oregon Jay (PI. Ill, Fig. 21) 394 159. Corvus corax sinuatus, Wagler American Eaven (PI. IV, Figs. 1, 2) 396 160. Corvus corax principalis, Eidgway Northern Eaven (PI. IV, Fig. 3) 400 161. Corvus cryptoleucus, Couch White-necked Eaven (PI. IV, Figs. 4, 5, 6, 7) 402 162. Corvus americanus, Audubon American Crow (PI, IV, Figs. 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 ; PI. V, 405 Figs. 21, 22). 163. Corvus americanus floridanus, Baird Florida Crow (PI. IV, Figs. 13, 14) 413 164. Corvus caurinus, Baird Northwest Crow fPl. IV, Fig. 15) 414 165. Corvus ossifrague, Wilson Fish Crow (PI. IV, Figs. 16, 17) 415 166. Nucifraga columbiana, Wilson Clarke's Nutcracker (PI. Ill, Figs. 22, 23) 418 167. Cyanocephalus cyanocephalus, Wied Pifion Jay (PI. Ill, Figs. 24, 25) 424 Family Stuknid.e. Starlings. 168. Sturnus vulgaris, Linn'«us Starling 427 Family Ictekid^. Blackbirds, Orioles, etc. 169. Dolichonyx oryzi verus, Linn.eus Bobolink (PI. VI, Figs. 1, 2) 429 170. Molothrus ater, Bodda^rt Cowbird (PI. VI, Figs. 3, 4,5, 6) 434 171. Molothrus ater obscurus, Gmelin Dwarf Cowbird (PI. VI, Figs. 7, 8) 441 172. Callothrus robnstus, Cabanis Eed-eyed Cowbird (PI. VI, Fig. 9) 443 173. Xanthocephalus xanthocephalua, Bonaparte . . . Yellow-headed Blackbird (PI. VI, Figs. 10, 11, 12) . . 446 174. Agelaius phoeniceus, Linnieus Eed-wlnged Blackbird (PI. VI, Figs. 13, 14, 15) 449 175. Agelaius phoeniceus sonoriensis, Eidgway Sonorau Eedwing 453 176. Agelaius phoeniceus bryanti, Eidgway Bahaman Eedwing 453 177. Agelaius gubemator, Wagler Bicolored Blackbird (PI. VI, Figs. 16, 17) 455 178. Agelaius tricolor, Nuttall Tricolored Blackbird (PI. VI, Figs. 18, 19) 456 179. Sturnella magna, Linua?us Meadowlark (PI. VI, Figs. 20, 21) . ! 458 180. Sturnella magna mexicana, Sclater Mexican Meadowlark (PI. VI, Fig. 22) 461 181. Sturnella magna neglecta, Audubon Western Meadowlark (PI. VI, Figs. 23, 24) 462 182. Icterus icterus, Linnatus Troupial 466 183. Icterus gularis, Wagler Gular Oriole 466 184. Icterus aiidubonii, Giraud Audiibon's Oriole (PI. VI, Figs. 25, 26, 27) 469 185. Icterus parisorum, Bonaparte Scott's Oriole (PI. VI, Figs. 28, 29) 471 186. Icterus cucullatus, Swainson Hooded Oriole (PI. VI, Figs. 30, 31, 32) 474 187. Icterus cucuUatus nelsoni, Eidgway Arizona Hooded Oriole (PI. VII, Figs. 1, 2) 476 188. Icterus spurius, Linnieus Orchard Oriole (PL VII, Figs, s', 4, 5) . . ' 479 189. Icterus galbula, Linnieus Baltimore Oriole (PI. VII, Figs! 6^ 7, 8, 9) .......... 482 190. Icterus bullocki, Swainson Bullock's Oriole (PL VII, Figs. 10, 11,' 12, 13) 486 191. Scolecophagus carolinus, Miiller Eusty Blackbird (PL VII, Figs. 14' 15^ 16) '. 489 192. Scolecophagus cyanocephalus, Wagler Brewer's Blackbird (PL VII, Figs. 17,' 18, 19, 20) 493 193. Quiscalus quiscula, Linnnsus I'urple Graokle (PL VII, Figs. 21, 22, '23)' ' 497 194. Quiscalus quiscula aghous, Baird Florida Grackle (PI. VII, Figs. 24, 25) 500 195. Quiscalus quiscula ieneus, Eidgway Bronzed Graokle (PL VII, Figs. 26 27) 501 196. Quiscalus macrourus, Swainson Great-tailed Graokle (PL VII, Figs. 28, 29) 504 197. Quiscalus major, VieiUot Boat-tailed Grackle (PI. VII, Figs. 30, 31) . 506 INTRODUCTION This volume on the Life Histories of North American Birds, Hke tlie one preceding, is based on the collections in the United States National Museum, and relates only to land birds. The classification i>iven in the Code and Check List of the American Ornithologists' Union has again been followed, and the species and subspecies have been treated in a manner similar to that adopted in the earlier volume. Since the publication of the initial volume the oological collection has been very materially increased. Dr. William L. Ralph, of Utica, New York, has, with commendable liberality, presented his entire collection, numbering over seven thousand specimens, to the Smithsonian Institution. This contains beautifully prepared sets of the eggs of many of the rarer species, quite a number of which have heretofore been unrepresented. To this collection our generous friend is constantly adding, regardless of expense. My thanks are especially due to Dr. Ralph and to my numerous corre- spondents whose names appear in the body of this volume; by the kind cooperation of these gentlemen I have been greatly aided in the preparation of this work. I am also indebted to the United States Dejjartment of Agriculture for the many courtesies extended through Dr. C. Hart Merriam, who has given me access to the collections and furnished me with the results of the investiga- tions made by this Department. The original water-color" drawings from which the plates have been repro- duced, like those of the former volume, are the work of Mr. John L. Ridgway, of Washington, District of Columbia, and of the same standard of excellence. The chromo-lithographic reproductions are by the Ketterlinus Printing Com- pany, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and I am pleased to be able to say that they come up fully to my expectations. The illustrations are all natural size. The Author. LIFE HISTORIES OF NOETH AMERICAN BIKDS. By Chaklbs Bendiee, Captain and Brevet Major, U. S. Army (retired). PSITTACEOTJS BIRDS. Family PSITTACID^. Parrots, Paroquets, etc. I. Conurus carolinensis (Linn^us). CAROLINA PAROQUET. Psittactis carolinensis Linn^us, Systema Naturae, ed. 10, 1, 1768, 97. Conurus carolinensis Lesson, Trait6 d'Ornitliologie, 1831, 211. (B 65, 315, R 392, 460, U 382.) Geographical range : Florjda and the Indian Territory, sporadically only; casually along the Gulf coast and the Lower Mississippi Valley, north to southwestern Missouri. The range of the Carolina Paroquet, the only representative in the United States of this numerous family, is yearly becoming more and more restricted, and is now mainly confined to some of the less accessible portions of southern Florida, and to very limited areas in the sparsely settled sections of the Indian Territory, where it is only a question of a few years before its total extermination will be accomplished. Formerly this species had quite an extensive distribution in the United States, ranging from Florida, the Gulf, and the South Atlantic States generally, north to Maryland, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois and Nebraska, and casually even to Michigan and New York, while west it reached to Texas and eastern Colorado. It was especially common then throughout the entire Mississippi Valley and the heavily timbered bottom lands of the larger tributaries of this stream. With the more general settlement of the regions inhabited by these birds, their numbers have gradually but steadily diminished, and even as early as 1832 Audubon speaks of their not being nearly as common as formerly. As late, however, as 1860 they were still comparatively numerous throughout the Gulf States and the Mississippi, Arkansas, and White River valleys; and I well remember seeing large flocks of these birds throughout that year in the vicinity of Fort Smith, Arkansas, and near several of the military posts in the Indian Territory. 16896— No. 3 1 1 2 LIFE HISTOEIES OP NOETH AMEEICAN BIEDS. At iDresent it is very doubtful if the Carolina Paroquet can be considered a re«,ailar resident anywhere excepting the localities already-mentioned, and it is rapidly disappearing from these, especially the Indian Territory. Occa- sionally a pair are still seen in southern Louisiana, and as late as the fall of 1891 Mr. Thurman S. Powell saw a couple at the Linchpin Camping Grounds, Stone County, Missouri. Although rather restless birds at all times, they can generally be' considered as residents wherever found, roving about from place to place in search of suitable- feeding grounds, and usually returning to^ the same roosting place, some large hollow tree, to which they retire at night, hooking or suspending themselves by their powerful beaks and claws to the inner rough wall of the cavity. Previous to the more extensive settlement of the country, their food consisted of the seeds of the Gocklehnr' (Xanthetm. strumarlum), the round seed balls of the sycamore, those of the cypress, pecan and beech nuts, the fruit of the papaw, (Asimina trilohatd), mulberries, wild grapes, and various other wild berries. According to Mr. J. F. Menge, they also feed, on the seeds extracted from pine cones and those of the burgrass, or sand bur (Cenchras tribuhides), one of the most noxious weeds known. They are also rather fond of cultivated fruit, and in Florida they have acquired a taste for both oranges and bananas. They are also partial to different kinds of grains while in the milk. Mr. Frank M. Chapman states that while collecting on the Sebastian. River, Florida, in March, 1890, he found them feeding on the milky seeds of a species of thistle (Cirsium lecontei), which, as far as he could leai-n, constituted their entire food at that season. He says: "Not a patch of thistles did we find which had not been, visited by them, the headless stalks showing clearly where the thistles had been neatly severed by the sharp, chisel-like bill, while the ground beneath favorite trees would be strewn with the scattered down."^ According to the observations of Mr. August Koch, published in "Forest and Stream," September 24, 1891, they also feed on the red blossoms of a species of maple (Acer ruhrum). In the vicinity of Fort Smith, Arkansas, during the fall and winter of 1860-61, 1 frequently saw flocks of these birds in osage orange trees, which attain a large size here, biting off the fruit and feeding on the tender buds ; here they were also accused of doing considerable injury to Indian corn while still in the milk, and many were shot for this reason, and there is no doubt that they do more or less damage to both fruit and grain. Although clumsy-looking birds on the ground, it is astonishing how readily they move about on the slenderest limbs in trees, frequently hanging head down, like Crossbills and Redpolls, nipping off the seed bulbs of the sycamores, etc., and swinging themselves, with the assistance of their powerful beaks, from the extremity of one branch to another. Their flight, which is more or less undulating, resembles both that of the Passenger Pigeon and again that of the Falcons; it is extremely swift and graceful, enabling them, even when flying in rather compact flocks, to dart in ' Proceedings of the Linnsean Society, New York, for the year ending March 7, 1890. THE CAEOLINA PAEOQUET. 3 and out of tlie densest timber with perfect ease. Their t',all notes are shrill and disagreeable, a kind of grating, metallic shriek, and they arc especially noisy while on the wing. Among the calls is one resembling the shrill cry of a goose, which is frequently uttered for minutes at a time. Formerly they moved about m good-sized and compact flocks, often numbering hundreds, while now it is a I'are occurrence to see more than twenty together, more often small companies of from six to twelve. When at rest in the middle of the day on some favorite tree they sometimes utter low notes, as if talking to each other, Ijut move often they remain entirely silent, and are then extremely difficult to discover as then- plumage harmonizes and blends thoroughly with the surrounding foliage. They are most active in the early morning and again in the evening, while the hotter parts of the day are spent in thick-foliaged and shady trees. They are partial to heavily timbered bottom lands bordering the larger streams and the extensive cypress swamps which are such a common feature of many of our Southern States. Social birds as they are, they are rarely seen alone, and if one is accidentally wounded, the others hover around the injured one until sometimes the whole flock is exterminated. This devotion to one another has cost them dearly, and many thousands have been destroyed in this way. Mr. E. A. Mcllhenny has kindly furnished me with the following notes on their habits as observed by him in southern Louisiana, where the species was still comparatively abundant a few years ago, but has now nearly disappeared: "The Carolina Paroquet may be looked for in this section about April 25, or when the black mulberries begin to ripen. This fruit seemed to be their favorite food, and in the morning, from sum-ise to about 7 o'clock, and in the evening, from 5 o'clock to sunset, at which hours they feed, they were to be found in the mulberry groves. They spent the rest of the day and roosted at night in the live-oak timber. In the morning, just before sunrise, they mounted the tallest trees, congregating in small bands, all the while talking at a great rate. As the sun rises they take flight for the nearest mulberry grove, where they partake of their morning meal amidst a great amount of noise. After they have eaten their fill they generally go to the nearest stream, where they drink and bathe; they then go to some dense oak timber, where they pass the heat of the day. After they get in the oaks they rarely utter a sound. In the afternoon they go through the same performance, with the exception of going to the water. "The flight of the Carolina Paroquet, once seen, is never to be forgotten; it is undulating, somewhat like the woodpecker's, but very swift. While on the wing they chatter and cry continually; this cry sounds hke 'qui,' with the rising inflection on the i; this is repeated several times, the last one being drawn out like 'qui-i-i-i.' These birds are rarely met with in the summer, and I do not think they nest here. They are most plentiful in May and September. In the fall they feed on the fruit of the honey locust, and are then more often seen on the ground." The total extermination of the Carolina Paroquet is only a question of a few more years, and the end of the present century will probably mark their 4 LIFE HISTORIES OP NOETH AMEEIOAN BIRDS. disappearance. Civilization does not agree with these birds, and as they certainly do some damage to fruit in sections where they still exist, nothing else than complete annihilation can be looked for. Like the Bison and the Passenger Pigeon, their days are numbered. Considering how common this bird was only a few decades ago, it is astonishing how little is really known about its nesting habits, and it is not likely that we will be able to learn much more about them. The general supposition is that they breed in hollow trees, such as cypress, oak, and sycamore, and that they nest rather early in the season, while others think they nest rather late. There are two eggs in the United States National Museum collection. No. 17709, in rather poor condition, which are entered as having been taken in St. Mary's Parish, Louisiana, March, 1878. I have endeavored to obtain some further particulars about them, but have been unsuccessful. One egg laid in captivity by a bird in the possession of Mr. R. Ridgway was deposited in August, 1877, and another in July, 1878, and one in September, 1883. There are also a couple of eggs in the collection of the American Museum of Natural History, New York City, collected by the late Dr. S. W. Wilson, of Georgia, vdiich I believe are genuine ; these are said to have been taken on April 26, 1855, from a hollow tree, the eggs being deposited on a few chips in the cavity ; the exact locality where they were obtained is not given, but the collection was chietly made on St. Simon Island and in Wayne and Mcintosh counties, Greorgia. Mr. William Brewster, of Cambridge, Massachusetts, ever alert to obtain new information about the habits of our birds, while on a visit to Florida elicited the following, published by him in "The Auk" (Vol. VI, 1889, pp. 336, 337), which is well worth inserting here. He says: "While in Florida, durino- Febru- ary and March, 1889, 1 questioned everybody whom I met regarding the nesting of the Parrakeet. Only three persons professed any knowledge on this subject. The first two were both uneducated men, professional hunters of alligators and plume birds. Each of them claimed to have seen Parrakeets' nests, which they described as flimsy structures built of twigs and placed on the branches of cypress trees. One of them said he found a nest only the previous summer (1888), while fishing. By means of his pole he tipped the nest over and secured two young birds which it contained. This account was so widely at variance with what has been previously recorded regarding the manner of nesting of this species that I considered it at the time as a mere fabrication, but afterwards it was unexpectedly and most strongly corroborated by Judge R. L. Long, of Tallahassee. The latter gentleman, who, by the way, has a xerj good general knowledge of the birds of our Northern States, assured me that he had examined many nests of the Parrakeet built precisely as above described. Formerl}-, when the birds were abundant in the surrounding region, he used to find them breed- ing in large colonies in the cypress swamps. Several of these colonies contained at least a thousand birds each. They nested invariably in small cypress trees, the favorite position being on a fork near the end of a slender horizontal branch. THE OAltOLINA PAKOQUET, 5 "Kvei-y such fork would be occupied, and he has seen as many as forty or fifty nests m one small tree. Their nests closely resembled those of the Carolma Dove, being similarly composed of cypress twigs put together so loosely that the eggs were often visible from the ground beneath. The twigs of the cypress seemed to be preferred to those of any other kind of tree. The height at which the nests were placed varied from 5 or 6 feet to 20 or 30 feet. Mr. Long described the eggs as being of a greenish-white color, unspotted. He did not remember the maximum number which he had found in one set, but thought it was at least four or five. He had often taken young birds from the nests to rear or to give to his friends. He knew of a small colony of Parrakeets breed- ing in Waukulla Swamp, about 20 miles from Tallahassee, in the summer of 1885, and believes that they still occur there in moderate numbers. "It seems difficult to reconcile such testimony with the statements of Audu- bon, Wilson, and others that the Carolina Parrakeet lays its eggs in hollow trees. It may be, however, that, like the Crow Blackbird, and some of the Owls, this Parrot nests both in holes and on branches, according to circumstances ; at all events the above account has seemed to me to rest on evidence sufficiently good to warrant its publication." It is quite possible that the Carolina Paroquet, from its exceedingly social nature, w-as compelled where very numerous to resort to open nesting sites from necessity, as suitable cavities are rarely found in sufficient quantities close to each other to accommodate any considerable number of pairs. We find this to be the case with BoTborliynchus monachus Boddart, the Green Paroquet of Paraguay, Uruguay, and the Argentine Republic, which suspends its nests from the extremi- ties of branches, to which they are firmly woven. Mr. Gibson describes their nests as follows: "New nests consist of only two chambers, the porch and the nest proper, and are inhabited by a single pair of birds. Successive nests are added until some of them come to weigh a quarter of a ton, and contain material enough to fill a large cart. Thorny twigs firmly interwoven form the only mate- rial, and there is no lining in the breeding chamber even in the breeding season. Some old forest trees have seven or eight of these huge structures suspended from the branches, while the ground underneath is covered with twigs and remains of fallen rocks." ' Another species the Patagonian Parrot, Conurus patagonus (Vieillot), found in the Argentine Republic, and in Patagonia, excavates its nest in perpendicular banks, like our Kingfisher; while the Ground Parrakeet, Pezoporus formosus Latham), of Australia nests in tall grass. Although nearly all the species of this numerous family nest in hollow trees, as stated above, there are exceptions to this rule, and it is quite probable that some of our Carolina Paroquets nested at times in Florida as Judge R. L. Long described, and again both in communities in large hollow trees and singly, as Alexander Wilson states, all of these different assertions being probably correct. We have no positive information about the number of eggs laid by this species in a wild state. ' Argentine Ornithology, Vol. II, 1889, pp. 43-46. 6 LIFE HI9TOEIES OP NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. Dr. Karl Riiss, of Berlin, Germany, in his interesting article on this species in his work on "Die Fremdlandischen Stubenvogel, Die Papageien" (Vol. Ill, 1879, pp. 221-236), mentions several instances of the Carolina Paroquets breed- ing in captivity in Germany, where the eggs were deposited in June and July, two being the number laid; but in his "Handbuch fiir Vogelliebhaber," he gives the number from three to five, and he describes these as pure white, fine grained, very round, and qtxite glossy, like Woodpeckers' eggs, measuring 38 by 36 millimetres, or about 1.50 by 1.42 inches. Mr. Robert Ridgway's birds would not use the nesting boxes provided for them, and both females deposited their eggs on the floor of the cage; they were laid in July, August, and September, respectively. None of these eggs can be called round; they vary from ovate to short ovate, and are rather pointed. They are white, with the faintest yellowish tint, ivory-like and quite glossy; the shell is rather thick, close grained, and deeply pitted, not unlike the eggs of the African Ostrich (Struthio camelus), but of course not as noticeable. Holding the egg in a strong light, the inside appears to be pale yellow. These eggs measure 36.32 by 26.92, 34.54 by 27.18, and 33.27 by 26.92 millimetres, or 1.43 by 1.06, 1.36 by 1.07, and 1.31 by 1.06 inches. The deep pitting is noticeable in every specimen, and there can be no possible doubt about the identity of these eggs. The other eggs in the collection about whose proper identification I am not so certain, and whose measurements I therefore do not give, have a much thinner shell, and do not show the peculiar pitting already referred to. There is no diffi.culty whatever in distinguishing these eggs from those of the Burrowing Owl or the Kingfisher, both of which, are occasionally substituted for them. The type specimen. No. 20784 (PI. 1, Fig. 1), was laid in confinement on July 19, 1878, and is the smallest of the three eggs whose measurements are given above. Family CUCULIDiE. The Cuckoos, Anis, etc. 2. Crotophaga ani Linn^us. THE ANI. Crotophaga ani LiNN^TJS, Systema Naturae, ed. 10, 1, 1758, 105. Type C. ani Linnseus. (B 66.67, C 288, R 389, 425, U (383).) Geographical range : West India Islands and northern Soutli America, east of the Andes 5 south to northern Argentina j casually north to the southern United States, Florida and Louisiana. The Ani, also called Black Ani, Black "Witch, Blackbird, Savanna Blackbii^d, and Tickbird, can only be considered as a straggler within the borders of the southern United States. It is a common resident species in the West India Islands and in northern South America east of the Andes Mountains, and reaches the southern limits of its range in northern Argentina. There are two THE ANI. 7 specimens in the United States National Museum collection, taken within the limits of the United States — one from the Dry Tortugas by Mr. J. Wurdeman, on June 24, 1857; the other by Mr. G. A. Boardman, from Charlotte Harbor, Florida. A small flock of five of these birds was seen in July, 1893, at Diamond, Louisiana, opposite Point la Hache, and one of these was shot. This is now in the possession of Mr. George E. Beyer, who considers the Ani a regular summer resident in that locality. The Ani is most commonly found at altitudes below 1,000 feet and rarely above 3,000. One of its principal call notes, according to Mr. John S. Northrop, who observed this species on Andros Island, one of the Bahamas, is "wee-eep," the second syllable uttered in a much higher key than the first ; another- common call sounds, like "que-yu." When perched on trees they are said to sit very close together in rows, and being good-natured social birds, they are rarely seen alone. The most complete account of the general habits of the Ani is that of Mr. Charles B. Taylor, Rae Town, Kingston, Jamaica, in "The Auk" (Vol. IX, 1892, pp. 369-371). " The Ani appears to be abundant in all parts of the island. It is one of the commonest birds near Kingston, and in most open or sparsely wooded lands or in the vicinity of cultivated clearings little groups or companies may nearly always be seen. Blackbirds are invariably present wherever cattle are pastured. I can not recollect an instance in which I have noted a herd of cows at pasture without a flock of these birds appearing in company with them or in their immediate vicinity. This association is, doubtless, chiefly for the purpose of feeding on the ticks and other parasites on the animals, a good -wprk largely shared by the Grackles {Quiscalus crassirostris). It is most interesting to watch a company of Blackbirds when thus engaged. Many are perched on the backs of the cattle (two or three sometimes on one cow); others are on the ground, hopping about fearlessly among the grazing herd, searching for insects at the roots of the herbage, or capturing those disturbed by the feet of the cattle. At this time one or more individuals are stationed on some tree close by, from which they now and again call to those in the open with that remarkable cry, variously syllabicated by some, but which I have at times thoiight strangely like the wailing of a young cat. Insects of all orders and their larvae, ticks, grubs, etc., form their chief food. Occasionally, perhaps, a few small lizards are taken, and, I believe, the eggs of other birds, as I once found in the stomach of a female portions of an egg, apparently that of some siuflll bird. Gosse records having seen these birds eating the ripe berries of the fiddle wood, biit I have not noticed them at any time eating vegetable food. "The Blackbirds at their best have a very lean and shabby appearance, and are slow and awkward in their movements. I have watched an individual make several ineffectual attempts to alight on the frond of a cocoanut palm ; but even among the branches of other trees their actions appear awkward. Their flight 8 LIFE HISTOEIES OF KORTH AMERICAN BIRDS; is slow and gliding, somewhat labored, and of little duration, the birds often appearing to fall short of the point originally aimed at. Yet they will chase the large yellow butterflies, and I was shown a large green locust that one of these birds was seen to capture in flight and afterwards drop. In the progress of a flock from place to place they do not usually fly all together, but move away in straggling groups or couples. One or more individuals first start ofl^ with their wailing call, followed soon after by two or three; after a Httle delay, then two more go; another pause, then one, then three, and so on. If a tree has very dense fohage, they alight (with much awkward scrambling) on the tops or extremities of the highest branches, where they may gain a clear and uninter- rupted view, and this is usually the case when they are traversing very open country. "Their nesting habits are exceedingly curious and interesting. Many indi- viduals (possibly members of one flock) work together in the construction of a large nest, in which all the females of the company lay their eggs. The number of eggs deposited in different nests varies greatly, but is of course dependent on the number of birds in a company. Six and eight eggs are commonly found. I once took eleven, and in August, last year, I saw a clutch of twenty-one that had been taken from a single nest. It is probable that normally not more than two eggs are deposited by each bird, but nothing definite can be said on this point. The nest, which is usually placed high up in a tall tree, very frequently in a clump of mistletoe on a 'bastard cedar,' is a large, loosely constructed mass of twigs, entirely lined with dried leaves. But the most remarkable circum- stance in connection with the nesting of these birds is the deposition of the eggs in regular layers, with leaves between. This custom I had long heard of before an opportunity off'ered for personal observation. In the first nest I examined the eggs were in two distinct layers, separated by a deep bed of dry leaves; the bottom layer consisted of four eggs, and these, strange to say, were all infertile. I believe this singular habit is practiced in all cases where a large number of birds resort to the same nest. The eggs are a deep bluish green, but when freshly laid are covered with a white, chalky coat, which soon becomes much scratched and erased on all. Now, what seems very singular is that compara- tively little of this chalky covering gets i-ubbed off the sides, where, from the turning over of the eggs in the nest, we should expect to see the greatest extent of denudation, whereas one or both ends are nearly always wholly denuded. That this circumstance is not merely accidental I feel sure, as in a large series of clutches that I have examined more than two-thirds of the number of eggs show this pecuharity. So cleanly and evenly is it done, and to such an extent, that I feel confident that it is the work of the birds themselves, their beaks alone being able to accomplish it. At the same time it is easy to see that the marks and scratches at the sides are the result of friction with the twigs and leaves of the nest. Average measurements of the eggs are 1.33 by 1.20 inches. I have found eggs and young in February and throughout the succeeding months to August, two or three broods probably being reared. I have also seen young, fully fledged, THE ANI. 9 but unable to fly, hopping about the branches of the nesting- tree ; and on another occasion, some, more advanced, searching for insects in the grass at the roots of a large guango tree, in company with many old birds." The eggs of the Ani are glaucous-blue in color, and this is overlaid and hidden by a thin, chalky, white deposit; as incubation advances the eggs become more or less scratched and the blue underneath is then plainly visible in places, giving them a very peculiar appearance. In shape they vary from oval to elliptical oval; the shell is fine grained, rather strong, and without luster. The average measurement of forty eggs in the United States National Museum collection, mostly from the West Indies, is 34.66 by 26 millimetres, or about 1.36 by 1.02 inches. The largest egg of the series measures 39.62 by 26.67 millimetres, or 1.56 by 1.05 inches; the smallest, 29.21 by 23.37 millimetres, or 1.15 by 0.92 inches. The type specimen, No. 6048 (PI. 1, Fig. 6), from a nest containing seven eggs, was taken bv Mr. W. T. March, near Spanish Town, Jamaica, on July 30. 1862. 3. Crotophaga sulcirostris Swainson. GROOVE- BILLED ANI. Crotophaga sulcirostris Swainson, Philosophical Magazine, I, 1827, 440. (B _, — , E 390, C 426, U 384.) Geographical range : Along the western slopes of the Andes, in South America, to the Paciiic coast; from Peru north through Central America on both coasts, and through Mexico to the lower Eio Grande Valley in Texas, and southern Lower California. Casual in the United States in southern Florida, southern Louisiana, southern Arizona, and California. The breeding range of the Grroove-billed Ani or Jewbird within the United States is a very limited one and appears to be confined to the Lower Rio Grande Valley in Texas, where it was first discovered near Lomita by Mr. George B. Sennett, on May 19, 1878, and added by him to our fauna. Since then it has been found breeding in small numbers in chaparral in the vicinity of Browns- ville, and its nest and three sets of eggs were taken there and are now in the Ealph collection in the United States National Museum. It straggles occasionally along the Gulf coast to southern Louisiana. Mr. E. A. Mcllhenny shot one of these birds on Avery's Island on August 23, 1891, which is now in his collection, and it has also been taken in Florida. It is a common resident in suitable localities throughout the greater part of Mexico, the southern parts of Lower California, the whole of Central America, along both coasts, and those portions of South America situated on the western slopes of the Andes south to Peru. It is a bird of the lowlands, being rarely met with at altitudes over 700 feet, and it is generally resident wherever found. Prof A. L. Herrara, of the National Museum of the City of Mexico, has kindly furnished me with the following notes: 10 LIFE HISTOEIES OF NOETH AMEEICAF BIEDS. " Crotophaga sukirostris is known to the inhabitants here as the Pijon and Garrapatero. It is a social bird, being usually found in small companies of from six to fifteen individuals, absolutely monogamous, sedentary, and of semidomes- ticated habits, frequenting the haciendas and the fields and pastures in their vicinity, and as it is considered very useful because of its habit of destroying large numbers of parasites infesting the cattle, it is not molested by the inhabi- tants, and becomes very tame. It extracts the Ixodes and other Acaridans with remarkable skill, without causing ulcerations which might result from the pro- boscis or sucker remaining in the fibers of the skin, and it must be regarded as one of the most useful birds of Mexico, especially of the warm regions, so abounding in parasites of all kinds. It is noteworthy that all the Crotophag(B I have collected were remarkably lean, which the natives assert is their normal condition; and without exception the Garrapatero is found in all the warmer parts of Mexico where there are cattle." Mr. E. Kirby Smith, of Jataplan, Vera Cruz, Mexico, writes me that the G-roove-billed Ani is locally known there as the Chicuya, usually inhabiting the thick chaparral and uttering, almost constantly, a peculiar cracking sound. He has found their nests in brush thickets, usually not more than 6 feet from the ground — rather loose structures, resembling the nests of the Cardinal (Gardinalis cardinalis), but larger, and has observed as many as fifteen eggs in a nest. Mr. Charles W. Richmond has kindly furnished me with the following notes on the general habits of this species as observed by him in the vicinity of Bluefields, Nicaragua : "A very abundant resident. It appears to breed at various times during the year, as I have found fresh eggs July 6, 1892, and young birds, recently from the nest, November 29, the breeding season spreading over seven months of the year at least, as it begins nesting earlier than the date of taking my first eggs. Nests are frequently built in the heart of a thick, thorny orange or lemon tree, and this appears to be a favorite situation. In this case the nest is from 4 to 7 feet from the ground, and, besides being difficult to get at, is somewhat protected from invasion by the wasps which almost invariably take up their abode in the same tree. In going through a small lemon grove I found an old nest of this species. In the cavity there were no eggs, but on poking the nest to pieces six badly decayed eggs rolled out. "One nest containing three eggs in the proper place and two others at the bottom, under the lining of green leaves, was located in a bamboo about 12 feet from the ground. The eggs were fresh, and more would probably have been deposited ; the leaves forming the lining were still green. The parent birds were away at the time. Another nest was situated in some vines which had overrun an old tree stub, and was about 15 feet from the ground. "It may be that where numerous eggs are deposited in one nest only those eggs that are deposited in the proper place and directly influenced by the incubating bird are hatched, while those placed among the sticks forming the THE GROOVE-BILLED ANL 11 bulky exterior are left unhatched. It would be interesting to watch the progi-ess of a large nestful of eggs and note results. The nosts found by me were all composed of dead black twigs, rather loosely put together, very bulky and conspicuous structures, lined with green leaves, or, if old nosts, with leaves that had the appearance of having been picked green. On one occasion I saAV a bird, with nesting material in its bill, taking short flights from one Ijamboo to another, followed by several other birds composing the company, but none of these latter had nesting material with them. "At Mr. Haymond's plantation, on the Escondido River, above Bluefields, this species was unusually plentiful, owing, no doubt, to a large number of cattle kept there. The birds follow these animals as they meander over the pastures, hopping along on each side of an animal, catching grasshoppers and other insects which the cow disturbs as it moves along. Frequently the cow moves too rapidly and the birds lag behind, when they make short flights to the front again, passing over one another after the manner of the Grrackles when feeding in a field. Only half a dozen birds or so follow a cow usually, and not many congregate in one flock, except when roosting. On this plantation, where the species is more abundant than usual, the birds appear to roost in numbers. An orange tree near the house was a favorite place where thirty or forty birds came to pass the night, flying in from the surrounding pasture about dusk, and after a few short flights from one tree to another, passed into the roost one or two at a time, hopping about as if seeking a favorable perch, uttering their peculiar note meanwhile. Out of this roost I shot seventeen birds one evening, and the males greatly predominated; there were only five females in the lot. The note of this species reminds one somewhat of the Flicker, Colaptes auratus, but may be better represented by the combination 'plee-co,' rapidly repeated, with the accent usually on the first syllable, but sometimes on the last. I have frequently found one of the small flocks resting on a bush or bamboo along the water's edge, perfectly silent, until my near approach started them ofi^, one or two at a time, scolding as they went. Their flight is even, slow, as short as possible, and consists of a few flaps of the wings, followed by a short sail, then a few more flaps, etc. "The food of those examined by me on banana plantations consisted almost entirely of small grasshoppers, the stomachs being much distended with these insects. From the fresh earth found on the bill and feet of these birds, I should judge they also feed on the ground. The CrotopJmga is gregarious all the year round." The following observations on the nesting habits of this species, based on manuscript notes of Mr. Anastasio Alfaro, director of the National Museum of Costa Rica, at San Jose, and recently published by Mr. George K. Cherrie, are especially interesting. "The Zopilotillo (so-pee-lo-tde-yo), . also known as 'Tijo-tijo' (tee-ho), in imitation of its peculiar notes, which seem to repeat the word tijo over and over again, is very abundant in the fields near Tambor (a little town about 20 miles 12 LIFE HISTOEIES OP NOETH AMERICAN BIEDS. northwest of San Jose), where, along the hedgerows and in the scrabby timber, as well as on the skin of the cattle, they find those insects which constitute their food. The woodticks, or garropatos, from the legs and about the head and neck of the cattle are esteemed above all else a favorite morsel. In this locality I have collected three nests during the month of May, the first with nine eggs, the second with eleven, and the last with thirteen. Some years ago I remember seeing a nest, situated in the branches of a mango tree, that contained fourteen eggs. "The nests that I have collected agree with the observations made by Zeledon. The structure is voluminous, composed chiefly of coarse dead twigs, but presents -one peculiarity not observed in any other bird, namely, the nest being lined with fresh green leaves. My three specimens were all placed in low trees, and neither was found at a greater height than 3 metres. One had been built above an old nest of one of the larger Tyrannidce. "It will not be without interest, I think, to insert my observations relative to one of these nests. On the 20th of May I noticed a ZopilotiUo with a dry stick in his bill, which was immediately carried to a point in the hedgerow, where it was deposited with three others. After assuring myself that the bird was building its nest there, I retired, with the intention of returning at a more oppor- tune moment. And when, one week later, I returned to the same spot, what was my surprise to see not only the nest completed and containing six eggs, but more than this — in the thorns and leaves about it were scattered seven more eggs! As a consequence, if that collection was not the work of the Zopilotillos collectively, the poor owner would have had to deposit three eggs daily. In the finding of some of the eggs scattered in the leaves was revealed one of the architect's peculiarities. A hole had been left in the center of the nest and only recently filled with leaves, whose fresh green color testified that they had been cut and placed there later than the others forming the carpeting to the bottom of this common incubator. "The eggs were all fresh, the six occupying the nest having the character- istic rough, white, calcareous surface, perfectly clean, and without the slightest variation in color. Not so with the eggs found about the outside of the nest. Those found in contact with the leaves had taken on a dirty yellowish tinge. Those held suspended among the leaves and thorns showed various spots and lines of the lustrous blue color forming the base for the chalky external coat. The scratches had been caused by a too close contact with the thorns."^ There can no longer be any doubt that the general nesting habits of this species are similar to those of the Ani, and that frequently more than one female lays in the same nest, although this habit may not be so universal as with the preceding species. The three sets of eggs from the Ralph collection, taken near Brownsville, Texas, contained, respectively, four, five, and five eggs; in two of these the eggs Avere fresh, and in the other incubation had just commenced when taken, ' The Auk, \"ol. IX, 1892, pp. 325, 326. THE GROOVE-BILLED ANL 13 on May 28, 1892. These sets appear to have been hiid l>y one bird, tlie eggs hi eacli set resembling each other very closely. The}" wei-e pUiced in huisache trees (Acacia fumcviund), from 6 to 10 feet fi-om the ground, in rather open woods. A nest now before me, taken by Mr. Charles W. Richmond, near the Escondido River, Nicaragua, on July 6, 1892, containing three fresh eggs when found, is composed of small twigs of a vine, mixed with a few blades of cane leaves, and the center is filled with a hiyer of leaves of different species. It is a rather loose structure, about 10 inches in diameter and 4 inches in height. The inner cup measures 4 inches in diameter by 2| inches in depth. Nothing definite is known about the time of incubation, nor whether the male assists in this duty; from three to five eggs seem to be laid by each female, and two or three broods are probably raised in a season. The eggs are mostly oval in shape, but occasionally one is found that may be called elliptical ovate. They resemble those of the Ani ^ery closely and the same description will answer for both, with the exception that tlie chalky matter covering the glaucous-blue ground color appears to be heavier in the present species, giving them a more uniform milky blue appearance, and that they are also considerably smaller. The average measurement of forty eggs in the United States National Museum collection is 31.13 by 23.93 millimetres, or about 1.23 by 0.94 inches. The largest egg of the series measures 33.53 by 25.16 millimetres, or 1.32 by 0.99 inches; the smallest, 27.68 by 21.84 millimetres, or 1.09 by 0.86 inches. The type specimen, No. 18565 (PI. 1, Fig. 7), from a set of five eggs, was taken by Mr. L. Belding, near San Jose del Carbo, Lower California, on April 29, 1882, and represents an unscratched specimen. 4. Geococcyx californianus (Lesson). EOAD-RUNNEE. Saurothera californiana Lesson, Complement des CEuvres de Buffon VI, 1829 (!), 420. Geococcyx californianus Baird, Birds of North. America, 1858, 73. (B 68, C 289, E 385, 427, U 385.) Geographical range : Central and northern Mexico and adjoining portions of the United States; east through the western half of Texas, and extreme western Indian Territory; north to southwestern Kansas, southern Colorado, southern Utah, southern Nevada, and southwestern Oregon ( ?) ; Lower California. The Road-runner, equally well known as the "Chaparral Cock," and occa- sionally called "Snake-killer," "Ground Cuckoo," "Lizard Bird," and by the Spanish-speaking population of our southern border "Paisano" and "Corre- caminoJ'' is generally a resident and breeds wherever found, excepting perhaps in the extreme northern portions of its range. This it reaches in Shasta County, California, on the western slopes of the Sierra Ne^-ada, in about latitude 40° N., while on the east side of these mountains it has as yet not been observed north 14 LIFE HISTOEIES OF NORTH AMEEICAN BIRDS. of Inyo County, California, about latitude 36° N. In southwestern Kansas it is undoubtedly quite rare and can only be considered as a straggler."- Its general habits are far more terrestrial than arboreal, spending most of its time on the ground in search of food, and frequenting the drier desert tracts adjacent to river valleys, and the lower foothills, covered by cactus, yuccas, and thorny undergrowth. It rarely ventures into the higher mountain ranges among the conifers, but breeds occasionally among the oaks bordering the pine belt. It is most abundant at altitudes ranging from 2,000 to 3,500 feet, and is seldom seen within the United States above 5,000 feet; but in the San Pedro Martii' range, in Lower California, Mr. A. W. Anthony has met Avith the Road-runner at an altitude of 7,000 feet above sea level, and at Glorietta, New Mexico, it has recently been reported as breeding at a height of 8,000 feet. The Chaparral Cock is rather unsocial in its habits, and it is rare to see more than a couple together excepting after the breeding season, when the young still follow one of the parents. Its food consists almost entirely of animal matter, such as grasshoppers, beetles, hzards, small snakes, land snails, the smaller rodents, and not unfrequently of young birds. On the whole, these birds do far more good than harm. When the fig-like fruit of the giant cactus is ripe they also feed on this; in fact, many mammals and birds seem to be very partial to it. It is astonishing how large an animal can be swallowed by one of these birds. I have found a species of garter snake fully 20 inches long in the crop of one shot in Arizona. Mr. Anthony writes me on this subject as follows: "A half-grown bird which I shot at San Quentin, Lower California, presented an unusually bunchy appearance about the throat and neck, a fullness which was accounted for upon dissection by the discovery of an immense lizard which had been swallowed entire but a few moments before the bird was shot. I know of several instances of Road-runners naaking a meal of a nest of young House-finches, Carpodacus mexicanus frontalis, and other small birds." I am aware that there is a pretty general belief in localities where the Road- runner is common, and where the rattlesnake is usually more so, that these birds are more than a match for even the largest of these reptiles, and attack and kill them wherever found, an assertion I very much question. It is said when one of these birds, while rambling about, meets a rattlesnake, coiled up and asleep after a good meal, it quietly hedges the reptile in with a ring or fence of the joints of the Gholla cactus, and after having done so, drops a similar joint from above on the sleeping reptile, which, being enraged thereby, thrashes around and soon becomes covered with the sharp spines, and then falls an easy victim to the bu'd, after becoming exhausted in vain attempts to free itself The bird is said to first pick its eyes out and so render it entirely helpless. This is a very plausible story, and while I am only too well aware of the sharpness of the spines of the Gholla ' In a letter received from Mr. A. AV. Anthony, -written on August 5, 1888, and overlooked by me wlien this article was written, he informs me that a Road-runner, accompanied by three young, was seen by a traveling companion of his who linew these birds well, on the line of railroad between Albany and Ashland, Oregon, about 50 miles south of Albany, some time in August, 1887. This extends its range considerably northward. THE EOAD-EUNNBE. 15 cactus, I know that such a hedge proves no barrier to these snaktis, aiid tliat they do not mind such obstructions in the least, passing over without touching them. I consider this story on a par with the generally accepted belief of hunters and fron- tiersmen in the West, that rattlesnakes will not cross over horsehair ropes, when laid around one's bed while camping out. I admit having heard this frequently from persons I had no reason to doubt, that I was a firm believer in the state- ment, and made use of this snake protector for a number of years; but at last my faith was rudely shattered by seeing a medium-sized rattlesnake deliber- ately crawling over such a rope which I had stretched around my tent. The snake paid no attention to the hair rope, but slightly curved its body where about to come in contact with it, gliding over without touching it, and, finding a sunny spot at the side of the tent, coiled up to take a rest, part of its body lying directly on the rope. Since witnessing this performance I have naturally lost faith in this belief, and have wished many times since that it had not been so rudely shaken, especially when in sections of the country where these reptiles are abundant and where one is liable to find his blankets occupied by one or more rattlers. Road-runners are oi'diharily rather shy and suspicious birds, and not as often seen as one would think, even where comparatively common. Within the United States they are most abundant along the southern borders of Texas and Arizona, and in southern California. I found them quite common in the vicinity of my camp on Rillito Creek, near Tucson, Arizona, and also near Anaheim, Orange County, California, and I have examined about twenty of their nests. Notwithstanding their natural shyness, they are inquisitive birds, and where they are not constantly chased and molested will soon become used to man. One of these birds paid frequent visits to my camp, often perching on a mesquite stump for half an hour at a time, within 20 yards of my tent. While so perched it would usually keep up a continuous cooing, not unlike that of the Mourning Dove, varied now and then by a cackle resembling that of a domestic hen when calling her brood's attention to some choice morsel of food. This call sounded like "dack, dack, dack," a number of times repeated. Another peculiar sound was sometimes produced by snapping its mandibles rapidly together. While uttering these notes its long tail was almost constantly in motion and partly expanded, and its short wings slightly drooped. In walking about at ease, the tail is somewhat raised and the neck partly contracted. When suddenly alarmed the feathers of the body are compressed and it trusts almost entii-ely to its legs for escape, running surprisingly fast. While running it can readily keep out of the way of a horse on a fair gallop on comparatively open ground, and should the pursuer gain too much on the bird, it suddenly doubles on its course and takes advantage of any thickets or broken ground in the vicinity, and is soon lost to sight. Its flight is apparently easy and, considering its short wings, is rather swift. In southern Arizona the breeding season begins sometimes as early as the middle of March, but the majority of the birds there, as well as throughout the balance of their range, do not commence nesting before April, and nidifi- 16 LIFE HISTOEIES OF ISTOETH AMEETCAN BIEDS. cation lasts through the summer months, two and occasionally three broods being raised in a season. While the first set of eggs laid by such species as rear more than one brood in a season is usually larger in number than subsequent ones, it seems to me that with the Road-runner the reverse is the case. During the month of April, 1872, I found several nests, none of which contained more than three eggs, all well incubated when found; similar small sets were found during the first half of ]\Iay, while in June and July the sets numbered from four to six eggs, the latter the largest sets observ^ed by me in Arizona. The following explanation may account for this : In southern Arizona, during the spring months, insects and reptiles, which form the bulk of the food of these birds, are rather scarce, while in June, as soon as the rains commence, and later through the summer, suitable food is far more abundant and a larger family can be much more readily cared for, and I am of the opinion that these birds know this and act accordingly. Occasionally a larger number of eggs is found, however, and Lieut. H. C Benson, Fourth Cavalry, United States Army, writes me that he saw a nest of this species, near Fort Huachuca, containing six young birds, all of diiferent sizes, and two eggs; the largest of the young was about ready to leave the nest, and the smallest only a day or two old. Their nesting sites are quite variable. In southern Arizona the m.ajority of nests found by me were placed in low mesquite trees or thick bushes, and in different species of cacti, such as the prickly pear, choUa, and others. Occasion- ally one of their nests is placed on top of a mesquite stump, surrounded by green sprouts, or in a hackberry or barberry bush. I found one nest in a palo verde tree, and another in a willow thicket ; in the latter case the birds did not build their own nest, but appropriated one of the Crissal Thrasher, Barporhyn- clius crissalis. Mr. F. H. Fowler writes me from Fort Bowie that he saw a nest near there, placed in the hollow of a dead stump. In Texas the Eoadrunner sometimes nests in ebony bushes, and in Cali- fornia it has been known to use the nest of the California Jay, Aplielocoma californica, in oak trees, sometimes fully 1 6 feet from the ground. Usually the nests are placed from 3 to 8 feet from the ground, and only in rare instances higher. Sometimes they are found in quite open situations, but generally they are well concealed from view. A typical nest of the Road-runner may be described as a rather flat and shallow but compactly built structure, about 12 inches in diameter and varying in thickness from 4 to 6 inches, with but little depression interiorly. The ground work consists of sticks from 5 to 10 inches long, hned more or less regularly with finer material of the same kind and finished off with dry grasses. Occasionally bits of dry cow or horse dung, a few feathers, the .inner bark of the Cottonwood, dry mesquite- seed pods, bits of snake skin, and small grass roots are used, and now and then no lining is foimd, the eggs lying on a simple platform of twigs. The number of eggs to a set varies in different localities from two to nine, and occasionally as many as twelve have been found in a nest, possibly the THE EOAD-EUNNEE. 17 product of two birds. Sets ranging from four to six eggs are the rule. In large sets several sterile eggs are nearly always found, and I believe that rarely more than five young are hatched at one time. Incubation begins sometimes with the first two eggs laid, especially when the set is to be a large one, and again I have taken apparently full sets of four eggs in which there was no perceptible difference in the size of the embryos. Occasionally an egg is deposited daily, usually only every other day, and sometimes the intervals are still greater. Incubation lasts about eighteen days, and both sexes assist in this labor. The parents are devoted to their young, and when incubation is well advanced the bird will sometimes allow itself to be caught on the nest rather than abandon its eggs. The nestlings, when disturbed, make a clicking noise with their bills. When taken young, they are readily tamed, soon becoming attached to their captor, showing a great deal of sagacity, and making amusing and interesting pets. The eggs of the Road-runner are white in color and unspotted, mostly ovate and short ovate, and rarely elliptical ovate in shape. The shell consists of two layers, the lower one close and fine grained, always pure white, without gloss; the upper, a mere film similar to that covering the ground color of the Anis, but more firm and not so easily scratched or rubbed off. This overlaying film gives these eggs sometimes a very pale yellow tint and a moderately glossy appearance. The average measurement of one hundred and one eggs in the United States National Museum collection is 39.12 by 29.97 millimetres, or 1.54 by 1.18 inches. The largest egg of the series measures 44.45 by 29.97 millimetres, or 1.75 by 1.18 inches; the smallest, 36.07 by 28.19 millimetres, or 1.42 by 1.11 inches. The type specimen. No. 20464 (PI. 1, Fig. 2), from a set of four eggs, Bendire collection, was taken by the writer near Tucson, Arizona, on June 18, 1872, and represents an averaged-sized egg of this species. 5. Coccyzus minor (Gmelin). MANGROVE CUCKOO. Cuculus minor Gmelin, Systema Naturae, I, i, 1788, 411. Coccyzus minor Oabanis, Journal fiir Ornithologie, 1856, 104. (B 71, 292, E 386, 429, U 386.) Gbogkaphical RANGE: The West India Islands, excepting the Bahamas; the coast regions of northern South America from Guiana to Colombia, thence north through Central America on both coasts; on the Pacific, to the Isthmus of Tehuantepec; on the Gulf coast to Tampico, Mexico, and probably still farther north; in the United States to the coast of Louisiana, and in southern Florida, on the west side mainly, north to about latitude 27° 30'. The breeding range of the Mangrove, also known as the "Black-eared" Cuckoo, and on the Island of Jamaica as the "Young Old-man Bird," is, in the United States, as far as known, a very restricted one, being mainly confined 16896— No. 3 2 18 LIFE HISTOEIES OF NOETH AMEEICAN BIEDS. to the Keys, and the west coast of southern Florida, north to about latitude 27°, and to the Gulf coast of Louisiana. In Florida it appears to be rather rare, while in southern Louisiana it is reported as somewhat more common. Audubon first met with this species on Key West and states that its habits are much the same as those of the better known Yellow and Black-billed Cuckoos. It seems to be found only in the immediate vicinity of the coast, among the mangroves, live oaks, and dense shrubbery usually found growing in such localities. Mr. E. A. Mcllhenny writes me: "The Mangrove Cuckoo is not an uncommon summer visitor on the coast of southern Louisiana, where it usually arrives about March 15 and leaves in September. Here it frequents the live-oak timber near streams or swamps, and usually nests on horizontal branches of wax myrtle, from 4 to 12 feet from the ground. "The earliest date on which I have taken a nest was on April 17, 1891; this contained three eggs. On July 27, 1892, I took a set of four eggs, and I believe that two broods are raised in a season. Both of these nests were placed in wax myrtles, and were almost flat and rather poorly constructed platforms, composed of dry twigs of the wax myrtle, no lining, and with barely any depres- sion in the center. I am inclined to believe that the Mangrove Cuckoo is more common now than formerly, and also less shy. It does not begin to incubate until the full set of eggs has been deposited. When disturbed on the nest the female almost always shows fight; that is, she will raise her feathers, spread her tail, and fly at you very much as a hen would when guarding her young, and at the same time she utters a cluckuig sound which resembles that of a domestic hen very closely. Its food consists of locusts, grasshoppers, etc." Audubon states that it is fond of sucking the eggs of all kinds of birds in the absence of their owners, and that it also feeds on fruits and various kinds of insects. There are no fully identified eggs of this species in the United States National Museum taken within our borders, but a number collected by Mr. W. S. March, near Spanish Town, Jamaica, in May, 1862, are unquestionably referable to this Cuckoo. They are pale glaucous green in color, and vary in shape from blunt ovate to nearly a perfect oval. The shell is close grained, rather thin, and without gloss. The egg resembles that of the better known Yellow-billed Cuckoo very closely, but averages a trifle larger. The average measurement of twelve eggs from Jamaica is 30.88 by 23.45 millimetres, or about 1.21 by 0.92 inches. The largest egg measures 32.51 by 24.64 millimetres, or 1.28 by 0.97 inches; the smallest, 29.72 by 21.59 milli- metres, or 1,17 by 0.85 inches. The type specimen. No. 6052 (not figured), from a set of six eggs, was taken by Mr. W. S. March, referred to above, near Spanish Town, Jamaica, in May, 1862. MAYNAED'S CUCKOO. 19 6. Coccyzus minor maynardi Ridgway. MAYNAED'S CUCKOO. Coccyzus maynardi Ridgway, Manual North American Birds, 1887, 274. Coccyzus minor maynardi Allen, Ms. (B 71 part, C 292 part, E 38G part, 429 part, TJ 386a.) Geogeaphical eangb: Bahama Islands and southern Florida; Cuba?. Within the United States the range of Maynard's Cuckoo, a somewhat smaller and paler race than the preceding, and from which it has been separated within the last decade, is a still more restricted one, and it has so far only been found at Key West, where it is rather rare, but it is thought to breed there in hmited numbers. It is likely to occur also in suitable localities at points along the east coast of Florida, north to about latitude 27° and possibly still farther. It is evidently only a summer visitor to our shores, retiring south again in winter. It is said to be common throughout the Bahamas, and Mr. J. S. Northrop, on a recent visit to Andros Island, in the spring of 1890, obtained several specimens of this Cuckoo there and saw others. Their notes were frequently heard by him in the mangroves or near by. The stomachs contained the remains of small insects and grasshoppers. Their general habits, mode of nidification, and eggs doubtless resemble those of the Yellow and Black-billed Cuckoos very closely. There are no positively identified eggs of Maynard's Cuckoo in the United States National Museum collection, but they are not likely to differ any in color or much in size from those of the preceding species. 7. Coccyzus americanus (Linn^tjs). yellow-billed cuckoo. Cuoulus americanus Linn^XJS, Systema Naturae, ed. 10, I, 1758, III. Coccyzus americanus Bonapaei'e, Journal Academy Natural Sciences, Phila., Ill, ii, 1824, 367. (B 69, C 291, E 387, C 429, U 387.) Geogeaphical eange: Eastern if or th America; north in the Dominion of Canada to Nova Scotia, southern New Brunswick, southern Quebec, and Ontario to about latitude 450 30'. In the United States, through southern Maiae, Michigan, Wisconsin, southern Minnesota, and South Dakota; west to Nebraska, Kansas, the Indian Territory, and Texas; south to Florida, the Gulf coast, and the West India Islands ; in winter to eastern Mexico, and Costa Eica, Central America. Casual to eastern Colorado, Wyoming, and North Dakota. Accidental in Greenland, Great Britain, and Belgium. The breeding range of the Yellow-billed Cuckoo, also known as "Rain Crow" or "Rain Dove," "Kow-Kow," "Wood Pigeon," "Indian Hen," and in some of the West India Islands as "May Bird," is coextensive with its geo- graphical distribution in the United States and the southern portions of the 20 LIFE HISTOEIBS OF NOETH AMBEIOAN BIRDS. Dominion of Canada; and it also breeds on a number of the West India Islands, but in the Lower Rio Grrande Valley and in the extreme western parts of Texas it is replaced by the California Cuckoo during this time. It is a moderately common bird in suitable localities throughout the greater part of its range in the United States, excepting along our northern border, but on account of its shy and retiring ways it is much more frequently heard than seen; it is only a summer visitor throughout the greater portions of its range in the United States, excepting Florida and parts of the Gulf coast, where some of these birds are known to winter, but by far the greater number retire still farther sonth to the West India Islands, and others through eastern Mexico, as far as Costa Rica. The Yellow-billed Cuckoo usually amves in the Northern States about the commencement of May, and remains there until the end of September or the early part of October. It is decidedly arboreal in its habits, and is rarely seen on the ground, where, on account of its short and weak feet, its movements are rather awkward; but on the wing it is exceedingly graceful; its flight is noiseless and swift, and it moves or rather glides through the densest foliage with the greatest ease, now flying sidewise, and again twisting and doubling at right angles through the thickest shrubbery almost as easily as if passing through unobstructed space, its long tail assisting it very materially in all its complicated movements. Few of our birds show to better advantage on the wing than the Yellow-billed Cuckoo. It rarely indulges in protracted flights on its breeding grounds, but keeps mostly in the shadiest trees, in dense thickets along water courses, or on small islands, shrubbery bordering country roads, the outskirts of forests, and were it not for its peculiar call notes, which draw attention to its whereabouts at once, it would be much less frequently seen than it usually is, even where fairly common; on the whole, it must be considered as a rather shy, retiring, and suspicious bird. Its call notes are much more varied than is generally supposed, but it is impossible to positively distinguish them from those of its somewhat smaller relative, the Black-billed Cuckoo, which is likewise found throughout a consider- able portion of its range, and it is extremely difficult to indicate these notes on paper. On the whole, I consider those of the Yellow-billed Cuckoo to be the louder of the two, but this is only a matter of opinion, and it is rather difficult to state just what difference exists between them. One of their commonest notes is a low "noo-coo-coo-coo;" another sounds more like "cow-cow-cow" or "kow- kow-kow," several times repeated; others resemble the syllables of "ough, ough, ough," slowly and softly uttered; some remind me of the "kloop-kloop" of the Bittern; occasionally a note something hke the "kiuh-kiuh-kiuh" of the Flicker is also uttered; a low, sharp "tou-wity-whit" and "hweet hwee" is also heard during the nesting season. Though ordinarily not what might be called a social bird, I have sometimes during the mating season seen as many as eight in the same tree, and on such occasions they indulge in quite a number of calls, and if the listener can only keep still long enough he has an excellent oppor- tunity to hear a regular Cuckoo concert. THE YELLOW-BILLED CUCKOO. 21 From an economic point of view there are few birds which do more good than the Yellow-billed Cuckoos, as they live almost entirely on caterpillars, and even the hairy and sharp-spined ones are eaten by them in large numbers. Among the most important ones so destroyed are the cankerworm, the tent caterpillar {Clisiocampa amerlcana), and that of Vanessa antiopa, as well as of numerous other butterflies, grasshoppers, beetles, cicadas, small snails, etc., and different kinds of fruit, as berries, mulberries, grapes, and others. Mr. J. L. Davison, of Lockport, New York, has also observed it catching winged ants, like a Flycatcher. I am aware that this species has been accused of destroying the eggs and even of eating the young of smaller birds, but I am strongly inclined to believe that this accusation is unjust, and in my opinion requires more sub- stantial confirmation. I have never yet had any reason to suspect their robbing smaller birds' nests, and the very fact that they live in apparent harmony with such neighbors, who do not protest against their presence, as they are in the habit of doing should a Blue Jay, Grrackle, or Crow come too close to their nests, seems to confirm this view. I am upheld in this opinion by a number of careful observers whom I have questioned on this important subject. Only two of my correspondents seem to be inclined to believe this charge to be well founded. Mr. William Brewster, of Cambridge, Massachusetts, writing me on this subject, says: "While I have never seen either of our Cuckoos destroy the eggs of other birds, nevertheless I think they do it occasionally. One of my reasons for this belief is that many of our smaller birds. Warblers, Sparrows, etc., show great anxiety whenever the Cuckoos approach their nests, and they pursue and peck at them when they take wing, behaving toward them, in fact, exactly as they do toward the Crows, Jays, and Grrackles, which we know eat eggs whenever they can get a chance. My other reason is that one of my friends once shot a Cuckoo (C. americanus, I think it was) whose bill was smeared all over with the fresh yolk of an egg." Mr. H. P. Attwater, of San Antonio, Texas, although he has not observed it personally either, informs me that in his neighborhood this bird is locally known to the boy collectors as the Egg-sucker, and that some claim to have observed it in the act of stealing eggs. Should an occasional pair of these birds, however, be guilty of such reprehensible conduct, which I am not yet prepared to admit, it by no means follows that it is a common practice. All of our Cuckoos deserve the utmost protection; it is simply astonishing how quickly a pair of these birds will exterminate the thousands of caterpillars infesting orchard and other trees in certain seasons; it makes no difference how hairy and spiny these may be, none are rejected by them, although no other birds will touch them, and the walls of their stomachs are sometimes completely pierced by the sharp, stiletto-like hairs, without injury, and apparently not incommoding these birds in the least. Their benefit to the horticulturist is immense, and he has certainly no better friends among our birds. Although the Yellow-billed Cuckoo generally arrives in our Northern States about the middle of May, and occasionally a week or so earlier, it usually nests 22 LIFE HISTOEIES OF NOETH AMERICAN BIEDS. rather late, and oftener, I believe, in the first week in July than in June. Like most birds, they are more noisy during- mating time than at other seasons, and they are most often heard during damp, cloudy weather or before a storm, and on this account they are often called "Rain Crows," their continuous calls being supposed to presage wet weather. As a rule they are shy and silent, unobtrusive birds, their plain, grayish- brown upper parts, with a faint bronze luster, harmonizing so perfectly with their surroundings that they are readily overlooked in the dense foliage and tangled undergrowth which they usually frequent, and it is no easy matter to study them closely, though occasionally a pair will select its nesting site close to human habitations and even in cities, when they lose their natui-al shyness to some extent. Mr. Mark L. C. Wilde, of Camden, New Jersey, writes me: "On June 22, 1893, while passing the corner of Sixth and Market streets, I was surprised to see a Yellow-billed Cuckoo fly off her nest, which was built on the limb of a maple tree that hung over Market street, on which the electric cars run every ten or fifteen minutes. The nest contained two fresh eggs. There are no woods nor open fields within a mile or so of the tree in which the nest was built, although there are a number of shade trees around the city and plenty of caterpillars for them to feed upon." In the southern portions of their range, including Florida and the Gulf States, nidification begins occasionally early in April, and fresh eggs may be found sometimes in the last two weeks of this month; but the majority of these birds rarely commence laying here before the second week in May. In the District of Columbia a few pairs nest in the latter part of this month, but the greater portion do not before June, and occasionally not before July, while instances of fresh eggs, possibly second layings, have been found in the latter part of August and even in the beginning of September. In the northern por- tions of its range the breeding season is at its height during the latter part of June and the first week of July, and here one brood only is raised, while in the south they sometimes raise two. Mr. O. Widmann, of Old Orchard, Missouri, has kindly sent me the following notes on this species: "The Yellow-billed Cuckoos begin to lay here May 15. If the eggs are taken and none left in the nest, the birds abandon it and build another; but I do not think that two broods are raised in a season. This species begins to arrive here in the last days of April, but to get the earliest dates one must be up at 2 a. m., when their call is heard from time to time. After daybreak they are seldom heard before the first days of May, regularly only after the 5th. I found them very numerous in the St. Francis region the second week in May, where they were among the most conspicuous birds. At that time they seemed to five mostly on a large kind of May or willow fly {Ephemera), which the male bird caught and brought to his mate, who kept quietly perched and apparently awaiting his attentions. He ahghted gracefully on her back and presented complaisantly the choice morsel, which was received with half-turned head and THE YELLOW-BILLED CUCKOO. 23 open bill — the whole a picture of love and devotion pleasant to witness, and not marred by any unesthetic act or motion. One of the favorite foods of the Cuckoo in September is the elderberry, and the last week of this month may be set down as the time for its final departure." The Yellow-billed Cuckoo is one of the poorest nest builders known to me, and undoubtedly the slovenly manner in which it constructs its nest causes the contents of many to be accidentally destroyed, and this probably accounts lo some extent for the many apparent irregularities in their nesting habits. The nests are shallow, frail platforms, composed of small rootlets, sticks, or twigs, few of these being over 4 or 5 inches in length, and among them a few dry leaves and bits of mosses; rags, etc., are occasionally mixed in, and the surface is lined with dry blossoms of the horse-chestnut and other flowering plants, the male aments or catkins of oaks, willows, etc., tufts of grasses, pine and sprucQ needles, and mosses of different kinds. These materials are loosely pla,ced on the top of the little platform, which is frequently so small that the extremities of the bird project on both sides, and there is scarcely any depression to keep the eggs from rolling out even in only a moderate windstorm, unless one of the parents sits on the nest, and it is therefore not a rare occurrence to find broken eggs lying under the trees or bushes in which the nests are placed. Some of these are so slightly built that the eggs can be readily seen through the bottom. An average nest measures about 6 inches in outer diameter by 1 J inches in depth. They are rarely placed over 20 feet from the ground, generally from 4 to 8 feet upon horizontal limbs of oak, beech, gum, dogwood, hawthorn, mulberry, pine, cedar, fir, apple, orange, fig, and other trees. "Thick bushes particularly such as are overrun with wild grape and other vines, as well as hedgerows, especially those of osage orange, are also frequently selected for nesting sites. The nests are ordinarily well concealed by the overhanging- and surrounding foliage, and while usually shy and timid at other times, the Yellow-billed Cuckoo is gen- erally courageous and bold in the defense of its chosen home; the bird on the nest not unfrequently will raise its feathers at right angles from the body and occasionally even fly at the intruder. The number of eggs in a set varies from two to five; sets of three are most common, while those of four are not at all rare. Now and then as many as six and seven have been found in one nest, but it is always more or less questionable if such large sets are the product of the same female. Usually an egg is deposited daily, and as a rule incubation does not commence until the set is completed; but there are also exceptions, and the bird may commence incubation when the first egg is laid, and at the same time continue laying at irregular intervals, varying from two to eight days, so that one will occasionally find birds of different ages and eggs in various stages of incubation in the nest. I must confess that no such instances have come under my own observation, but this fact has been so well established that there can be no question of it. It is also well known that this species will occasionally deposit an egg or two in the nests of the Black-billed Cuckoo, and the latter returns the compliment, and 24 LIFE HISTORIES OF NOETH AMERICAN BIRDS. now and then one of their eggs has been found in the nests of other species, such as the Wood-thrush, Robin, Catbird, Cedar-bird, Black-throated Sparrow, Cardinal, and Mourning Dove. Such instances appear to be much rarer, how- ever, than those in which they interlay with each other, and the majority of these may well be due to accident, their own nest having possibly been capsized, and necessity compelled the bird to deposit its egg elsewhere. Such instances do occur at times with species that can not possibly be charged with parasitic tendencies. There is a set of four eggs of the Meadow Lark (Ralph collection) before me now, taken on May 6, 1892, in Volusia County, Florida, which in addition contained an egg of the Florida Quail; another set of four eggs of the Gray- tailed Cardinal, taken by Mr. H. P. Attwater, near Rockport, Texas, on April 28, 1893, and presented to the collection here, contains also an egg of the Scissor- tailed Flycatcher, and I might cite other instances if I deemed it necessary. It is indisputable, however, that some latent traces of parasitism exist in our Cuckoos, but these are not very frequent and seem to be principally confined among themselves, and are apparently more prevalent among the Black-billed species than the present one. Mr. Robert Ridgway tells me that he found both species nesting in an apple orchard, near Mount Carmel, Illinois, in June, 1864, in adjoining trees, the two nests being not over 10 feet apart. Incubation, I think, lasts about fourteen days, and I believe the female performs the greater portion of this duty. The young when first hatched are repulsive, black, and greasy-looking creatures, nearly naked, and the sprouting quills only add to their general ugliness. If the eggs are handled the bird frequently forsakes the nest, either throwing them out or abandoning them. The eggs are elliptical oval in shape, about equally obtuse at either end ; the shell is close grained, rather thin, and without gloss. The ground color varies from a uniform Nile blue to pale greenish blue when fresh, fading out in time to a pale greenish yellow. They are unspotted, but occasionally one or two eggs in a set present a sort of mottled appearance, the ground varying somewhat on difi"erent parts of the shell. Their color is one of those subtle tints which it is difficult to describe accurately. Many of the eggs resemble in tint some of the lighter-colored Heron's eggs. The average measurement of sixty-six specimens in the United States National Museum collection is 30.28 by 22.94 millimetres, or about 1.19 by 0.90 inches. The largest egg in the series measures 33.53 by 25.40 millimetres, or 1.32 by 1.00 inches; the smallest, 27.94 by 21.34 millimetres, or 1.10 by 0.84 inches. The type specimen. No. 25977 (PI. 5, Fig. 1), from a set of three eggs, was taken by Mr. D. B. Burrows, near Lacon, Marshall County, Illinois, on July 5, 1893, and presents the mottled appearance previously referred to. THE CALIFORNIA CUCKOO. 25 8. Coccyzus americanus occidentalis Ridgway. CALIFORNIA CUCKOO. Coccyzus americanus occidentalis Eidgway, Manual North American Birds, 1887, 273. (B _, C — , E 387 part, 429 part, U 387a.) Geographical range: Western Nortli America; north to the southern portions of British Columbia; east to the Kocky Mountains and southern Texas; south over the table- lands of Mexico ; northern Lower California. The breeding range of the CaHfomia Cuckoo, for which the name "Western Yellow-billed Cuckoo" seems to be more appropriate, is coextensive with its distribution in the United States. As far as yet known it reaches the northern limits of its breeding range about latitude 50° 45', near Kamloops, in British Columbia, and its southern and eastern limits in the lower Rio Grande Valley, in southern Texas. The eastern slopes of the Rocky Mountains appear to form the eastern limits of its range in this direction. Although nowhere common, it seems to be generally distributed over the Pacific Coast States and Territories. Mr. F. Stephens writes me: "I consider the California Cuckoo a rare sum- mer resident of the valleys of southern California. The only instance of its breeding here, that I know of, was in the San Bernardino Valley; I saw the parent fly from the nest, which was in a slender willow growing in a thicket in a moist location. The little tree leaned, but was too strong to admit of my pulling the nest within reach; I therefore attempted to climb to the nest and succeeded in spilling the eggs, which broke on striking the ground. The fragments were pale green. The eggs were fresh and appeared to be two in number. I think the date was the latter part of May, 1882." Mr. Charles A. Allen, of Nicasio, has found this subspecies breeding in the willow thickets along the Sacramento River, California, where it appears to be not uncommon in suitable localities. Dr. Clinton T. Cooke considers it moder- ately common in the vicinity of Salem, Oregon, and Mr. R. H. Lawrence met with it occasionally in the Columbia River Valley, in Clarke County, Washington. It appears to reach the center of its abundance, the lower Rio Grrande Valley, in Texas, about the beginning of April, and sometimes nests there in the latter part of this month, but ordinarily not before May, while in southern Arizona it appears to arrive considerably later. I noticed it first on June 10, 1872, among the willows in the Rillito Creek bottom, and again on the 19th, but failed to find a nest before July 17, but after this date I found several others; two of these as late as August 22. Its general habits, call notes, and food are very similar to those of its somewhat smaller eastern relative, and excepting this difference and its stouter and larger beak, it is otherwise indistinguishable. On the whole, it appears to be more common west of the Sierra Nevada and the Cascade Mountains than in the interior^, where I only met with it on a single occasion, near Old Fort Boise, at Keeneys Ferry, on the Oregon side of Snake River, and here I found a nest of this subspecies on August 2, 1876, containing 26 LIFE HISTOEIES OF NOETH AMERICAN BIRDS. three half-grown young. The nest was placed in a clump of willows, within a few feet of where I was camped, and my attention was first attracted to it by the uneasy manner in which the parents moved through the willows, constantly flitting back and forth, and always with a large black cricket (Anabus simplex or purpuratus) in their bills, on which they seemed to feed their young entirely. They picked most of these repulsive-looking creatm-es from grass stalks and low shrubs on which they were feeding, and although there were numbers of them to be found all around, as well as in camp, they generally went off some little distance to get them. The nestlings, only two or three days old, were ugly-looking creatures, and their bodies were almost naked. The parents soon lost their fear caused by my proximity, and flew back and forth at short inter- vals during the three hours of daylight in which I had an opportunity to observe them. The young uttered occasionally a low, wheezy note, like "ugh, ugh," but on the whole both parents and young were rather silent. This subspecies has also been met with in Utah, and Mr. A. W. Anthony observed a Cuckoo which is unquestionably referable to this subspecies near Ensenada, Lower California. If the California Cuckoo showed the same parasitic habit of occasionally depositing one or more of its eggs in the nests of other birds, as its eastern relatives are now and then known to do, I believe that I should have observed the fact in southern Arizona. Here I found eight of their nests with eggs, and fully five hundred nests of smaller birds, which nested in similar localities among the willow thickets and mesquite bushes, overrun with vines, in the creek bottoms, but not a single instance of parasitism came under my observation. The California Cuckoo built its own nest in every case, and while it generally was a loose, slovenly affair, without any pretence to architectural beauty, I think on the whole it compared favorably with the nests of our two better-known eastern species; some at least were fairly well lined with dry grasses and the blossoms of a species oi ,JEvax, and there was generally a slight depression in the center of the nest for the eggs to rest in. I took my first set, containing two fresh eggs, on July 17, 1872; on the 25th of this month I found another set of four eggs in which incubation had slightly and uniformly begun. On July 27 1 secured two more sets, one of four, the other of three eggs, both fresh; and I did not find any more until August 21, when I took a set of three, one of which contained a large embryo, another one somewhat less advanced, and the remaining egg was addled. Next day I found two more nests, one containing a set of three, in which incubation had commenced evenly, the other held two fresh eggs, and on August 24 I found the last nest, which contained a single fresh egg, to which no others were added. Two of these nests contained incomplete sets when found, and an egg was added in each case on succeeding days. As a rule, incubation does not begin until the set is completed, and an egg is deposited daily. Both sexes assist in incubation and in the care of the young. I believe only one brood is raised in southern Arizona in a season. The nests here were placed in willow or mesquite thickets, from 10 to 15 feet from the ground, and they were usually fairly well concealed by the surround- ing foliage. THE OALIiPOENIA CUCKOO. 27 The eggs of the California Cuckoo are usually three or four in number. They are light greenish blue in color, unspotted, and in time this unstable tint fades to a uniform pale yellowish green. They are mostly elliptical oval in shape; a few maybe called elliptical ovate, one end being slightly more pointed than the other. The shell is fine grained, rather thin, and without gloss. The eggs average a trifle larger than those of the Yellow-billed Cuckoo. The average measurement of forty -three specimens in the United States National Museum collection is 30.85 by 23.16 millimetres, or about 1.21 by 0.91 inches. The largest of these eggs measures 33.53 by 24.38 millimetres, or 1.32 by 0.96 inches; the smallest, 27.43 by 21.08 milhmetres, or 1.08 by 0.83 inches. The type specimen, No. 20470 (PL 5, Fig. 2 ), Bendire collection, from a set of four eggs, was taken by the writer on Rillito Creek, near Tucson, Arizona, on July 27, 1&72. This is one of the largest eggs in the series, and is slightly faded, fresh eggs looking somewhat brighter. 9. Coccyzus erythrophthalmus (Wilson). BLACK-BILLED CUCKOO. Guculus erythrophthalmus Wilson, American Ornithology, IV, 1811, 16, PI. 28. Coccyzus erythrophthalmus Bonaparte, Journal Academy Natural Sciences, Phila., Ill, ii, 1824, 367. (B 70, 290, R 388, C 428, U 388.) Geographical range: Eastern North. America; north in the Dominion of Canada to Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, southern Quebec, and Ontario, to about latitude 47°, and in the provinces of Manitoba and eastern Assiniboia to about latitude 51°; west in the United States to the eastern foothills of the Rocky Mountains, Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, and Texas; south, in winter, to the West India Islands, Central America, and northern South America. Accidental in Great Britain and Italy. The Black-billed Cuckoo, a slightly smaller bird than the Yellow-billed, is likewise known by the different local names of the latter, and is often mistaken for it. It appears to be somewhat hardier, extending its migrations- several degrees farther north, and it breeds throughout its range from about latitude 35° northward. ' Occasionally it has been reported as breeding still farther south, but below the latitude named it must be considered as an irregular and rare sum- mer resident. In eastern North America it reaches the northern limits of its range in about latitude 47°, while in the interior, in the provinces of Manitoba and eastern Assiniboia, it has been found as far north as latitude 51°, and it ranges probably still farther in this direction. The eastern slopes of the Rocky Mountains appear to form the western limits of its habitat. Here it has been obtained at Pryor's Fork of the Yellowstone, Montana, and I found it breeding on the Little Horn River, near Fort Custer, on June 25, 1885. Mr. W. G. Smith has observed it in Larimer County, Colorado, where he believes it breeds, but it is rare. It is a fairly common species in suitable localities throughout the greater part of its range, and in the more northern portions it outnumbers the Yellow- 28 LIFE HISTOEIES OF NOETH AMERICAN BIEDS. billed Cuckoo considerably. In winter it occurs to some extent in Florida and along the Grulf coast, but by far the greater number pass beyond our borders to the West India Islands, and even through Mexico and Central America to northern South America. It usually reenters the United States from its winter haunts in the South during the first half of April, arriving on its more northern breeding grounds generally about a week earlier than the Yellow-billed Cuckoo. The return migration in the fall ordinarily begins in the latter part of September, while a few of these birds linger sometimes well in October and occasionally even until early November. Its general habits, plumage, manner of flight, food, and many of its call notes are very similar to those of the Yellow-billed species, and it is rather difficult to distinguish one from the other unless very close to them. Like the species referred to, it is eminently beneficial, and deserves the fullest protection. They frequent the same kind of localities, and are especially partial to the shrubbery along water courses, lakes, ponds, hillsides bordering wet meadows, overgrown here and there with clumps of bushes, and the outer edges of low- lying forests, while they are far less often observed in high and dry situations any distance away from water. On the whole, its call notes appear not to be quite so loud as the Yellow-billed Cuckoo's, and rather more pleasing to the ear. Their ordinary note is a soft "c66-c66," a number of times repeated. Mrs. Olive Thome Miller, well known as an enthusiastic and painstaking observer, describes their alarm note as "cuck-a-rack," and gives a very full and interesting account of the actions of a pair of these birds in her charmingly- written "Little Broth- ers of the Air." From personal observations, I am inclined to believe that the Black-billed Cuckoo is more irregular in its nesting habits than the Yellow-billed, and that cases of parasitism are of more frequent occurrence. I also think their eggs are much oftener found in different stages of incubation than appears to be the case with the Yellow-biUed species. Mr. J. L. Davison, of Lockport, New York, well known as a careful and reliable ornithologist, in his list of birds of Niagara County, New York, origi- nally published in "Forest and Stream," September, 1889, makes the following remarks about this Cuckoo : "I have often found the eggs of this species in the nest of C-. americanus, but only once have I faund it in the nest of any other bird, June 17, 1882, I found a Black-billed Cuckoo and a Mourning Dove sitting on a Robin's nest together. The Cuckoo was the first to leave the nest. On securing this I found it contained two eggs of the Cuckoo, two of the Mourning Dove, and one Robin's egg. The Robin had not quite finished the nest when the Cuckoo took posses- sion of it and filled it nearly full of rootlets ; but the Robin got in and laid one egg. Incubation had commenced in the Robin and Cuckoo eggs, but not in the Mourning Dove's eggs. I have the nest and eggs in my collection. * * * "I am also quite certain that I have seen the Black-billed and Yellow-billed Cuckoo feeding young in the same nest, an account of which was published in 'Forest and Stream' Since then I have found a number of nests containing THE BLACK-BILLED CUCKOO. 29 the eggs of both species, and have come to the conclusion that I was not mis- taken in that observation. On September 10, 1883, 1 found a nest of the Black- billed Cuckoo containing two young birds not more than one day out of the shell; the two previous nights we had severe frosts that destroyed vegetables." While instances of the Black-billed Cuckoo laying in the nests of the Yellow-billed are not especially rare, cases where it lays its eggs in those of other species, especially smaller ones than itself, are decidedly uncommon. I have never seen a case of this kind, but, nevertheless, several well-authenticated instances have been recorded which leave no room for doubt; of these I will only quote one, published by Dr. C. K. Clarke, of Kingston, Ontaiio, Canada, who says: "In an orchard we discovered a Black-billed Cuckoo sitting in a Chipping Sparrow's nest, and the bird did not attempt to move till we almost touched it. It now seemed very evident that the case against the bird was a strong one, and when a Cuckoo's egg was found in the nest the chain of evi- dence was complete. The egg was hatched and produced a tyrannical young Cuckoo, who turned his companions out of the nest and made himself as com- fortable as possible as long as was necessary. Two of us saw the old Cuckoo actually sitting in the nest, and there was no doubt about the matter. We have been informed that the erratic nesting of the Cuckoo has been repeated in the same orchard since the occasion referred to, but of this we have no accurate information."^ Its eggs have been found in the nests of the Wood Pewee, Yellow Warbler, Catbird, and others. Nidification commences rather late, rarely before the middle of May; full sets of eggs are sometimes found about the end of this month, but much more frequently during June and July. Occasionally a set is met with in the latter part of August, probably a second clutch. The earliest nesting record I know is one of May 7, 1878, where Mr. Robert Ridgway found a set of these eggs near Mount Carmel, Illinois; these are now in the United States National Museum collection. Ordinarily an egg is deposited daily until the set is completed, but not unfrequently they are laid at considerably longer intervals, and it is well known that young of different ages, as well as eggs in various stages of incubation, are sometimes found in the same nest. The nests of the Black-billed Cuckoo appear to be slightly better built than those of the Yellow-billed species; the platform is usually constructed of finer twigs, the soft inner bark of cedar, fine rootlets, weed stems, etc., and there is generally more lining. This consists of the aments of oak, white and black ash, and^maple, willow catkins, and the flowers of the cudweed or everlasting (Gnaphalium), dried leaves, and similar materials. The majority of the nests are placed in rather low situations, mostly not over 6 feet from the ground, on horizontal limbs of bushy evergreens, pines, cedars, and hemlocks, or in decid- uous trees and shrubs, such as the box elder, chestnut, thora apple, and beech trees; also in hedges, briar and kalmia patches, occasionally on old logs, and now and then even on the ground. Dr. P. L. Hatch reports such instances in ' Transactions of the Canadian Institute, Oct., 1890, Vol. I, Part I, pp. 48-60. 30 LIFE HISTOEIBS OF NOETH AMBEIOAS BIEDS. his "Birds of Minnesota," 1892 (p. 222). There is but little difference in the size of their nests from those of the Yellow-billed Cuckoo, and the same meas- urements will answer for both. The Black-billed Cuckoo is apt to desert its nest if it knows it has been discovered. Judge J. N. Clark, of Say brook, Connecticut, writes me: "Of all the Cuckoos' nests which I have found, before the set was complete, if the bird was at the nest, and one generally is, the next visit would always find the nest deserted and one or more of the eggs gone; at least such has been my frequent experience." On the data sheet of a set of three eggs of this species in the Ralph collection, taken on May 29, 1879, by Mr. W. W. Worthington, on Shelter Island, Suffolk County, New York, I find the foUowing entry in the collector's handwriting: "On visiting this nest first it contained two eggs; the following day it was empty. I then left it one day, and on the next visit it contained three eggs. I have carefully examined these eggs, and they certainly look as if they had all been laid by the same bird." I had a somewhat similar experience with the only nest of this species I found near Fort Custer, Montana, on June 22, 1885. This was placed in a bull or buffalo berry bush (^ShepJierdia argentea) close to the banks of the Little Horn River, about 4 feet from the ground. I noticed the bird slipping off as I approached, and on looking into the bush and separating the branches I found the nest and saw that it contained only a single egg, which appeared to be very peculiarly marked. I did not touch this, and left the vicinity at once. On revisiting the place again on the 24th, I found the nest empty and no trace of the egg on the ground below the nest. I was much provoked at not having taken the egg when I first found the nest, as it was a very deeply colored one, and after making a thorough search through the thickets on that side of the river, I gave it up for that day, but returned again on the 25th and examined a patch of wild rose bushes about 100 yards from the old site and on the opposite bank. Almost as soon as I entered this thicket I saw a Cuckoo flying up into a willow sapling and acting in a very excited manner; a few minutes later I found a nest, containing, to the best of my belief, the identical egg I had seen in the first one. The second nest was evidently built in a hurry, and consisted simply of a very slight platform of dry twigs, with scarcely any lining whatever. It was placed 3 feet from the ground, in a dense clump of wild rose bushes, and was well concealed from view. To make sure, this time I took the single egg, which is the most peculiarly colored one I have yet seen of this species, and is reproduced on PL 5, Fig. 3. Although not what might be called a very social bird at any time, occasionally in some particularly suitable place a number of pairs may be found nesting close together. Mr. H. W. Flint, of New Haven, Connecticut, writes me: "I know of one spot in this vicinity where the Black-billed Cuckoo might almost be said to breed in colonies — a sloping hillside near a traveled road. Here I have found seven nests of this species within an hour, none of them placed over 3 feet from the ground. I have also frequently found their nest on THE BLACK-BILLED CUCKOO. 31 a fallen limb, the top of which was resting upon underbrush. As an exception to their low nesting, I once found a nest containing two well-feathered young and two fresh eggs over 18 feet from the ground, placed in the top of a cedar tree, in a dense thicket of other cedars." Both sexes assist in incubation as well as in the care of the young; they appear to be devoted parents, and the fact that they are occasionally willing to abandon their young to the mercy of foster parents appears rather unaccount- able, to say the least, especially when it is positively known that they occasionally remove their eggs, as well as the young, from one nest to another in order to better protect them from possible harm. In my opinion, the real causes for the so utterly inconsistent behavior on the part of some of these birds are not yet fully understood. The number of eggs laid to a set varies from two to seven; sets of three or four are most common, and those of over five are rare. Dr. Louis B. Bishop found a set of seven eggs of this species near New Haven, Connecticut, on June 7, 1893, in which three eggs were fresh, in two incubation had just begun, in another it was somewhat more advanced, and in one egg the embryo was well formed. There is frequently considerable difference in size among the eggs found in the same set, although apparently laid by the same bird. In a set of three eggs, for instance. No. 26019, United States National Museum collection, taken by Mr. Thad. Surber, near White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia, on June 3, 1893, the measurements are as follows: 26.92 by 20.07, 24.89 by 19.81, and 22.35 by 18.54 millimetres, or 1.06 by 0.79, 0.98 by 0.78, and 0.88 by 0.73 inches; the difference is, of course, not always so great, but is often quite perceptible. The eggs of the Black-billed Cuckoo are more nearly oval than elliptical oval, and shorter and rounder than those of the Yellow-billed Cuckoo, and much more deeply colored. Like these, they are unspotted; the shell is thin and fine grained, with little or no gloss. Their color is difficult to describe exactly, varying from nile blue to pale beryl green, and occasionally the shell shows a decidedly marbled appearance, caused by different shades running into each other, an illustration of which is shown in PL 5, Fig. 3. Aside from their deeper color, they are also readily distinguished from the eggs of the Yellow- billed Cuckoo by their smaller size. The average measurement of forty-two specimens in the United States National Museum collection is 27.23 by 20.53 millimetres, or about 1.07 by 0.81 inches. The largest egg of the series measm-es 29.97 by 22.86 millimetres, or 1.18 by 90 inches; the smallest, 22.35 by 18.54 millimetres, or 0.88 by 0.73 inch. The type specimen, No. 22444 (PI. 5, Fig. 3), a single egg, Bendire collec- tion, was taken by the writer near Fort Custer, Montana, on June 25, 1885, and is a very peculiarly colored specimen, while No. 26019 (PI. 5, Fig. 4), from a set of three eggs, and taken by Mr. Thad. Surber, on June 3, 1893, near White Sulphur Springs, West Vkginia, represents about an average egg of this species. 32 LIFE HISTOEIES OF NOETH AMEEICAN BIEDS. 10. Cuculus canorus telephonus (Heine). SIBERIAN CUCKOO. Cuculus telephonus Heine, Journal fiir Oruithologie, 1863, 352. Cuculus canorus telephonus Stejnegee, Bulletin 29, U. S. National Museum, 1885, p. 224. (B — , E — , C — , TJ [388.1.]) GrEOGBAPHiCAL KANGE : Eastern Asia, casually to the Pribilof Islands, Alaska. The Siberian Cuckoo claims a place in our fauna on the strength of a single specimen having been taken by Mr. William Palmer at Northeast Point, St. Paul's Island, Alaska, on July 4, 1890, which is now in the United States National Museum collection. Mr. Palmer states "when collected it was busily engaged capturing some large flies which are abundant on these islands, and with which its stomach was Kterally packed. It had been seen by the natives in the same place for more than two weeks, and was probably the same individual seen by myself on June 13, when becalmed in a fog off the eastern side of the same island, on which occasion it circled overhead like a gull for some time, while calmly inspecting the boat, and then moved off northward."^ As far as I can learn, nothing definite has as yet been ascertained regarding its nesting habits and eggs. They undoubtedly correspond closely to those of its well-known western relative, the common European Cuckoo, Cuculus canorus, and Dr. Stejneger tells me that in its general habits and call notes he could not detect the slightest difference from those of the latter. At his suggestion, I have substituted the name of "Siberian" for " Kamschatkan " Cuckoo, which is more applicable to the bird described by him as Cuculus peninsulce, from Kamschatka. Family TROGONID^. Teogons. II. Trogon ambiguus Gould. COPPEEY-TAILED TEOGON. Trogon ambiguus Gould, Proceedings Zoological Society, 1835, 30. (B 65, 284, E 384, 422, U 389.) Geogeaphical range: Southern Mexico from Oaxaca and Guerrero, north to the valley of the lower Eio Grande, in Texas, and the mountains of southwestern New Mexico, and southern Arizona. The Coppery-tailed Trogon, the only representative of this magnificently plumaged family in the United States, must be considered as a rather rare summer resident within our borders, and very little is yet known about its general habits. There is no longer any doubt, however, that it breeds in some of the mountain ranges of southern Arizona, and probably also in the San Luis Mountains, in the extreme southwestern comer of New Mexico. First Lieut. ' The Auk, Vol. XI, 1894, p. 325. THE OOPPEEY-TAILED TEOGON. 33 H. C. Benson, Fourth Cavalry, United States Army, secured a young- male in its first plumage iu the Huachuca fountains, Arizona, on August 24, 1885, and an adult female was shot in the same vicinity by Mr. F. H. Fowler in the first part of August, 1892. Another adult female, which evidently had a nest close by, was obtained by Dr. Edgar A. Mearns, United States Army, on June 23, 1892, on the east side of the San Luis Mountains, close to the Mexican boundary line. The long tail feathers in this specimen are much worn and abraded, and look as if the bird had passed considerable time in very limited quarters. Its mate was also seen, but not secured. Judging from the character of the country this species inhabits in southern Arizona, that is pine forest regions, it is probably only a straggler in the lower Rio Grande Valley in Texas, and does not breed there. Dr. A. K. Fisher has kindly furnished me with the following notes on this species: " Soon after arriving at Fort Huachuca, Arizona, I learned that the Trogon" was not uncommon among the pines in the neighboring mount ains. A reliable young man informed me that he had killed three during the previous season (1891), and a rancher who raises fruit in Ramsay Canyon stated that the species visited the gardens in considerable numbers, especially during the period when cherries were ripe. He had noticed the first arrival on May 17. " On June 9, in company with Capt. J. L. Fowler and his son Frederick, I made a trip toward the head of Tanner or Garden Canyon, as it is more com- moidy designated in the vicinity. While riding up the shady trail among the pines a beautiful m.ale Trogon flew across the path and alighted among the trees on the opposite side of the narrow canyon. It was impossible to follow it and to pass through the thick underbrush and loose rocks without making con- siderable noise, which startled the bird, and it was finally lost among the thick foliage. Higher uj) in the mountains we heard its peculiar note, which was uttered at regular intervals, and closely resembled that of a hen Turkey. Later in the afternoon, on the way down, another was heard, and by carefully approaching along the hillside a male was discovered sitting on the lower limb of a pine. It sat straight upright, with the tail hanging perpendicular to the body, and while uttering its note the head was thrown backward and the bill extended nearly upward. After watching the bird for a few moments it was secured. The testes were well developed. The stomach contained a few smooth caterpillars." The general habits of the Coppery-tailed Trogon probably do not differ much from those of other members of this family about which a little more is known. According to Gould, who published a magnificent monograph of this family, "Trogons are usually found singly or in pairs, and keep mostly in the shade of forest trees, perching on the lower limbs of these. During the breeding season they are continually calling to each other, and are called ' Viadas ' (Widows) by the Mexicans; they are easily located on this account and are not particularly shy. Their food consists of fruit, grasshoppers, and other insects, and in their actions while catching the latter they are said to resemble a Fly- catcher, starting and returning from a perch like these birds, and often sitting 16896-No. 3 3 34 LIFE HISTORIES OP NORTH AMEBIC AI^ BIRDS. for hours in the same place. They are often met among flocks of other birds, such as Flycatchers, Tanagers, Creepers, and Woodpeckers." ^ All of the Trogons, whose mode of nidification is known, resort to natural cavities in trees or to some of the larger woodpecker holes, the eggs being depos- ited in the bottom of the hole, on the rubbish or chips which may be found in it. These are said to vary from two to four, more likely the former number. As far as known, they are unspotted; the egg of the handsome Quezal (Pharmocrus mocinno) is described as of a pale bluish-green color; that of the Mexican Trogon (Trogon mcxicanus) is said to be very pale greenish, while the eggs of Trogon surucua from Paraguay are said to be pure white. I have seen eggs purporting to belong to this species; but their large size, as well as the source from which they came, do not warrant me in giving measurements or a description of these specimens, and as far as I know genuine eggs of the Coppery-tailed Trogon still remain to be described. Family ALCEDINID^. Kingpishees. 12. Ceryle alcyon (Linnaeus). BELTED KINGFISHER. Alcedo alcyon Linnaeus, Systema Naturae, ed., 10, 1, 1758, 115. Ceryle ilcyon Bonaparte, Proceedings Zoological Society, 1837, 108. (B 117, 286, E 382, 423, U 390.) Geographical range: North America generally; south to Panama and the West Indies. The Belted Kingfisher, ordinarily simply called "Kingfisher," is one of our best-known birds, and it is generally distributed in suitable localities throughout the North American Continent, though seldom very common anywhere. Its breeding range extends from Florida and Texas north to the shores of Labrador, Hudson Bay, the Arctic Ocean, and Bering Sea. In the more northern parts of its range it is only a summer resident, but not a few winter in some of the New England and other Northern States, as well as in Oregon and Washington, on the Pacific coast. These birds which brave the severe winter climate along our northern border are probably migrants from the far North, and better adapted to withstand the cold, the only requisite being sufficient open water to enable them to obtain their necessary supply of food. In the mountain regions of Colorado, Wyoming, and Montana they range to an altitude of 9,000 feet in summer, and perhaps still higher, while in the southern Sierra Nevada they reach nearly the same elevations. Ill its general appearance the Kingfisher is a striking but rather top-heavy looking bird; its satin-like plumage feels dense and smooth to the touch, as if it was oiled, while its soft, weak feet look out of all proportion to its rather large 'Monograph of the Trogonidie, 2d ed., 1875, PI, VIII, not paged. THE BELTED KINGFISHEE. 35 head and body. They seem almost inadequate to support its weight, and cer- tainly do not appear to be much adapted to walking, an exercise which I have never seen one indulge in. In its disposition it must be classed among the unsocial and quarrelsome birds, and, excepting during the mating and breeding season, it is rare to see two together. As in everything else, however, there appear to be exceptions to this rule, as Mr. W. E. Loucks, of Peoria, Illinois, writes me: "Along the Cedar River, in Iowa, I found these birds in great numbers. A large clay bank along the river resembled a honeycomb, so numerous were the holes made by these birds. This is the only case that I know of where Kingfishers have been found breeding in close proximity." As a rule each pair of birds seem to claim a certain range on some suitable stream, lake, or mill pond, and should others intrude on this they are quickly driven off. Clear streams or ponds, bordered with perjDeiidicular banks and low, brush-covered shores, are their favorite resorts, and along such places one will not have to go far before hearing the characteristic rattle of the Kingfisher, or perhaps seeing one perched on a partly submerged snag or rock, on a pile of driftwood near the shore, or on some small branch directly overhanging the water. Every bird seems to have several favorite perches along its range, each perhaps quite a distance away from the next, to which it flies from time to time, generally uttering its well-known shrill rattle in doing so. It is a sedentary bird, but ever watchful and rather shy, sitting frequently for an hour at a time in the same position, occasionally moving its head back and forward, Avatching for its prey as a cat does for a mouse. In such a posture the Kingfisher is one of the most charming features of brook and pool. Should an unfortunate fish come within sight at such times, our lone fisher is at once alert enough, craning its neck and looking into the water, until the proper moment aiTives for it to plunge downward, head first, completely disappearing out of sight, and usually emerging with a wriggling captive firmly grasped in its bill, for it rarely misses its victim. It generally rises some feet into the air before dashing perpendicularly into the water. While diiferent kinds of small fish undoubtedly constitute a large part of the Kingfisher's food where readily procurable, various species of Crustacea, as well as insects, such as coleoptera, grasshoppers, and the large black crickets found in many of our Western States, are also eaten to a greater or less extent, accord- ing to circumstances; frogs and lizards are also acceptable prey. In southern Arizona, for instance, where running streams are few, I have found Kingfishers breeding in localities where fish must have formed but a very small percentage of their daily fare; there they hved principally on lizards, beetles, and large grasshoppers. I have more than once seen one of these birds perched on some twig overhanging a dry, sandy river bed, where no water was to be found within several miles, on the watch for the kind of food procurable in such localities. Mr. W. E. Loucks writes me that he has found nests of these birds in the banks of dried-up streams, miles from any water containing fish, and says that 36 LIFE HISTOEIBS OP NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. he does not know upon what the parents fed their young. In fact, even in places where they can readily live on fish, they do not appear to confine them- selves to such an exclusive diet. While stationed at Fort Klamath, Oregon, I placed a small steel trap on top of a post standing some 10 yards from the banks of Fort Creek, a clear mountain stream abounding in fish, for the purpose of catching a Screech Owl I often heard calling in the vicinity and was anxious to obtain, but was not able to see to shoot on account of the dense fir trees it frequented. I finally concluded to try trapping it. Twice I baited the trap with mice, and once with a small bird, and on the next morning I found a Kingfisher caught by the neck; it had evidently plunged down on the bait to carry it off. The post in question had, as far as I know, never been used as a perch or lookout by the Kingfishers, as it was too far from the creek. Judging from these occur- rences, I believe that not a few mice, and possibly small birds also, are caught by them during their nocturnal rambles, and they are certainly fully as active throughout the night as in the daytime. In favorite spots where fish are plenty, and where there is no suitable place for a perch, they sometimes remain poised over such localities for a minute or more, hovering in the air some 6 feet or more over the water, as does the Sparrow Hawk when searching for grasshoppers and mice in a meadow. When a fish is caught it is at once carried in the bill to the nearest perch or rock, against which it is beaten until dead, and is then swallowed head first. The indigestible parts, such as bones and scales, are afterwards ejected in oblong pellets, which can be seen lying around in their burrows or about their favorite perches. By far the larger number of fish caught by the Kingfisher consist of species not considered worth much as food fishes, and they rarely average over 3 inches in length. Occasionally, however, a larger one is mastered by one of these birds. Mr. Manly Hardy, of Brewer, Maine, writes me: " I shot a Kingfisher last spring which had swallowed a pickerel considerably longer than the bird from the end of the bill to the tip of the tail, the tail of the fish protruding from the throat, while the head was partly doubled back, causing a large protuberance near the vent." In stormy weather, when the water becomes rough or muddy, these birds sufi"er greatly and sometimes almost perish from want of food, and then occa- sionally resort to eating vegetable matter to sustain life. Dr. Elliott Coues has published the following observations on this subject, communicated by Mrs. Mary Treat, Green Cove Spring, Florida: "A Kingfisher whose feeding ground is just in front of my windows fishes from a private wharf, where he is seldom disturbed, and has become so tame that he pursues his avocations without con- cern, though I may be standing within a few feet of him. * * * Wlien the water is so rough that it is diflicult for him to procure fish, instead of seeking some sequestered pool he remains at his usual post, occasionally making an ineff"ectual eff"ort to secure his customary prey, until, nearly starved, he resorts to a sour-gum tree (Nyssa aquatica L.) in the vicinity, and greedily devours the berries. Returning to his post, he soon ejects a pellet of the large seeds and TITE BELTED KINGFISHER. 37 skins of the fruit. I have saved some of these pellets as well as those composed of fish bones and scales." ^ The first mij^rants to return from their winter quarters appear in the Middle States generall)' about the second week in March, and sometimes a week or so later, according to the season, and in higher latitudes considerably later and not until after the ice commences to break up. In our Southern States uidification commences usually in April ; in the Northern ones, rarely before the first week in May, and in arctic North America and northern Alaska, seldom earlier than the latter half of June. Mr. Charles H. Townsend, of the United States Fish Com- mission, in 1885 found these birds common and breeding on the shores of the Kowack River, near Kotzebuo Sound, Alaska, and within the Arctic Circle, the most northern breeding record known to me. The return migration from their breeding grounds in our Northern States sometimes begins about the latter part of September, and in mild falls not before the middle of October, and occa- sionally still later, they remaining until the streams become covered with ice. The favorite nesting sites of the Kingfisher are perpendicular clay or rea- sonably compact sand banks, occasionally mixed more or less with gravel ; also railroad cuts. These banks or bluffs usually abut directly on water. A nearly circular burrow or tunnel is dug into these, averaging about 4 inches in diameter. They are excavated by the birds; the entrance hole is usually from 2 to 3 feet below the top of the bank, but sometimes fully 20 feet from the top. The bur- rows vary in length from 4 to 15 feet, according to the nature of the soil, and sometimes run in perfectly straight for the entire distance ; again they diverge at different angles, at various distances from the entrance. The nesting cham- ber is dome-shaped, usually from 8 to 10 inches in diameter, and always at a slightly higher level than the entrance hole. The time required to dig out a burrow depends largely on the nature of the soil to be removed, taking some- times two or three weeks, but generally much less. I have personally seen an instance where a pair of these birds excavated a new burrow in a rather friable clay bank near Fort Lapwai, Idaho, to a depth of 5 feet (estimated measure- ment) in a little over three days. How they manage to dig so rapidly, consid- ering their short and weak-looking feet, with which they must remove the greater part of the material, has always been a mystery to me, and I would not believe them capable of accomplishing such an amount of work had I not seen it done. When not disturbed the same nesting site is resorted to from year to year. Some- times the male burrows an additional hole near the occupied nesting site, usually not over 3 feet deep, to which it retires to feed and to pass the night. Dr. William L. Ralph informs me that he has found them occupying the old burrows of Rough-winged Swallows, Stelgldopteryx serripennis. Dr. A. K. Fisher has kindly furnished me the following notes on the nesting habits of this species as observed by him: "On June 6, 1882, the writer found two nests of the Kingfisher in the side of a railroad cut near Croton Lake, Westchester County, New York. The burrows were placed in a bank not over ' Bulletin Nuttall Ornithological Club, Vol. Ill, 1878, p. 92. 38 LIFE HISTORIES OF NOETH AMERICAI>r BIRDS. 7 feet above the roadbed and within 18 inches of the top. That of the first one ran in about 7 feet and turned to the right as it entered the nesting chamber. The seven fresh eggs were placed in a nest of coarse grass, which, although rather scanty, covered the floor of the cavity on all sides. The burrow of the second one extended in about 4J feet, and, like the other previously mentioned, turned toward the right as the expanded nesting cavity was reached. The nest, which was quite elaborate, was composed wholly of fish scales and bones, arranged in a compact, saucer-shaped mass. The writer made a tunnel from the top of the bank so as to intercept the burrow as it entered the nesting cavity. Viewed through this hole, the nest was a beautiful afi"air. The scales, which looked as if made of frosted silver, formed a delicate setting for the six pure-white eggs lying in the center, and by the projected light made a most effective picture. On two occasions, near Sing Sing, New York, the writer found the Kingfisher and Rough-winged Swallow using burrows having a common entrance. It is probable in each case that the swallow liad commenced its diverging bmTow after the larger bird completed its work." The number of eggs varies usually from five to eight, and sets of six or seven are most often found. Instances, however, have been recorded where as many as fourteen eggs have been found at one time, and Mr. Charles A. Strawn, of Cerro Gordo, Arkansas, informed Mr. Robert Ridgway, under date of March 22, 1890, that he had taken eleven young Kingfishers out of a burrow on Dog River, Douglas County, Greorgia. How the female managed to cover this* number of eggs and hatch them all is certainly surprising. If the first set of eggs is taken, the birds abandon the burrow and excavate a second one near by, and frequently within a few feet of the first one, and lay a second set, consisting rarely of more than six eggs. Only a single brood is raised in a season. In a newly excavated nest the eggs are usually laid on the bare ground, while in such as have been occupied in previous seasons the eggs are frequently found deposited on quite a thick layer of fish bones, scales, crawfish shells, and Aving covers of beetles remaining from former years, but which can not be considered as part of the nest. The male does not assist in incubation, but supplies its mate with food while so engaged, and she rarely leaves the nest after the first egg has been laid; at any rate I have invariably found the bird at home if there were any eggs in the nest. Incubation lasts about sixteen days. The young when first hatched are blind, perfectly naked, helpless, and, in a word, very unprepossessing. Thev scarcely look like birds while crawling about in the nest, where they remain several weeks, their growth being very slow. The excrement of the young is promptly removed and the burrow is kept rather clean. They utter a low, pufiing sound when disturbed, and frequently vary considerably in size, as if incubation, in some instances at least, began with the first egg laid. The young, even after they have left the nest for some time, require the attendance of their parents before they are able to secure subsistence for themselves. The eggs of the Kingfisher are pure white in color; the shell is strong, fine grained, smooth, and rather glossy, especially so in fresh eggs ; in strongly incu- THE BELTED KINGFISHER. 39 bated ones this gloss is less noticeable. They are generally sliort ovato and sometimes rounded ovate in shape. The average measurement of eighty-seven eggs in the United States National Museum collection is 34.04 by 26.67 millimetres, or 1.34 by 1.05 inches. The largest egg of the series measures 37.08 by 27.94 millimetres, or 1.46 by 1.10 inches; the smallest, 30.78 by 26.42 millimetres, or 1.21 by 1.04 inches. The type specimen, No. 20467 (PI. 1, Fig. 3), from a set of six eggs, Ben- dire collection, was taken by the writer near Fort Lapwai, Idaho, on May 11, 1870, and represents about an average-sized egg. 13. Ceryle americana septentrionalis Sharpe. TEXAN KINGFISHER. Alcedo oahanisi Tschudi, Fauna Peruana, Ornitbologie, 1844, 253. Ceryle americana septentrionalis Sharpe, Catalogue of Birds, British Museum, XVII, 1892, 134. (B 118, G 287, E 383, C 424, U 391.) Geographical range : From the Isthmus of Panama north through Central America, to northern Mexico, Chihuahua, and southwestern Texas. The Texan Kingfisher, the smallest representative of the Alcedinidce found in the United States, is not nearly as well known as the Belted Kingfisher, and its breeding range is confined to a comparatively small portion of western Texas, while even here it appears to be of rather irregular occurrence. It is reported as fairly abundant along a number of the tributaries of the Guadalupe River, in Comal County, also on some of the streams in Bexar and Edwards counties, and thence westward along the various tributaries to the Rio Grande, like Devils River, etc. Dr. Edgar A. Mearns, United States Army, met with it in Kenney County, at Fort Clark, at Strickland's Springs, and Las Moras Creek, and it seems to be present on nearly every creek or stream whose waters are suffi- ciently clear to enable it to make a living. It is not found regularly along the shores of muddy streams, such as the lower Rio Grande and Nueces rivers and others in southwestern Texas, and its presence seems to depend almost entirely on the clearness of the water. It reaches the northern limits of its range in Texas, as far as known, in about latitude 30°, but in northern Mexico it ranges at least a degree farther north. Dr. Eldgar A. Mearns, United States Army, while on duty with the International Boundary Survey, obtained a specimen at Pajon Bonito, Chihuahua, September 8, 1893, 10 miles southeast of monument 66, close to the Arizona line, which is the most northern record known to me. It appears to be a constant resident in southwestern Texas, and breeds wherever found. Its general habits, food, and breeding habits are similar to those of the Belted Kingfisher. Mr. W. Brewster described the first authentic eggs of this species taken within om- borders, in the "Bulletin of the Nuttall Ornithological Club" (Vol. 4, 1879, pp. 79, 80). He says: "This beautiful little Kingfisher was 40 LIFE HISTORIES OP NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. found by Mr. W. H. Werner in comparative abundance at several points in Comal County, notably about some of the springs that empty into the Gruadalupe River. A set of six eggs taken in April, 1878, was authenticated by the capture of both parent birds, the female being caught on the nest. * * * The nesting cavity was in a sand bank near the water's edge; the eggs were laid on the bare sand, no fish bones or other extraneous material being near. The entrance was not quite If inches in diameter, and the hole extended inward from the face of the bank about 3 J feet." * * * The nests of many of these little Kingfishers are yearly destroyed by high water flooding their burrows, caused by heavy rains and cloud-bursts, which are more or less prevalent in southern and western Texas. It is not uncommon on both the Medina and San Antonio rivers, and a nesting site on the last-mentioned stream found by Mr. C. H. Kearny, in the spring of 1892, containing six fresh eggs, is described by him as being located in a bank about 15 feet high and about 5 feet above the water level. The nesting chamber, which was slightly larger than the tunnel leading to it, was placed about 2 feet from the mouth of the hole. There was no nest proper, but a few fish bones and scales were scat- tered about the eggs. In the same bank a number of Bank Swallows (Clivicgla ripa/rid) had taken up temporary homes, and one of their holes was located within a foot of that of the Kingfishers. They are devoted parents, and these birds will usually allow themselves to be caught rather than forsake their eggs. They , generally are five or six in number, and, like the eggs of all Kingfishers, they are pure white in color and unspotted. The shell is close grained, but rather thin, and while some sets are quite glossy, others show little or no luster. They are usually rounded elliptical oval in shape, and not short ovate, like the majority of the eggs of the Belted Kingfisher. The average measurement of fourteen eggs is 24.38 by 18.53 millimetres, or 0.96 by 0.73 inch. The largest egg measures 25.40 by 19.05 millimetres, or 1 by 0.75 inch; the smallest, 23.62 by 18.29 millimetres, or 0.93 by 0.72 inch. The type specimen, No. 20468 (PI 1, Fig. 4), from a set of five eggs, Ben- dire collection, was taken near New Braunfels, Texas, on March 4, 1879, and represents an average egg of this species. 14. Ceryle torquata (LiNijiEus). EINGED KINGFISHER. Alcedo torquata LiNNiEUS, Systema Naturte, ed. 12, 1, 1766, 180. Ceryle torquata BoiB, Isis, 1828, 316. (B — , — R — C — U [390.1].) Geographical eange : From southern Argentina north through South and Central America to northeastern Mexico (Nuevo Leon), and casually to the lower Rio Grande Valley in Texas, This handsome Rufous-breasted Kingfisher, the largest found on the Ameri- can continent, has a wide distribution, occurring in suitable localities throughout the greater part of South America, the whole of Central America, and most of THE EINGEU KINGFISHEE. 41 Mexico. It has only recently been added to our fauna, and it is doubtful if it breeds within our borders. An adult female was shot l)y Mr. George B. Benners, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on June 2, 1888, about a mile below Laredo, Texas, on the United States side of the Rio Grande. He says: "It was sitting on some old roots which had been washed up into a heap by the current of the river, and was shot immediately, so I did not see it fly or hear its call." This specimen is now in possession of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadel- phia, Pennsylvania.-^ Although moderately common, and distributed over ' extensive areas, very little has as yet been published about the life history of this giant among Kingfishers. Dr. Herman Burmeister, in his "Thiere BrasiUens," 1856 (Vol. I, p. 415), says: "This is the largest of the American Kingfishers, and it is pretty generally distribitted over the warmer portions of South America, along the shores of wooded streams, where it sits on limbs overhanging water, watching for fish, which constitute its principal food. It nests in perpendicular banks, occasionally quite a distance from water, in burrows from 5 to 6 feet deep, and lays two white eggs." Mr. Charles W. Richmond, in his interesting paper on "Birds from Nicaragua and Costa Rica," makes the following remarks about the species: "Very com- mon. This species has a note similar to that of C. alcyon, but somewhat stronger. One morning a pair of these birds went through a very curious performance. Attention was first called to them by their loud, rattling cry, which was kept up almost constantly as they circled and gyrated about over the water, occasionally dropping, not diving, into the water, and sinking below the surface for a moment. This maneuvering lasted some minutes, after which^both birds flew upstream, uttering their ordinary note. "Two or three individuals were in the habit of passing the night at some point on the creek back of the 'L. P.' plantation, and came over just about dusk every evening. I noticed them for several months, and was struck with the regularity of their coming and the course taken by each on its way to the roost. The birds could be heard a considerable distance away just before dusk, uttering their loud, single 'chuck' at every few beats of the wings. They appeared to come from their feeding grounds, often passing over the plantation opposite, probably to cut oif a bend in the river. One of the birds invariably passed close to the corner of the laborers' quarters, though at a considerable height, and the other near a trumpet tree some distance away. The third bird was only a casual visitor. At times the birds came together, but usually there was an interval of several minutes. Their routes met at a turn of the creek a few rods back of the house, where they usually sotxnded their rattling notes and dropped down close to the water, which they followed to the roost. This was in a huge spreading tree, covered with parasitic plants and numerous vines, which hung in loops and festoons from the limbs. On one occasion I shot at one of the birds as it came clucking overhead, and caused it to drop several ' ' The Auk, Vol. XI, 1894, p. 177. 42 LIFE HISTOEIES OF NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. small fish. A female nearly ready to deposit egg's was shot October 9. The birds made tlieir appearance rather late in the morning, usually after 8 o'clock, and at times spent several hours of the day up there. Although the birds appeared to have their home at this place, I did not, on any of my numerous trips up the creek, discover the site."^ From Mr. Richmond's observations it would appear as if C. torquata nested at all times of the year. The most northern Mexican record for this species is, I believe, the one from Rio de las Ramos, State of Nuevo Leon, in about latitude 25° 30'. This specimen was obtained by Mr. W. Lloyd, on February 28, 1891, and is now in the collection of the United States Department of Agriculture. I have been unable to find a more accurate description of the eggs of this species than the one above given, but, judging from the size of the bird, they should be considerably larger than those of C. alcyon. Family PICIDtE. "Woodpeckers. 15. Campephilus principalis (Linn^us) IVORY-BILLED WOODPECKER. Picus principalis Linn^us, Systema Naturse, ed. 10, 1, 1758, 113. CampepMlus principalis Gray, List Genera of Birds, 1840, 54. (B 72, 293, R 359, 431, U 392.) Geographical range: South Atlantic and Gulf States; north to the southern portions of South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, and Arkansas; west to south- eastern Texas. Formerly north to North Carolina, Tennessee, Kentucky, soutJiern Indiana, Illinois, southern Missouri, and the southern parts of the Indian Territory. The Ivory-billed Woodpecker, also called "White-billed Woodpecker," "White-billed Logcock" and "Woodcock," is the largest representative of this family found in the United States, being a resident of the mainland and the numerous islands along the south Atlantic and Gulf coasts and breeding wherever found. In former years its range was much more extended than it is at present; then it penetrated well into the interior, along the shores of the Mississippi River and its larger tributaries, having been reported from White County, Illinois; Franklin County, Indiana, and Franklin County, Tennessee, as well as at other points inland. At present it appears to be fairly abundant in Florida, in portions of southern Mississippi along the Yazoo River, and in the extensive swamps in southern Louisiana. In the first-mentioned State Mr. Arthur T. Wayne obtained not less than thirteen specimens in the month of April, 1893, and about ten more were seen. He sa}s, "A }'oung female taken April 15 was about two weeks from the nest. I never observed it singly, it being always seen in company with two or three others of this species. I was told by old hunters that they breed early in February. The locality where this bird is to be found at all times is in ' Proceedings of the U. S. National Museum, Vol. XVI, pp. 510,511. THE IVORY-BILLED WOODPECKEIt. 43 what the people call 'burn-outs.' These are large tracts of heavy timber which the forest fires have destroyed; and the dead trees harbor l)c'et]es, etc. A nest which I examined was dug in a live cypress about 60 feet high."^ Mr. E. A. Mcllhenny has kindl}' furnished me with the foUo^-ing notes on this interesting species: "In the cypress swamps adjacent to Avery's Island, Louisiana, these noble birds are still quite common, and here, in their favorite haunts, I have watched them for years. I beheve they remain mated for life, for I have observed several pairs of them year in and year out, and can always find them near the spot where they have their nest or winter home, from which place they are hard to drive away, thereby showing a fondness for locahty seldom seen in birds of this family. The nest is generally placed in a cypress or tupelo gum tree, one that is partly dead being prefeiTcd, and the cavity is excavated in the dead part of the tree. I have never found a nest in wood in which there was sap, or in rotten wood. The site for the nest being chosen, the female begins the excavation during the last week in March or the beginning of April, and from eight to fourteen days are spent in finishing it, the female doing all the work, while the male sits around and chips the bark from the neighboring trees. The eggs are deposited as early as April 9, on which date I took a set of three fresh eggs in 1892, and on May 19 I took from the same pair, in the same tree, but in a lower excavation, a set of four eggs in which incubation was considerabl}^ advanced. But one brood is reared in a season, and the }'oung remain with the parents until the mating season in the following year. "A typical nest of this bird is one I found on May 2, 1892. It was situated in a partly dead cypress, 41 feet up. The entrance was oval and measures 4^ by 5f inches. The excavation was 21 J- inches deep, and was much larger at the bottom than at the top. It contained three eggs, deposited on about an inch of fine chips. The eggs measured 1.40 by 1.01, 1.38 by 1.02, and 1.37 by 1.02 inches; they are very glossy and quite pointed. "When the young are hatched, both parents feed them, often going quite a distance into the open country in search of food. As soon as they leave the woods they mount to a considerable height, their flight being very strong, and, like that of all Woodpeckers, undulating. The only note I have heard these birds give is made while on the wing; it is very shrill, and resembles somewhat the call of the Pileated Woodpecker, but is quite beyond being put on paper; the call of the female does not perceptibly differ from that of the male. They are very silent birds at all times, and during the breeding season I have never heard their cry. They have, however, another mode of calling each other: one bird will alight on a dry limb of some tree and rap on it with its bill so fast and loud that it sounds like the roll of a snare di-um; this it continues to do at short intervals until its mate comes. When in search of food this bird evinces great cleverness. It will alight on a dead limb, and after tapping it a few times with its beak it puts its ear to the wood and listens for the movements of any grub that may be 'The Auk, Vol. X, 1893, p. 338. 44 LIFE HISTORIES OP NOETH AMEEIOAIir BIEDS. at work there, and after it locates one, the energy it displays in getting- at it is remarkable. It braces itself with the stiif feathers of its tail, and in striking a blow uses the body from the legs up to give force to it. The blow it delivers while in this position is very hard, and sounds as if some one was striking on a tree with a hammer. Its food consists of grubs and insects that inhabit decayed wood. In the fall and winter it feeds to some extent on the mast of the live oak, and stores acorns in holes for its winter supply. I have seen them destroy the nests of the gray squirrels to obtain the acorns and nuts they had put by for the winter. They would sit on the top of the nest and with a few strokes of their bill scatter it in every direction." In a recent interview with Mr. Mcllhenny he told me that he found another nest of this species in the early part of May, 1894, containing five young about three days old, whose eyes were still closed. The nesting site was in a dead gray oak, in the main trunk, about 30 feet from the ground, and the cavity was about 3 feet deep; the female was in the hole, and flew out when the tree was struck; the male was not seen. According to Audubon, this bird feeds on grapes, blackberries, and persim- mons. Mr. Maurice Thompson states that it eats ants, and he published a very interesting article on this species under the title of "A Red-headed Family," which may be found in the "Oologist" (Vol. VI, February, 1889, pp. 22-29), and is well worth reading. The eggs of the Ivory-billed Woodpecker are still quite rare in collections. The Public Museum, in Mihvaukee, Wisconsin, contains a set of three, presented by the late Capt. B. F. Gross, who wrote to me that they were taken in the Neches River bottom, in Jasper County, Texas, on May 3, 1885. The cavity was aboiit 2 feet deep, situated 40 feet from the ground, and the entrance was large enough to admit the collector's arm. The American Museum of Natural History, in New York, contains a set of four eggs taken on April 10, in the Alatamaha Swamp in Greorgia, by the late Dr. S. W. Wilson. These measure 1.36 by 0.95, 1.34 by 0.98, 1.25 by 0.95, and 1.29 by 0.98 inches. The United States National Museum has five of these eggs. Two were received from Mr. N. Giles, of Wilmington, North Carolina, but no date or locality is given ; the remaining three are a set from the Ralph collection, taken in Lafayette County, Florida, on April 19, 1893. One of these eggs contained a large embryo; the other two were addled. The nesting site was excavated in a dead bay tree, 30 feet from the ground, and the cavity was 2 feet deep. The female was shot when the eggs were taken. Mr. W. E. D. Scott makes the following statement: " To-day, March 1 7, 1887, I found a nest of the Ivory-billed Woodpecker, and obtained both parent birds and the single young bird which was the occupant of the nest. The cavity was dug in a large cypress tree in the midst of a dense swamp, and was 41 feet from the ground. The opening was oval, being 3^ inches wide and 4^ inches high. The same cavity had apparently been used before for a nesting place ; it was c}dindrical in shape and a little more than 14 inches deep. The THE IVOEY-BILLBD WOODPECKER. 45 young bird in tlie nest was a female, and, though one-tliird grctwn, had not yet O'lmml its ei/i'.s. The feathers of the first plumage were apparent, beginning to cover the down, and were the same in coloration as those of the adult female bird."i Recent observations all tend to show that the Ivory -billed Woodpecker is an exceedingly wild and suspicious bird, and as the country becomes more settled it retires from the advance of civilization to the more inaccessible swamps, where it is not so liable to be molested. In such localities it appears to be still reasonably common, as well as on some of the islands off the south Atlantic and Gulf coasts. The present restriction of its range is probably due more to its wild and suspicious nature than to actual decrease in numbers, as it has but few enemies excepting man, and is well able to protect itself against the others. One of the most notable differences in the nesting habits of this hand- some Woodpecker appears to be the fact that instead of making a round entrance hole, as do the smaller members of this family found in the United States, it prefers one which is oval in shape. The eggs of the Ivory-billed Woodpecker are pure china white in color, close grained, and exceedingly glossy, as if enameled. They vary in shape from an elongate ovate to a cylindrical ovate, and are more pointed than the eggs of most of our Woodpeckers. They appear to me to be readily distinguished from those of the Pileated Woodpecker, some of which are fully as large. From three to five eggs are laid to a set, and only one brood is raised in a season. As both sexes among all the better-known species of Woodpeckers assist in incuba- tion, it is probable that the same holds good with this species as well, and this lasts probably from sixteen to eighteen days. The average measurement of thirteen eggs is 34.87 by 25.22 millimetres, or about 1.37 by 0.99 inches. The largest egg measures 36.83 by 26.92 milli- metres, or about 1.45 by 1.06 inches; the smallest, 34.54 by 23.62 millimetres, or about 1.36 by 0.93 inches. The type, specimen. No. 26365 (not figured), from a set of three eggs, Ralph collection, was taken in Lafayette County, Florida, April 19, 1893. As all Woodpeckers' eggs are pure white, and as many differ only very slightly in size and shape, but considerably in the degree of glossiness, which could not be accurately shown in the illustrations, I have only figured the eggs of two well-known species, selecting those of the Pileated and Downy Wood- peckers, which show fairly well the extremes in size.^ 1 The Auk, Vol. V, 1888, p. 186. 2 1 had hoped to bo able to add the large Imperial Woodpecker, Campephilus imperialis, to our list before this volume went to press. Lieut. Harry C. Benson, Fourth Cavalry, U. S. Army, found it to he com- mon in the pine f irests of the Sierra Madre in northern Sonora, Mexico, in 1887, and shot a specimen within 50 miles of the boundary line; but up to date it has not been observed by either Dr. A. K. Fisher or Mr. W. W. Price, who both collected in the Chirioahua Mountains during the summer of 1894, where it is most likely to be found. 46 LIFE HISTOEIBS OF NOETH AMEEIOAN BIEDS. i6. Dryobates villosus (Linnaeus). HAIEY WOODPECKEE. Picus villosus LiNN^US, Systema Naturae, ed. 12, 1, 1766, 175. D[ryol)ates] villosus Oabanis, Museum Heiueanum, IV, June 15, 1863, 66. (B 74, part; C 298, part; E360; C 438, part; U 393.) Geographical eange: Eastern North America; north in the southern provinces of the Dominion of Canada to Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, southern Quebec, Ontario, and southern Manitoba; south through the United States, excepting the South Atlantic and Gulf States; west to eastern Montana and Wyoming, Nebraska, Kansas, the Indian Terri- tory, and eastern Texas. Accidental in England.^ The breeding range of the Hairy Woodpecker, also known as "Big Sap- sucker" and "Big Glninea Woodpecker," is coextensive with its geographical range, and it is generally a constant resident wherever found. It is fairly common through the wooded regions of our Northern and Middle States, and in winter is occasionally found in some of the Southern States — Louisiana, for instance. It is a resident in the mountainous portions of North Carolina, while in the lowlands it is replaced by the smaller southern race, Dryobates villosus auduboni. It is a hardy bird, and intense cold does not appear to affect it much. As a rule it is rather unsocial, and, unless followed by their young, more than a pair are rarely seen together. It does not live in harmony with smaller species of its own kind, and drives them away, when they encroach on its feeding grounds, being exceedingly greedy in disposition and always hungry. It is partial to timbered river bottoms, the outskirts of forests, and occasionally it makes its home in old orchards and in rather open, cultivated country, inter- spersed here and there with isolated clumps of trees; it is also found in the midst of extended forest regions. The Hairy Woodpecker, like most of its relatives, is an exceedingly beneficial and useful bird, which rids our orchards and forests of innumerable injurious larvpe, like those of the Boring Beetles, Buprestidcs, which burrow in the wood and between the bark and trunk of trees. It never attacks a sound tree. Although commonly known as Sapsucker, this name is very inappropriate ; it is not in search of sap, but of such grubs as are found only in decaying wood; nevertheless it is exceedingly difficult to make the average farmer believe this, and in winter, wlien these birds are more often seen about the vicinity of dwell- ings and the neighboring orchards than at other seasons of the year, many are shot xxnder the erroneous belief that they injure the very trees they are doing their best to protect. In central New Yorlv, and undoubtedly in other sections as well, where a few decades ago one could see some of the finest apple orchards to be found anywhere, you may look in vain for them now. Nearly every tree 'Mr. E.W. Nelson, in his report upon the Natural History Collections made in Alaska in the years 1877-1881, p. 145, records this species as occurring in British Columhia and thence north along the south- eastern coast of Alaska. I have not been able to find any specimens collected by him in the U. S. National Museum collections and simply mention this record. THE HAIRY WOODPECKER. 47 of any size now sllO^YS abundant and unmistakable signs of decay, caused by the increase of tlie insects which live in them and the decrease of such birds as destroy these pests. In Oneida and Herkimer counties, New York, the top of nearly every black ash tree is dead and the trees are slowly decaying-, undoubtedly due to some species of boring beetle ; there are not enough Wood- peckers left to check the increase of these pests, and not alone the orchards but quantities of valuable timber are being slowly but surely deHtro}'ed by them. The food of the Hairy Woodpecker, besides larvae, consists of various species of small beetles, spiders, flies, ants, and in winter, when such food is scarce, to some extent of seeds and grain, and less often of nuts and acorns. I have seen it cling to fresh hides hung up to dry, picking off small particles of fat and meat, and in summer it occasionally eats a few berries of different kinds. In the fall of the year it can often be seen inspecting old fence posts and telegraph poles, probably on the lookout for cocoons, spider eggs, etc. Mr. V. A. Alderson, of Marathon County, Wisconsin, publishes the following interesting statement in the "Oologist" (Vol. VII, July, 1890, p. 147): "Last summer potato bugs covered every patch of potatoes in ]\Iarathon Count}- (being my home county), Wisconsin. One of my friends here found his patch an exception, and therefore took pains to find out the reason, and observed a Hair}- Woodpecker making frequent visits to the potato field and going from there to a large pine stub a little distance away. After observing this for about six weeks, he made a visit to the pine stub, and found, on inspection, a large hole in its side, about 15 feet up. He took his ax and cut down the stub, split it open, and found inside over 2 bushels of bugs. All had their heads off" and bodies intact. Now, why did the Woodpecker carry the bugs whole to the tree and only bite ofi" and eat the heads, which could have been done in the potato field?" Like all Woodpeckers, it is an expert climber, and moves rapidly up and around trees in short hops ; it is equally easy for it to go backward or side wise, and it is astonishing how readily it can move in any direction. The strong feet and sharp claws enable it to hold firmly to the bark, and the stiff", spiney tail feathers also come in play while it is at work, acting as a support for the body which is well thrown back when a blow is delivered with its powerful chisel- like bill. Although usually rather shy, when busy in search of food one will occasionally allow itself to be very closely approached. I have seen one alight on the trunk of a crab-apple tree within 3 feet of me and deliberately commence searching for larvae, apparently perfectly unconcerned about my presence, and when I moved up a little closer, he simply hopped around on the opposite side of the tree and continued his search; every once in a while, however, his head would appear from behind the tree to see if I was still watching him. He remained fully thirty minutes on the same tree, where he evidently found an abundance of food, and then flew off uttering several loud notes like "huip, huip." Its ordinary call sounds like "trriii, trriii," a shrill, rattling note. The tongue of the majority of our Woodpeckers is especially adapted for extracting larvae, etc., from the wood in which they live. The tongue proper is 48 LIFE HISTORIES OF NOETH AMEEIOAN BIEDS. rather small, flat, and terminates in a sharp, horny point, which is armed at the sides with a series of bristle-like barbed hooks; the worm-like neck, or the hyoid process to which it is attached, is generally rather long and curves around the back of the skull in a sheath, and this can readily be thrown forward for 2 or 3 inches. A sticky saliva is also secreted, with which the tongue is covered to facilitate the extraction of the food they are in search of. Their sense of hearing must be exceedingly acute, as they appear to readily detect the slightest movement of any insect under the bark or in the solid wood, and they make no mistakes in properly locating it. Their flight is rapid, undulating, usually not very protracted, and they rarely descend to the ground in search of food, where their movements are rather awkward and clumsy. Notwithstanding the amount of labor required for the Hairy and other Wood- peckers to obtain the necessary amount of nourishment, they are usually in good condition, and in winter not unfrequently excessively fat. Our Hairy Woodpecker is one of the earliest of this family to breed. The mating season begins in the latter part of March, and the species is at this time one of the noisiest members of this family. The male, when not in search of food, now seems to occupy himself almost exclusively with drumming on a resonant dead limb, generally situated near the top of some tall tree. The louder the noise produced, the more satisfactory it appears to be to the performer; it seems to be a sort of love note and call to the female, and, as far as I have been able to observe, is only indulged in by the male. In flying from one tree to another a shrill, sharp "huip, huip" is often uttered, and during the mating season both sexes are very demonstrative and utter quite a number of different notes. I believe this species remains paired through life. Nidification begins usually early in April, and it requires about a week to prepare the nesting site. Both sexes take part in this labor, and it is really wonderful how neat and smooth an excavation these birds can make with their chisel-shaped bills in a comparatively short time. The entrance hole is as round as if made with an auger, about 2 inches in diameter, and just large enough to admit the body of the bird; the edges are nicely beveled, the inside is equally smooth, and the cavity is gradually enlarged toward the bottom. The entrance hole, which is not unfrequently placed under a limb for protection from the weather, generally runs in straight through the solid wood for about 3 inches, and then downward from 10 to 18 inches, and some of the finer chips are allowed to remain on the bottom of the cavity in which the eggs are deposited. Both dead and living trees are selected for nesting sites, generally the former. When living trees are chosen, the inner core or heart of the tree is usually more or less decayed. These nesting sites are nearly always selected with such good judgment that such obstacles as hard knots are rarely encountered; should this occur, the site is abandoned and a fresh one selected. After this is completed the male frequently excavates another hole, or even several, in the same tree or in another close by, in which to pass the night or to seek shelter, and to be close to the nest while the female is incubating; these holes are not so deep as the others. A fresh nesting site is THE HAIEY WOODPECKElt. 49 generally selected each season, but where suitable trees are scarce the same one may be used for several years in succession, and in such a case it is usually thoroughly cleaned out and the old chips in the bottom removed and replaced by fresh ones. Beech, ash, poplar, birch, oak, sycamore, haw, and ai)p]e trees are mostly used for nesting sites. Mr. I). B. Burrows writes me: "In Marshall County, Illinois, the river bot- toms are subject to overflow during the spring, and high water lasts frequently for two or three months, causing the willows and soft maples to die in great numbers, sometimes leaving belts of dead trees of considerable extent. Among these the Hairy Woodpecker is always to be found. The nesting season com- mences earlier than that of any of the Woodpeckers found in this locality, and seems to be quite regular. From my notes I find the time to secure fresh eggs to be from the 20th to the 24tli of April. Here they nest mostly in dead willows, though maple trees from which the bark has fallen off, leaving a smooth trunk, are also frequently used." In Maine they nest sometimes in dead spruce and fir trees, but deciduous trees seem to be preferred throughout their range. In the New England States and northern New York fresh eggs are usually found during the first week in May, and ordinarily only one brood is raised in a season. In the Adirondacks their holes are often found from 40 to 50 feet from the ground. The duties of incubation are divided between the sexes and last about two weeks. The young when first hatched are repulsive-looking creatures, blind and naked, with enor- mously large heads, and ugly protuberances at the base of the bill, resembling a reptile more than a bird. They are totally helpless for some days, and can not stand; but they soon learn to climb. They are fed by the parents by regurgita- tion of their food, which is the usual way in which the young of most Wood- peckers are fed when first hatched. Later, however, a few species, like the Red-headed Woodpecker and other members of this genus, feed their young in the ordinary manner, carrying the food in their bills. The young remain in the nest about three weeks. When disturbed they utter a low, purring noise, which reminds me somewhat of that made by bees when swarming, and when a little older they utter a soft "puirr, puirr." Even after leaving the nest they are assiduously cared for by both parents for several weeks, until able to provide for themselves. Should the first set of eggs be taken, a second, and sometimes even a third, is laid at intervals of from ten to fourteen days; and if the nesting site has not been destroyed or the entrance hole enlarged (which can readily be avoided by sawing out a sufiiciently large piece below the hole, enabling the collector to insert his hand, and replacing this again carefully after taking the eggs) they will frequently use it a second time. The number of eggs laid to a set varies from three to five, usually four. I have been informed that sets of six and seven have been taken, but I doubt this. They are mostly oval in shape, sometimes elliptical oval, and occasionally rounded ovate. The shell is very finely granulated, glossy, and semitranslucent when fresh, the yolk being plainly visible then; but as incubation advances it 16896— No. 3 4 50 LIFE HISTOEIES OF NOETH AMEEICAN BIEDS. becomes more opaque. Like all Woodpeckers' eggs, they are pure white and unspotted. The average measurement of twenty-nine specimens in the United States National Museum collection is 23.65 by 17.94 miUimetres, or about 0.93 by 0.71 inch. The largest egg of the series measures 25 91 by 18.80 millimetres, or 1.02 by 0.74 inches; the smallest, 20.57 by 16.26 millimetres, or 0.81 by 0.64 inch. The type specimen, No. 24721 (not figured), from a set of five eggs, was taken by Dr. William L. Ralph near Holland Patent, Oneida County, New York, on May 5, 1891. 17. Dryobates villosus leucomelas (BoDDiEET). NOETHEEN HAIEY WOODPECKEE. Picus leucomelas Bodd^et, Table des Planches Enlumin^es d'Histoire Naturelle, 1783, 21. Dryobates villosus leucomelas Eidgway, Proceedings U, S. National Museum, VIII, 1885, 355. (B 74, part; C 298, part; E 360a; 438, part; U 393a.) Geographical eange: Northern North America; from about latitude 49° in the eastern parts of the Dominion of Canada north to about latitude 66°, and probably still farther in the interior; west to eastern Alaska; south, in winter only (?), to the northern border of the United States. The breeding range of the Northern Hairy Woodpecker, also known as the "Great White-backed Sapsucker" and "Phillips's Woodpecker," a somewhat larger race, and usually with a greater amount of white in its plumage than the preceding, is probably coextensive with its geographical distribution; it also appears to be resident wherever found. Mr. B. R. Ross, of the Hudson Bay Company, took a male near Fort Simpson, on the Mackenzie River, in latitude 62° N., on December 29, 1860, and Mr. McQuesten obtained a female at Fort Reli- ance, on the tipper Yukon, in Alaska, in about latitude 66° N., on September 15, 1878; both of these -specimens are now in the United States National Miiseum. North of latitude 56° it is reported to be rare, and it is not often met with near the coast in Alaska. Prof Winfrid A. Stearns reports taking a specimen of Dryobates villosus in Labrador on October 28, 1882, exact locality not stated, which is unquestionably referable to this race; but ]\Ir. L. M. Turner, during his sojourn of several years in Ungava, failed to meet with it, and it is probably rare throughout this region. It is reported as a common resident of British Colum- bia, east of the Cascades, and in the Rocky Mountain sections, by Mr. John Fannin. While stationed at Fort Custer, Montana, I took several specimens during the winter of 1884-85, which I referred to Dryobates villosus; one of these skins, a fine male, taken on April 19, 1885, is now in the United States National Museum collection, and this is a perfectly typical example of the northern race. It is therefore possible that it breeds in limited numbers along our northern border, but it may only have been a late straggler. I shot it in a cottonwood grove on the Big Horn River. THE NORTHERN HAIEY WOODPEGKBE, 51 Its general habits, food, mode of incubation, etc., are probably the same as those of Dryobates villosus. There are no positively identified eggs of this race in the collection; bnt they undoubtedly resemble those of the preceding species, averaging probably a trifle larger. i8. Dryobates villosus audubonii (Swainson). SOUTHERN HAIRY WOODPECKER. Picus audubonii SWAiNSON and Eichardson, Fauna Boreali Americana, II, 1831, 306. Dryobates villosus audubonii Eidgway, Proceedings TJ. S. National Museum, VIII, 1885, 355. (B 74, part; 298, part; E 360, part; 438, part; TJ 3936.) Geographical range: South Atlantic and Gulf States; north to North Carolina, southern Tennessee, etc. ; west to Louisiana and southeastern Texas. ( ?) Casual in the Bahamas. The breeding range of the Southern Hairy Woodpecker, a somewhat smaller race than Dryobates villosus, is likewise coextensive with its geographical distribution, it generally being resident wherever found. It reaches the northern limits of its range in North Carolina. The Brimley Brothers write me that it occurs in the vicinity of Raleigh, where it is rather rare, and nests quite early, as young birds were found nearly fully fledged on May 25, 1891. Mr. William Brewster also met with it in the lowlands in Franklin County, North Carolina, and up to an elevation of 4,000 feet at Highlands, in Macon County, while Dr. W. H. Fox reports seeing a few each year in Roane County, Tennessee ; specimens sent by him have been identified at the United States National Museum as referable to this subspecies. The late Mr. C. W. Beckham met with it at Bayou Sara, Louisiana, and Mr. E. A. Mcllhenny found it nesting on May 12, 1892, in a cavity of a pin oak, 21 feet from the ground, in New Iberia Parish, Louisiana. Here it frequents the oak timber on high land, and is said to be rare. Although not yet reported from southeastern Texas, its range probably extends into this State also. The late Dr. W. C. Avery found it breeding in Alabama, where it is not uncommon, and Dr. William L. Ralph has taken three sets of eggs in Put- nam County, Florida, which are now in the collection of the United States National Museum. Nidification commenced early in April, and several sets of eggs found by him during the last week in this month were well advanced in incubation. The cavities were in all cases excavated in cypress trees grow- ing on the edge of swamps, and located from 28 to 45 feet from the ground. The number of eggs to a set were three or four, the first number being the more common. The general habits, food, etc., of the Southern Hairy Woodpecker are sim- ilar to those of Dryobates villosus, but this subspecies seems to be more fond of fruit and berries, and the young are fed largely on figs. The eggs are scarcely distinguishable from those of the Hairy, excepting that they are a trifle narrower, and all are elliptical ovate in shape. 52 LIFE HISTOEIES OF NOETH AMERICAN BIEDS. The average measurement of nine specimens from the Ralph collection is 23.66 by 17.40 millimetres, or about 0.93 by 0.68 inch. The largest egg measures 24.89 by 17.53 millimetres, or 0.98 by 0.69 inch; the smallest, 22.86 by 17.02 millimetres, or 0.90 by 0.67 inch. The type specimen, No. 24182 (not figured), from a set of three eggs, was taken by Dr. William L. Raljjh near San Mateo, Putnam County, Florida, on April 21, 1891. ig. Dryobates villosus harrisii (Audubon). HARRIS'S WOODPECKER. Picus harrisii AuDUBON, Ornithological Biography, Y, 1839, 191. Dryobates villosus harrisii Eidgway, Proceedings U. S. National Museum, VIII, 1885, 355. (B 75, C 298«, E 3606, C 439, U 393c.) Geographical range: Pacific Coast regions; from northern California (Humboldt Bay) north (near the coast only) through Oregon, Washington, and British Columbia to southern Alaska (Sitka). Until within the last few years all the Hairy Woodpeckers fi-om the eastern slopes of the Rocky Mountains to the Pacific coast have been considered as belonging to this subspecies, but recently Mr. William Brewster separated and described a new form in "The Auk" (Vol. V, July, 1888, p. 252), which restricts the range of the present subspecies under consideration very materially. The breeding range of this race, as now considered, is a very limited one, and is probably coextensive with its geographical distribution. It is apparently confined to the immediate vicinity of the coast, and is not found at any great distance inland. Among the specimens collected by me at Fort Klamath, Oregon (mostly winter birds), there are two which might be called intermedi- ates between this and the more recently separated Dryobates villosus Jiyloscopus, but the majority are clearly referable to the latter. In the typical Harris's Woodpecker the under parts are much darker, a smoky brown, in fact; it is also somewhat larger and is very readily distinguishable from the much lighter- colored and somewhat smaller Cabanis's Woodpecker. It has been taken as far north as Sitka, Alaska, and seems to be a fairly common resident near Puget Sound, Washington, from which locality I recently received a perfectly typical skin taken by Mr. S. F. Rathbun on February 14, 1892, here it breeds in the pine and fir forests. Its general habits, food, mode of nesting, etc., are similar to those of the preceding subspecies. Its eggs are probably a little larger than those of Cabanis's Woodpecker, liut as there are no absolutely identified specimens in the United States National Museum collection as yet, I can not give actual measurements. OABANIS'S WOODPECKER. 53 20. Dryobates villosus hyloscopus (Cabanis). CABANIS'S WOODPECKEE. Dryobates hyloscopus Oabanis and Heine, Museum Heineanum, IV, ii, 1863, Crt. (Dryobates villosus) hyloscopus Beewster, Auk, V, July, 1888, 252 (in text). (B 75, part; 298a, part; E 3606, part; 439, part; U 3Q3d.) Gao&RAPHiCAL RANGE: Western North America; north to Jlontana, Idaho, and Washington, excepting the coast regions; east to the eastern sloi^es of the Eocky Moun- tains and adjacent ranges; south through California, Arizona, and 'Hew Mexico to northern Mexico and Lower California. Cabanis's Woodpecker is generally intermediate in size between Dryobates villosus and Dryobates villosus leueomelas, and is distinguishable from the former by its plain black or much less spotted wing coverts and tertials, and from Dryo- bates villosus harrisii by its lighter-colored under parts and somewhat smaller size. I have recently had an opportunity to examine several skins of this sub- species, taken in the vicinity of Fort Sherman, Idaho, by Dr. James C. MeiTill, United States Army, which are almost as large as Dryobates villosus leueomelas and fully as large as Dryobates villosus harrisii. It is practically a resident wherever found, and its breeding range is coextensive with its geographical distribution. In winter it is often met with in the valleys adjacent to mountain ranges, to which it retires in summer to breed; but these vertical migrations, if thev may be called so, are never very extended. Cabanis's Woodpecker does not appear to be found north of our border, and has not as yet been reported from any point in the Dominion of Canada, nor does it reach any great distance beyond the eastern slopes of the Rocky Mountains and adjacent ranges. Dr. G. S. Agersborg gives it as a common resident of southeastern South Dakota, but I doubt if perfectly typical speci- mens of this race are found east of the Black Hills in this State. It inhabits all the mountain regions of the interior up to altitudes of 10,000 feet, and occui-s also south of our border in northern Mexico. In southern Arizona it does not appear to breed in the lower valleys, but I have shot several near Tucson in winter, and it merely retires to the neighboring mountains here, where it finds a suitable summer climate during the season of reproduction. Mr. A. W. Anthony observed it in the San Pedro Martir Mountains, Lower California, at altitudes from 7,000 to 10,000 feet. Mr. Denis Gale found it breeding in Boulder County, Colorado, on May 28, 1886, in a live aspen tree, at an altitude of about 8,500 feet. The nest contained five eggs, in which incubation was somewhat advanced. Mr. William G. Smith also reports it as common in Colorado, coming down into the valleys in winter. He says it is the earliest of the Woodpeckers to breed, that it commences nesting in the latter part of April, and usually excavates its holes in old dead pines, frequently at a considerable distance from the ground, and that he has seen full-grown young by June 1. In California Cabanis' Woodpecker is common in the mountains, but in the lowlands in the southern parts of this State Mr. F. Stephens considers it a 54 LIFE HISTOEIES OF NORTH AMEEIOAN BIRDS. rather rare summer resident. He found it breeding in a cottonwood tree, near San Bernardino, on March 29, 1885. Mr. Lyman Belding took several nests of this subspecies in Calaveras County, in the Sierra Nevadas; in one, found on June 6, 1879, which had been excavated in a dead pine stump, 12 feet from the ground, the eggs, three in number, were on the point of hatching. In his notes he says: "I scared the female from it and prevented her return by inse'rting a stick, the end of which protruded for several feet. "When she found she could not enter she gave several cries, which brought the male, who hopped up and down the stick a few times, striking it with his bill and screaming angrily, paus- ing occasionally, and apparently deliberating on the best method of extracting it." Another nest, foxmd by him on July 10, 1880, was located only 3 feet from the ground, and contained young which were still in the nest on the 20th. Mr. Charles A. Allen informs me that along the Sacramento River, in California, it breeds in sycamores and willows, but that it is not common there. I have met with Cabanis's Woodpecker in most of our Northwestern States, but found it nowhere very common. I took my first nest near Camp Harney, Oregon, on May 29, 1875, in a canyon on the southern slopes of the Blue Moun- tains, at an altitude of about 5,000 feet. The cavity was excavated in the main trunk of a nearly dead aspen, about 12 feet from the ground. The entrance hole was about If inches in diameter, and the cavity about 9 inches deep. It contained four much incubated eggs. The female was in the hole, and stayed there looking out until I had struck the tree several times with a hatchet, when she flew off and alighted on one of the limbs of the tree, uttering cries of dis- tress, which brought the male, who was still more demonstrative, hopping from limb to limb, squealing and scolding at me and pecking at the limbs on which he perched. At Fort Klamath, Oregon, it was somewhat more common, and here I took several of its nests. It appears to be especially abundant in tracts in which the timber has been killed by fire, and where many of the slowly rotting trunks still remain standing. Such burnings are frequently met with in the mountains, and seem to attract several species of Woodpeckers, presumably on account of the abundance of suitable food to be found. Full sets of eggs may be looked for in ordinary seasons during the first ten days in May, and occasionally even earlier, as I found a nest with four young, several days old, on May 21, 1883. Inasmuch as this Woodpecker nests rather early, it is pos- sible that two broods are raised in a season. Dead or badly decayed trees are preferred to live ones for nesting purposes, and deciduous trees to conifers; it also nests occasionally in firs and madrone trees. Like the Hairy Woodpecker, Cabanis's is very noisy, especially in the early spring. It likewise is a great drummer, and utters a variety of notes, some of which sound like "kick-kick, whitoo, whitoo, whit- whit, wi-wi-wi-wi," and a hoarse gutteral one, somewhat like "kheak-kheak" or "khack-khack." It is one of our most active Woodpeckers, always busy searching for food, which consists princi- pally of injurious larvae and eggs of insects, varied occasionally with a diet of small ben-ies and seeds, and in winter sometimes of pifion nuts, pine seeds, and OABANIS'S WOODPECKER. 55 acorns. At this season I have often seen this species around slaughter houses, picking up stra}' bits of meat or fat, and have also seen it pecking at haunches of venison hung up in the open air. It'is a rather unsocial bird at all times, and it is rare to see more than a pair together, excepting when still caring for their young to which they appear to be very devoted for some time after these have left their nests. Its nesting habits are entirely similar to those of Bryohates viUosus; both sexes share the work in excavating the nesting site, as well as the duty of incu- bation, which lasts about fifteen days. Their holes are usually located from 12 to 18 feet from the ground, and occasionally as low as 3 feet, or again in the dead top of a tall pine, fully 50 feet up, and it breeds earlier than any other Wood- pecker found in the same localities. The number of eggs laid to a set varies from three to six; those of four are by far the most common; sets of five are only occasionally met with, while sets of six are very unusual. Mr. Denis Gale has taken a set of six, and I also found one. The eggs lie on the fine chips left in the bottom of the cavity, and are occasionally well packed into these, so that only about one-half of the egg is visible. They resemble the eggs of Dryohates viUosus in color, but those of an elliptical ovate shape are more common than the oval and elliptical ovals, averaging, therefore, more in length, while there is proportionably less difl^erence in their short diameter. The average measurements of forty-four specimens in the United States National Museum collection is 24.95 by 18.49 millimetres, or about 0.98 by 0.73 inch. The largest egg of the series measures 26.16 by 18.80 millimetres, or 1.03 by 0.74 inches; the smallest, 23.37 by 17.78 millimetres, or 0.92 by 0.70 inch. The type specimen, No. 19422 (not figured), from a set of three eggs, Bendire collection, was taken by the writer in the Blue Mountains, near Camp Harney, Oregon, on May 29, 1875. 21. Dryobates pubescens (Linn^us). DOWNY WOODPECKER. Pieus pubescens LiNN^asus, Systema Naturae, ed. 12, 1, 1766, 175. D[ryobates] pubescens Cabanis, Museum Heineanum, IV, June 15, 1863, 62. (B 76, 299, E 361, 440, U 394.) Gbogeaphical eangb : Eastern and northern North America; from Florida and the Gulf States north through the Dominion of Canada, in southern Labrador, to about latitude 55° N.; thence in a northwesterly direction through the Northeast Territory, Keewatin, and the Northwest Territory to northern Alaska, to about latitude 66° N.; west to Mani- toba, North and South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, the Indian Territory, and eastern Texas. Irregularly to Montana, Colorado, Idaho, Oregon, Washington, and California. Acci- dental in England. The Downy Woodpecker, also known as the "Little Sapsucker" and "Little Guinea Woodpecker," is the smallest of our Picidce, closely resembling a Hairy Woodpecker in coloration, but much smaller. Like it, it is an exti^emely hardy 56 LIFE HISTOEIES OP NOETH AMEEIOAN BIEDS. bird, and is equally at home in the boreal regions or in semitropical Florida. Its breeding range is an extensive one and corresponds with its geographical distribution. Although of a more or less roving disposition in winter, in certain localities throughout its range, caused probably by abundance or lack of food, it can not be considered as a strictly migratory bird, as it appears to be a resident even in winter in northern Alaska, a fact that is well attested from the numerous specimens taken there at that season and now in the United States National Museum collection. I notice that the under parts of all the Alaskan specimens and others from the far north are much lighter colored than birds from the southern parts of its range, they also generally average somewhat larger, and if Brydbates villosus leucomelas is considered a good race, our northern Downy Woodpecker would appear to me to be equally well entitled to subspecific rank. I took a single specimen of this northern form, a male, near Fort Custer, Montana, on January 28, 1885, which is identical with the birds found in Alaska, probably a straggler from the far north. I have also seen a perfectly typical specimen of this species, a female, taken by Mr. S. F. Rathbun, near Seattle, Washington, on February 20, 1892. The Downy Woodpecker is more sociable and confiding in man than the Hairy Woodpecker; it likes to take up its home in the vicinity of human habi- tations, and I believe throughout the eastern United States it is more abundant than its larger relative. Unfortunately, it is also considered a Sapsucker, and many of these exceedingly useful little Woodpeckers are killed yearly through lamentable ignorance, under the supposition that they injure the fruit trees by boring in the bark, while in fact they render the horticulturist inestimable service by ridding his orchard of innumerable injurious insects, their eggs and larvae, and few of our native birds deserve our good will more than the little Downy Woodpecker. The most stringent protection is none too good for it. It is one of the most industrious of birds, is always at work hunting for food, and the number of injurious beetles and their larvag, caterpillars, etc., destroyed by a single bird in the course of a season must be enormous. Aside from such a diet, it feeds also on ants and their larvae, spiders and their eggs, and more rarely on small grains, berries, and nuts. It does not object to raw meat, and if a piece is hung up in winter where it can readily get at it, it will pay it regular visits as long as it lasts. It is partial to rather open and cultivated country, interspersed here and there with small woods and orchards; and to the scattering trees and shrubbery of river and creek bottoms, the shade trees along country roads, and along the edges of clearings, and it is even at home in villages. It especially loves to feed in orchards, and also in alders and white birch trees. It beo-ins near the roots and carefully scans every cranny as it hops along, looking now on one side and then on the other, and no lurking insect seems to escape its sharp eye. It is less often met with in the more extensive forests, excepting along water courses, and it does not seem to care much for burnt tracts, which have so much attraction for the Hairy and other Woodpeckers. Although not particu- lai'ly sociable to its own kind, it loves to be in company with other smaller insect- THE DOWNY WOODPBOKBE. 57 ivoroiis birds, such as Chickadees, Nuthatches, and others, especially in winter. It is not as noisy a bird as the majority of Woodpeckers, and utters but few notes, excepting during the mating season when two or three males are in }jur- suit of a female. While searching for food it utters occasionally a low "pshir, pshir." One of its common call notes sounds like "pwit, pwit," terminating with "tehee, tehee, tehee," rapidly repeated. Another note, uttered when a pair are chasing one another, reminds me somewhat of the "kick-kick" of the Flicker, but is not uttered quite as loudl}^ In the early spring the male frequently amuses himself by persistently drumming on some resonant dry limb, often for fifteen minutes at a time, to attract the attention of his mate, or as a challenge to some rival, but later in the season this is less frequently heard. It is exceed- ingly graceful in all its movements on a tree trunk, moving up or down as well as sidewise with equal facility, and I have seen it hanging perfectly motionless for minutes at a time in the same position, apparently as if in deep thought. While at Holland Patent, New York, during the summer of 1893, I had excel- lent opportunities to watch these interesting birds; a pair had raised a brood in a dead limb of a maple tree in the public square of the village, and one or more could be seen about at almost any hour of the day, and I have more than once walked up to within 3 feet of one. As they had never been molested, they were tame, and allowed themselves to be closely approached. The young of the year were, apparently, much more suspicious than the old birds. In the more southern portions of its range, as in Florida, nidification usually begins about the middle of April; in New England and along our northern border, from four to five weeks later, and in Alaska rarely before June 1. Apple, pear, cherry, oak, maple, poplar, alder, American linden or basswood, ash, willow, and magnolia trees appear to furnish its favorite nesting sites, and it prefers to dig out a home in some dead limb, or in the dead top of the trunk, but it also nests in live trees, usually selecting those in which the core shows signs of decay. In Florida slender dead saplings are preferred. The entrance hole is just about large enough to admit the body of the bird with somewhat of an effort, perfectly chcular, measuring about IJ inches in diameter. The inner cavity is gradually enlarged toward the bottom, where it is about 3 inches wide, and the sides are chipped smooth; the hole is usually from 6 to 9 inches in depth, and the bottom is covered with a layer of fine chips on which the eggs are deposited. Both sexes assist in this work, and it takes about a week to complete a suitable excavation. After it is finished the male frequently digs out a somewhat shallower one for himself in the same tree, or in another close by. A new site is usually selected each season in the vicinity of the old one, but occasionally this is cleaned out, deepened a little, and used for several years in succession. Each pair of birds lay claim to a certain range, and intruders on this are driven away. The Downy Woodpecker, although small in size, does not lack for courage. Mr. J. W. Preston writes me: " On May 15, 1891, a female Downy was attracted from her nest in a decaying branch of a weeping willow near our house by a Red-headed Woodpecker, which was tapping on the tree trunk. It at once 58 LIFE HISTOEIES OP NORTH AMBEICAN BIEDS. attacked the larger intruder fearlessly, and several times she darted at its head without frightening it away, and at last the defense became so spirited that the Red-head seized the little one by the wing, tearing a secondary therefrom, and flew off with its trophy." The number of eggs laid to a set varies from three to six, sets of four or five being most commonly found; one egg is deposited daily. In the north, as a rule, only a single brood is raised in a season; in the more southern parts of its range it probably raises two. If the first set of eggs are taken, and the entrance hole has not been enlarged, it will often lay a second set in the same cavity, and occasionally a third set. Incubation lasts about twelve days, and the male performs his full share of this duty. The young are diligently cared for, for some time after leaving the nest, and when able to provide for themselves each goes its own way. In the winter they dig shallower excava- tions in dead trees, old stumps, or fence posts in some sheltered situation, in which they spend the nights, and to which they retire during stormy weather. In Florida full sets of fresh eggs may be looked for during the last week in April, and in our Northern States about a month later. The nesting sites vary from 5 up to 50 feet. There is considerable variation in the size of the eggs of this species; like those of all Woodpeckers, they are glossy white in color, and mostly ovate and rounded ovate in shape. " The average measurement of sixty specimens in the United States National Museum collection is 19.40 by 15.08 millimetres, or about 0.76 by 0.59 inch. The lai-gest egg of the series measures 22.35 by 16.26 millimetres, or 0.88 by 0.64 inch; the smallest, 17.78 by 13.46 millimetres, or 0.70 by 0.53 inch. The set to which the smallest egg belongs was taken by Dr. William L. Ralph, in Putnam County, Florida, and one of the five eggs it contained is figured. The cavity was excavated in the dead top of a magnolia tree standing in an open field near woods, 48 feet from the ground. The type specimen. No. 25594 (PL 1, Fig. 24), from a set of five eggs, Ralph collection, was taken as stated above, on April 30, 1892, and represents one of the smallest eggs of the series. 22. Dryobates pubescens gairdnerii (Audubon). GAIRDNER'S WOODPECKEE. Picus gairdnerii Audubon, Ornitliological Biography, V, 1839, 317. Dryobates pubescens gairdnerii Eidgwat, Proceeding U. S. N'atioual Museum, VIII, 1885, 355. (B 77, 299a, E 361a, C 441, U 394a.) GEoanAPHiCAL RANGE: Western North America; from southern California north through Oregon and Washington into British Columbia, to about latitude 55°, and possiblv farther north; east to the eastern slopes of the Sierra Nevada and Cascade ranges and somewhat beyond. G-airdner's Woodpecker, the western representative of the Downy, is prin- cipally distinguishable from it by having the middle and greater wing coverts plain black, or only slightly spotted with white. Its range is apparently rather GAIRDNER'S A\'0()DrECKER. 59 restricted, and seems to be mainly confined to that part of California west of the Sierra Nevadas. Mr. E. W. Nelson reports it as rare in tlie pinon belt of the Panamint and Grapevine mountains during Dr. C. Hart ]\rerriam's explorations in the Death Valley region, in the southeastern parts of this State, in 1891. In Oregon and Washington it probably does not reach very far beyond the eastern slopes of the Cascades, while in central British Columbia it is known to occur as far north as Lake Babine, in about latitude 65°. Among a collection of birds and eggs sent by Mr. R. MacFarlane from Fort St. James was a single skin of this subspecies taken in June, 1889. Gairdner's Woodpecker is more or less a resident and probably breeds wherever found. It is said to be rather common in parts of northern California and in Oregon, but I found it somewhat rare everywhere in the west. It occurs in small numbers about Fort Klamath, Oregon, where I took a set of four slightly incubated eggs, near the Indian Agency, in a dead aspen sapling, on June 9, 1883. The cavity was about 8 inches deep and situated 15 feet from the ground. All of the Klamath birds are typical, and fully as dark underneath as any from the coast. I also met with this or the lately described Batchelder's Woodpecker near Fort Walla Walla, Washington, and on the John Day RiA^er, Oregon, but it was of rare occurrence in both localities, and seemed to be con- fined to the willows near streams. Mr. Rollo H. Beck, of Berrvessa, California, writes me that it is a fairly common resident there, and is principally found along the water courses of the foothills, and only occasionally along the creeks and streams in the valleys. Mr. Charles A. Allen informs me that it breeds in the oaks and willows along the Sacramento River, California, but that it is not common. Its breeding sites seem to be confined to deciduous trees, preferably dead ones, or old stumps, and besides these already mentioned, sycamore and cottonwoods are occasionally used. Their nesting sites are rarely found at any great distance from the ground, usually ranging from 4 to 20 feet up and rarely higher. Its general habits, food, call notes, mode of nidification, etc., are similar to those of the Downy Woodpecker, and the same description will answer for both. As California is a great fruit-growing State, Gairdner's Woodpecker should be especially protected for the good work it does by ridding the orchards of noxious insects and their larvae. In southern California nidification begins sometimes as early as the middle of April, while farther north it is several weeks later; four or five eggs are usually laid to a set, and one is deposited daily. Ordinarily but one brood is raised in a season. The eggs of Gairdner's Woodpecker resemble those of the Downy in every respect, but average a trifle smaller. The average measm'ement of thirty-four specimens in the United States National Museum collection is 18.80 by 14.22 millimetres, or 0.74 by 0.56 inch. The largest egg of the series measures 20.32 by 16 millimetres, or 0.80 by 0.63 inch; the smallest, 17.53 by 13.21 millimetres, or 0.69 by 0.52 inch. The type specimen. No. 19433 (not figured), from a set of four eggs, Bendire collection, was taken by the writer near Fort Klamath, Oregon, on June 9, 1883. 60 LIFE HISTORIES OF NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. 23. Dryobates pubescens oreoecus Batchelder. BATCHELDEK'S WOODPECKER. Dryobates puhescens orececus Batchelder, Auk, VI, July, 1889, 253. (B 77, part; 299a, part; R 361a, part; C 441, part; U 394&.) Geogeaphical range: Rocky Mountains and adjacent mountain regions from Arizona and New Mexico north through Colorado, Wyoming, and Montana, probably to the southern parts of eastern British Columbia and western Alberta, in the Dominion of Canada ; west through Utah and southeastern Idaho to Nevada. Casually to southern California. Batchelder's Woodpecker, recently separated from Gairdner's by Mr. C. F. Batchelder, whose name it bears, is distmguishable from the preceding subspecies by having the under parts pure white instead of smoky brown; the white areas are generally more extended, and the under tail coverts are immaculate instead of being spotted or barred with black. It is also somewhat larger. Like the former, it is distinguishable from Dryobates pulescens by the absence or scarcity of the white markings on the wing coverts. The geographical and breeding range of Batchelder's Woodpecker is as yet but very indefinitely ascertained. Dr. Edgar A. Mearns, United States Army, reports it as breeding sparingly through the Pinus ponderosa belt, ascending into the Spruce zone, on the San Francisco cone, and considers it the rarest of the Woodpeckers found in Arizona. Mr. Denis Gale took a nest and eggs of this subspecies in Boulder County, Colorado, on June 12, 1889. The excavation was found in a half-dead aspen, 30 feet from the ground, and presumably well up in the mountains, as Mr. William G. Smith informs me that it is only a winter visitor in the lower valleys, and is never seen there during warm weather. I found it rare near Fort Custer, Montana, and only obtained a single male specimen, on November 23, 1884, among the willows and cottonwoods on the Little Horn River. Dr. James C. Merrill, United States Army, met with it breeding at Fort Shaw, Montana, early in June, 1879, and tells me that five or six eggs are generally laid to a set, and that the nesting habits are just like those of the Downy Woodpecker. Among some skins recently sent me for examination by the Doctor, from Fort Sherman, Idaho, taken during the winter of 1894 and 1895, are four specimens which certainly can not be referred to either Batchelder's or Gairdner's Wood- peckers; neither can they be called typical ^'■Dryobates pulescens" but two of the specimens -come much nearer the latter than to the other two subspecies, the under tail coverts in all of them being distinctly spotted. I am at a loss where to place them, and it v/ill require a larger series of skins to determine their proper status. Dr. C. Hart Merriam saw a small Woodpecker among some burnt timber in the upper part of Wood River Valley, Idaho, which, in all prob- ability, was referable to this subspecies. The United States National Museum collection also contains specimens from the Bitter Root Valley, Montana; the upper Humboldt Valley, in Nevada; from the head waters of the Cheyenne River, and from Laramie, Wyoming; and it appears to be more common on the BATCHELDEE'S WOODPECKEE. 61 eastern slopes of the Rocky Mountains than on the western and tln-ough the Great Basin regions. It undoubtedly is also found in the Rocky Mountain regions of southern British Columbia and the Province of Alberta. Its gen- eral habits, food, etc., resemble those of the two preceding subspecies in every way. The eggs are also similar. The average measurement of eleven specimens is 19.05 by 15.24 millimetres, or 0.75 by 0.60 inch. The largest egg measures 19.81 by 15.24 millimetres, or 0.78 by 0.60 inch; the smallest, 17.53 by 14.99 miUimetres, or 0.69 by 0.59 inch. The type specimen. No. 21945 (not figured), from a set of four eggs, was taken by Dr. James C. Merrill, United States Army, near Fort Shaw, Montana, on June 12, 1879. 24. Dryobates borealis (Vieillot). EED-COCKADED WOODPECKEE. Picus borealis Vieillot, Oiseaux Amerique Septentrionale, II, 1807, 66. Dryobates borealis Eidgwat, Proceedings U. S. National Museum, VIII, 1885, 355. (B 80, 296, E 362, C 433, U 395.) Geogkaphical range: Southeastern United States; uortli to North Carolina, Tennessee, Arkansas, and the Indian Territory; west to eastern Texas. Casually to New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Kentucky. The Red-cockaded Woodpecker, a common resident of our South Atlantic and Grulf States, is particularly abundant in the pine forests of South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida. In the northern half of North Carolina it is rather rare, but it probably breeds in the vicinity of Raleigh, as Mr. H. H. Brimley shot a female there in pine woods on April 22, 1891. There are also several specimens in the United States National Museum collection from Roane Count's', Tennessee ; it has likewise been reported from Newport, in northeastern Arkansas, and from the Indian Territory; these points probably mark the northern limits of its breeding range. Mr. Henry Nehrling found it not uncommon in the flat, sandy pine woods in southeastern Texas, which marks the western limits of its known range. The majority of observers state that it is strictly a bird of the pines, and that it breeds only in trees of that kind, while Mr. Nehi-ling says that it usually excavates its nesting sites in deciduous trees, and Mr. E. A. Mcllhenny writes me that in southern Louisiana it generally nests in willow and china trees. The Red-cockaded Woodpecker is reported to be one of the noisiest members of this family, but at the same time more sociable in disposition than other species. Its call notes are said to be uttered in a rather petulant manner, and Alexander Wilson comp^es them to the querulous cries of young birds. Its food, like that of all our Woodpeckers, consists mainly of small insects and their larvae, cocoons, and spiders, and, in summer, to some extent of berries and fruits. Mr. E. A. Mcllhenny writes that in southern Louisiana the fig crop ripens during their breeding season, and that the young are fed to a considerable 62 LIFE HISTORIES OF KOETH AMEEICAlJr BIRDS. extent on them, the parent taking the stem of a fig in its beak and carrying it entire to the nest. Audubon mentions poke and smilax berries, grapes, and pine flowers as being eaten by them. In Florida, South CaroHna, and Louisiana nidification commences rather early, sometimes in February;, but full sets of eggs are rarely found before the last week in April, and the majority of these birds commence laying about May 1. Mr. Arthur T. Wayne writes me from Mount Pleasant, South Carolina, on this subject as follows: " The Red-cockaded Woodpecker prefers the long- leaf pine to breed in, but I have also found the nest in the short-leaf species. In this vicinity the hole is invariable excavated in a live pine, and sometimes as many as six holes are found in a single tree. It never lays until the gum pours freely from the tree it nests in, and to hasten its flow the birds dig into the tree on all sides, above and below the hole. The height of its nesting site varies from 20 to 70 feet." Trees in which the heart is diseased are usually selected for such a purpose, and the cavity is excavated in the main trunk of the tree, ordinarily from 25 to 35 feet from the ground. The entrance hole, which is about 2 inches in diameter, frequently passes through 6 inches of solid wood before it reaches the somewhat softer decayed inner parts of the tree, and the nesting cavity, which is gradually enlarged toward the bottom, varies from 6 to 10 inches in depth by about 3 J inches in diameter. Both sexes assist in this labor, as well as in incubation, which lasts about fourteen days. Ordinarily onlyone brood is raised in a season, but from the fact that Mr. Henry -Nehrling found young in July which had only recently left the nest, it is possible that a second brood is occasionally reared. Dr. William L. Ralph tells me that this species is quite common in the low, flat pine woods in Putnum County, Florida, where he has found several of its nests. All of these were excavated in the trunks of live pine trees, and it took considerable labor to get at the eggs ; these are three or four in number, rarely more. The eggs of this Woodpecker are pure glossy white, and mostly elliptical ovate in shape. The shell is moderately strong, close grained, and semitranslucent. when fresh. The average measurement of twenty-three specimens in the United States National Museum collection is 24.07 by 17.46 millimetres, or about 0.95 by 0.69 inch. The largest egg measures 26.42 by 18.54 millimetres, or 1.04 by '0.73 inches; the smallest, 22.10 by 17.27 millimetres, or 0.87 by 0.68 inch. The type specimen. No. 24724 (not figured), from a set of four eggs, was taken by Dr. William L. Ralph on May 9, 1891, near San Mateo, Putnam County, Florida. BAIED'S WOODPECKER 63 25. Dryobates scalaris bairdi (Sclatee). BAIED'S WOODPECKEE. Picus bairdi (Sclatbe's MSS.) Malherbb, Monograph of tlie Picidae, 1, 1861, 118, PL 27. Dryobates scalaris bairdi Eidgway, Manual of North American Birds, 1887, p. 285. (B 79, C 297, E 363, 434, U 396.) Geographical range : Northern Mexico and southern border of the United States, from Texas through southern New Mexico and Arizona to southeastern California; north to southern Nevada and southwestern Utah. Baird's Woodpecker, also known as "Texan Sapsucker" and "Ladder- backed Woodpecker," is generally resident and breeds wherever found. It attains about the northern limits of its range in southwestern Utah, where Dr. C. Hart Merriam met with it near the mouth of the Santa Clara River; he also observed it at Upper Cottonwood Springs, at the eastern base of the Charleston Mountains, Nevada, and an adult male was taken by him on Beaverdam River, in northwestern Arizona, on May 9, 1891. This extends its northern range to about latitude 37°. In Texas and New Mexico it is rarely met with north of latitude 34°. The western limits of its range are found in southeastern Califorg.ia, in San Bernardino County. Mr. F. Stephens, who is well known as an accurate observer, writes me on this subject: "I have taken Baird's Woodpecker, mated, in April, in the eastern end of the San Gorgonio Pass, in San Bernardino County, California, and also at other times and places in the Colorado desert, where it is not as common, however, as Nuttall's Woodpecker." Dr. A. K. Fisher took two specimens on January 4 and 5, 1891, at Hesperia, in the same county. The eastern limit of its range appears to be found in southeastern Texas, where Mr. Hemy Nehrling reports it as common in all the wooded districts of Harris, Montgomery, Gralveston, and Fort Bend counties, and from our present knowl- edge it appears to occur throughout the greater part of this State, excepting the northern and northeastern portions. Baird's Woodpecker is but a trifle larger than the Downy, and its habits, call notes, food, etc., are very similar. It prefers the lowlands and river bottoms to the uplands, and it is rarely found at altitudes above 4,000 feet. I found it common in the mesquite groves on the Santa Cruz River, between Tucson and the Papago Mission Church, Arizona, and much less so among the cottonwoods and willows on Rillito Creek. In Arizona it is also met with in the oak belt, but apparently not in the pines. Mr. W. E. D. Scott states: "I have frequently met with Baird's Woodpecker in the Cholla region in Arizona, digging in the ground at the roots of a cactus. They are at times gregarious. I particularly noticed this in December, 1885, when I often met with this species in flocks of from four to a dozen on the plains at an altitude of 3,000 feet. I have found the species breeding in May at an altitude of 3,500 feet. On May 27, 1884, I found a nest in a mesquite tree, which contained five eggs nearly ready to hatch; the opening to the nest was 14 feet from the ground."^ ' The Auk, Vol. Ill, 1886, p. 426. 64 LIFE HISTOEIES OF NOETH AMEEIOAN BIEDS. Baird's Woodpecker, like several other sj^ecies, is very fond of the ripe fig- like fruit of the giant cactus, and I have met it more than once in Sahuarito Pass, Arizona, eating it on the ground. It nests by preference in mesquite trees, one of our hardest woods, and it must require a long time to chisel out a nesting site in one of these trees. While it is true that the heart is usually more or less decayed, the birds have first to work through an inch or two of solid wood which is almost impervious to a sharp ax. Dr. James C. Merrill, United States Army, reports Baird's Woodpecker as a common resident in the vicinity of Fort Brown, Texas, and that he took several sets of its eggs there; it was also met with by Mr. G. B. Sennett near Hidalgo, Texas, where a nest was found on April 29 containing three young birds and a sterile egg. In Texas it has also been found nesting in hackberry and china trees, as well as in telegraph poles and fence posts. In southern New Mexico and Arizona it nests sometimes in the flowering stems of the agave plant and also in yucca trees, and I have found it nesting on Rillito Creek, Arizona, in a small dead willow sapling not over 3J inches in diameter. The cavity was about 12 feet from the ground and 10 inches in depth, and the entrance hole a trifle over 1 J inches in diameter. This nest was found on June 8, 1872, and contained only two eggs, in which incubation was about one-half advanced; the eggs laid on fine chips. The nesting sites are placed at various distances from the ground, from 3 to 30, usually from 6 to 14 feet. Dead branches of trees or partly decayed ones seem to be preferred to live ones. From two to five eggs are laid to a set, usually four or five, and incubation, in which both sexes assist, lasts about thirteen days. In the lower Rio Grande Valley full sets of fresh eggs are sometimes found by the middle of April, but throughout the greater part of its range' not until the first week in May. I believe one brood only is raised, as a rule, in a season; but, as fresh eggs are sometimes found as late as July, it is probable that a second brood is occasion- ally reared. The eggs of Baird's Woodpecker are glossy white in color, fine grained, and mostly oval or elliptical oval in shape, varying occasionally to elliptical ovate. The average measurement of fifty-seven specimens, mostly from the Ralph collection and taken in the lower Rio Grande Valley, is 20.74 by 15.92 milli- metres, or about 0.82 by 0.63 inch. The largest egg of the series measures 22.10 by 16.76 millimetres, or 0.87 by 0.66 inch; the smallest, 17.27 by 15.49 millimetres, or 0.68 by 0.61 inch, and a runt in the collection measures only 14.48 by 11.43 millimetres, or 0.57 by 0.45 inch. The type specimen, No. 20904 (not figured), from a set of four eggs, was taken by Dr. James C Merrill, United States Army, near Fort Brown, Texas, on May 23, 1877. THE ST. LUCAS WOODPECKER. 65 26. Dryobates scalaris lucasanus (Xantus). ST. LUCAS WOODPECKEE. Picus lucasanus Xantus, Proceedings Academy Natural Sciences, Philadelphia, 1859, 298. Dryobates scalaris lucasanus Eidgway, Proceedings U. S. National Museum, VIII, 1885, 355. (J3 — , C 2976, E 363a, C 436, U 396a.) Geographical kange: Lower California; casual (?) in southern California. The St. Lucas Woodpecker, a closely allied race to Baird's Woodpecker, is a common resident in the southern portions of the peninsula of Lower California, where it was discovered by Mr. J. Xantus, near Cape St. Lucas, and described in the "Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Sciences in Philadelphia, Penn- sylvania, in 1859." Mr. Walter E. Bryant, in his "Catalogue of the Birds of Lower California," makes the following remarks about this subspecies: "I first met with this Woodpecker on Santa Margarita Island, and afterwards collected specimens as far north as latitude 28°; Mr. Belding found it very common at the Cape region, but rarely saw any in the Victoria Mountains."^ Mr. A. W. Anthony took a specimen at San Telmo, Lower California, on April 30, 1893, and saw others there, and Mr. W. W. Price took another on April 29, 1889, at White Water, San Diego County, California, which extends the range of this subspecies considerably to the northward. Mr. Gerritt S. Miller, jr., of Cambridge, Massachusetts, who records the capture of the above specimen, which is now in his collection, says in referring to it: "Mr. Price writes me that the specimen was shot from a telegraph pole about 3 miles west of the station of White Water. Woodpeckers, apparently of the same kind, were seen on several other occasions on the telegraph poles along the line of the Southern Pacific Railroad, near White Water, but they were very shy and no more could be killed. The birds were nesting in the telegraph poles, there being no other wood in the region."^ The eggs of the St. Lucas Woodpecker I believe remain still undescribed, but are probably indistinguishable from those of the preceding subspecies, and its general habits also appear to be very similar. 27. Dryobates nuttallii (Gtambel). NUTTALL'S WOODPECKER. Picus nuttallii Gambel, Proceedings Academy Natural Sciences, Philadelphia, April, 1843, 259. Dryobates nuttallii Eidgway, Proceedings TJ. S. National Museum, VIII, 1885, 355. (B 78, 297«, E 364, C 435, U 397.) Geographical range: Northern Lower California from the San Pedro Martir Mountains, north through California to southern Oregon (Umpqua Valley), west of the Sierra Nevada and Cascade Mountains. Nuttall's Woodpecker, which is about the same size as the Texan Wood- pecker, is an inhabitant of the lower foothill regions throughout its range, and is ' Proceedings of the California Academy of Sciences, 2d series, Vol. II, 1889, p. 286. 2 The Auk, Vol. XI, 1894, p. 178. 16896— No. 3 5 QQ LIFE HISTOEIBS OF NORTH AMEEICAN BIRDS. most common in the oak belt and the deciduous trees along water courses, rarely being met with among the conifers. It is a resident and breeds throughout the greater portion of California west of the Sierra Nevadas, but is nowhere especially common. In southern Oregon it appears to be rare, and the only specimens recorded from this State are the one taken by Dr. J. S. Newberry in the Umpqua Valley, which is in the United States National Museum, but has no date on the label, and another taken near Ashland, now in the collection of the United States Department of Agriculture, Washington, D. C. It is apparently more abundant in southern California than elsewhere. Mr. F. Stephens reports it there as a common resident below the pine region, in which it occurs but sparingly. Mr. Charles A. Allen writes me: "It breeds among the oak groves and perhaps among the willows along the Sacramento River, but I never found it far away from the oaks. Its habits are similar to those of Gairdner's Woodpecker, but its notes are quite different — so much so as to be appreciated even by a novice." Mr. H.W. Henshaw describes the call of Nuttall's Woodpecker as consisting of a series of loud rattling notes, much prolonged, and says: "They can not be compared with those of any other Woodpecker with which I am acquainted." He further states: " This Woodpecker is a bird particularly of the oak groves, and ranges from the lower valleys of the mountains to a height of at least 6,000 feet, where, near Fort Tejon, I found it fairly numerous among the pines, this being the only locality where I found it among the conifers." ^ Mr. A. W. Anthony, in his list of "Birds of San Pedro Martir, Lower California," published in "Zoe" (Vol. IV, p. 236), says: "Common along all the timbered streams as high as 4,000 feet, or the limit of the live oaks and sycamores." Mr. Rollo H. Beck, of Berryessa, California, writes me as follows: "Nuttall's Woodpecker is a fairly common resident in the mountains to the east of Santa Clara County. It seems to prefer the oak trees to other kinds, climbing up and down the limbs, much the same as Grairdner's does, in the search for grubs and insects. On May 13, 1892, I found a female digging a cavity for a nest on the under side of a dead oak limb, about 24 feet from the ground; the cavity was about 8 inches deep and not yet completed. Next day, while walking down a small gulch, I saw a female fly from a hole in a sycamore limb, which had been split off from the main trunk and lodged on a limb of another tree close by. The under side of the limb was dead, but the upper part was still living. Red- shafted Flickers had dug several holes in the same limb, and one of these contained eggs. I procured a rope and returned to this tree about four hours later, and when I had climbed to within 4 feet of the nest the female flew off. On examination I found that the nest contained young, just hatched; both parents remained close by and uttered notes of protest until I left. They appear to be partial to gulches, where white and live oak trees are numerous, and I have not noticed any in the valleys, among the willows along streams, where Grairdner's Woodpeckers are common." 'Geographical Surveys West of the 100th Meridian, 1876, p. 258. NUTTALL'S WOODPEOKEE. 67 Mr. B. T. Gault published an interesting article on Nuttall's Woodpecker in "Bulletin II, Ridgway Ornithological Club," April, 1887 (pp. 78-81), from which I extract the following: "Although I have been as far south as San Diego, California, and as far north as the Russian River, Sonoma County, stop- ping at intermediate points, I have observed this bird at but one locality. This assertion, however, may not cut any figure, for my stops were necessarily short in some places. The region I refer to lies at the upper end of the San Bernar- dino Valley and back from the coast about 50 miles. It is near a ranche known as 'Crafton Retreat.' "I had been out on the bowlder plain several hours, on the morning of April 23, 1883, collecting birds, and spying a clump of elder bushes in the distance, not far from the brook, the thought occurred to me that I might take a rest beneath their shade and at the same time be ready for any bird that put in an appearance. These bushes, or more properly trees, are a great deal larger shrub than our eastern plant, their trunks growing from 4 to 8 inches through; and if they are not the same species, their umbellate blossoms are strikingly similar, if not identical, to those of oui- common eastern shrub (Samhucus cana- densis). I had hardly seated myself on an arm of the shrub when my atten- tion was attracted to a hole in the main trunk, directly above my head. At almost the same instant a bird appeared at the opening from within, and dodged back again as soon as she saw me. The movement was executed so quickly that I was unable to tell whether it was a Wren or a Woodpecker, but concluded that it was the latter. Upon examination of the aperture it seemed to have been lately made. Of course I thought that there would be no trouble in dislodging her, and commenced to rap on the trunk of the shrub with the butt of my gun; but this seemed to have no effect. I then walked back about 50 feet, and, taking a stand, waited from ten to fifteen minutes in the hope that she would come out, affording me an opportunity to secure her and thus solve the mystery, but in this maneuver I was also baffled. I then went up to the bush and shouted with all my might, but this did not shake her nervous system in the least, when I finally resorted to my jackknife in order to enlarge the orifice, but, from its being such a tedious job, gave it up in disgust. The next morning I took a hatchet along with me, for I desired very much to know what that hole con- tained. It did not take me very long to cut a place large enough for me to get my hand in, and I was thoroughly surprised to learn that the bird was stiU on her nest. I pulled her out, and she appeared to be stupefied — dead, appar- ently — but soon revived. Upon further inspection I found that the nest con- tained eggs. The bird proved to be a female Nuttall's Woodpecker, and the eggs were pretty well advanced in incubation and would have hatched in a few days. "The nest, which was about b^ feet from the ground, was nearly a foot deep and about 5 inches wide. The hole at the entrance to the nest was but a little larger than a silver half dollar. The eggs were six in number, their dimen- sions being 0.85 by 0.66, 0.87 by 0.65, 0.82 by 0.64, 0.85 by 0.66, 0.85 by 0.66, 68 LIFE HISTORIES OF NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. and 0.84 by 0.64 inch, respectively. By the above measurements one will readily see that the eggs average A'ery evenly. They are of a pearly white color, and seem to taper off, being more pointed at the small end than is usually the case among the Picidce. The male of this pair (for these were the only ones seen in the vicinity) was shot a little while before at the brook. I afterwards observed some of these birds among the oaks in the foothill canyons, hearing their notes for the first time. Dr. Cooper mentions taking the female from the nest, and perhaps this may be characteristic of the species — indeed, it may be of fre- quent occurrence among Woodpeckers; but of the many Woodpeckers' nests^ that I have examined none have been so persistent in holding the fort as Dryo- bates nuttallii." Their food appears to consist mainly of insects and their larvae, and prob- ably occasionally of berries and fruits. Its favorite nesting sites are in oaks, sycamores, cottonwoods, and occasionally in elders, willows, and the giant cactus, generally in dead limbs or old stubs, and usually at no very great height from the ground. Nidification usually commences early in April and continues through May. Only one brood is raised in a season, but if the eggs are taken a second set is laid about two weeks later. Both sexes assist in the excavation of the nesting site, as well as in incubation, which lasts probably about fourteen days. Nuttall's Woodpecker, like the majority of this family, is a devoted parent, and loath to leave its eggs or young, frequently allowing itself to be caught on the liest. It is a very beneficial species to the horticulturist, and deserves the fullest protection. The number of eggs to a set varies from four to six, sets of four being most often found. They are usually short ovate in shape, occasionally ovate. The shell is fine grained, strong, pure white in color, and rather glossy. The average measurement of twenty-two specimens in the United States National Museum collection is 21.34 by 16.19 millimetres, or about 0.84 by 0.64 inch. The largest egg measures 23.62 by 16 miUimetres, or 0.93 by 0.63 inch; the smallest, 19.30 by 15.75 millimetres, or 0.76 by 0.62 inch. The type specimen. No. 26631 (not figured), from a set of four eggs, Ralph collection, was taken near Lakeside, San Diego County, California, on May 5, 1890. 28. Dryobates arizonae (Hargitt). ARIZONA WOODPECKER. Pieus arizonm Haegitt, Ibis, 1886, 115. Dryobates arizonm Ridgway, Manual of North American Birds, 1887, 286. (B _, C — , R 365, C 437, U 398.) Geogeaphioal eange : Southern Arizona, southwestern New Mexico, and adjacent portions of western Mexico to Zacatecas and Jalisco. The range of the Arizona Woodpecker within the United States is a rather restricted one, it having as yet been obtained only in the Chiricahua, Huachuca, Santa Rita, and Santa Catalina mountains, in southern Arizona, and on the east THE ARIZONA WOODPECKER. 69 side of the St. Luis Mountains, near the international boundary hne, in south- western New Mexico, where Dr. E. A. Mearns, United States Army, collected several specimens in June, 1892; but it does not appear to be very common anywhere. It is probably a resident and breeds wherever found It was first added to our fauna by Mr. H. W. Henshaw, who considers it as not uncommon in the foothills of the Chiricahua Mountains, where he took several specimens in the latter part of August, 1874, and states: "This rare Woodpecker is a common species on the foothills of the Chiricahua Mountains, where it was one of the first birds that met my eye when the section where it abounds was first entered. * * * So far as I could ascertain, at this season at least, it is confined to the region of oaks, ranging from about 4,000 to 7,000 feet, thus inhabiting a region about midway between the low valleys and the mountain districts proper. Here they appeared to be perfectly at home, climbing over the trunks of the oaks with the same ease and rapidity of movement that distinguish the motions of the Downy or Hairy Woodpecker, though their habits, in so far as they are at all peculiar, are perhaps best comparable to those of the Red-cockaded Woodpecker of the South (Bryohates borealis), espe- cially their custom of moving about in small companies of from five to fifteen, though they were occasionally found singly or in pairs. "When in pursuit of food, they almost always alighted near the base of the trees, gradually ascending and making their way along the smaller limbs and even out among the foliage, appearing to prefer to secure their food by a careful search than by the hard labor of cutting into the wood in the way the Hairy Woodpecker employs its strength. * * * X found them at all times rather shy and gifted with very little of that prying curiosity which is seen in some of the better-known species of this family; and if by chance I surprised a band feeding among the low trees, a sharp warning note from some member more watchful than the rest communicated alarm to the whole assembly, when they took flight immediately, showing great dexterity in dodging behind trunks and limbs, and making good their retreat by short flights from one tree to another till they were out of sight." ^ Mr. F. Stephens found a nest containing young birds in the Santa Rita Mountains on May 16, 1880, in a sycamore tree; and Mr. W. E. D. Scott records another, found on May 27, 1884, in the Catalina Mountains, in an oak, about 10 feet from the ground. He says: "The nest was much like that of the Hairy Woodpecker, save that the opening was a little smaller. It contained tliree young birds about two-thirds grown and half feathered." ^ The habits of the Arizona Woodpecker are probably very similar to those of the other' members of the genus Dryobates, and this species seems to be principally confined to the oak belt and the timber of the foothills along the few streams found in the regions it inhabits. Lieut. H. C. Benson, Fourth Cavalry, United States Army, as well as Dr. A. K. Fisher, met with it in the vicinity of 'U. S. Geographical Surveys West of the lOOth Meridian, Vol. V, 1875, pp. 389, 390. = The Auk, Vol. Ill, 1886, p. 426. 70 LIFE HISTORIES OF NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. Fort Huachuca, and the latter also found it in the Chiricahua Mountains, south of Fort Bowie. He tells me that on May 14, while collecting in Garden Canyon, in the Huachuca Mountains, a mile or more above the Post garden, he found a nest of this species in a large maple which overhung a stream. The cavity was situated in a dry branch, about 20 feet from the ground, and was about a foot in depth. It contained four young, which were still naked. I have only seen one set of eggs of this species, which were taken near Fort Huachuca, Arizona, in May, 1890. They are usually three or four in number; the shell is close grained and glossy; they measure 21.08 by 16 millimeters, or 0.83 by 0.63 inch, and resemble the eggs of Baird's Woodpecker very closely. There are no specimens in the United States National Museum collection. 29. Xenopicus albolarvatus (Cassin). WHITE-HEADED WOODPECKER. LeuGonerpes albolarvatus Cassin, .Proceedings Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia, October, 1850, 106. Xenopicus albolarvatus Malhekbe, Monograph of the Picidse, II, 1862, 221. (B 81, C 295, R 366, 442, U 399.) Gbog-eaphical kangb: Higher mountain ranges of western North America; from southern California north through Oregon and Washington to southern British Columbia; east to western Nevada and western Idaho. The habitat of the White-headed Woodpecker is restricted to the higher mountain ranges of the Pacific province. It is a bird of the pine and fir forests, and is usually resident and breeds wherever found. It is most common at altitudes of from 6,000 to 9,000 feet, but in winter it descends somewhat lower, and may then be sometimes seen as low as 3,000 feet, and occasionally even near sea level, Mr. S. Hubbard, jr., having taken a specimen near Gray's Harbor, Washington, as recorded in "Zoe" (July, 1892, p. 141). It has been met with at Similkameen, in the Cascade Mountains, in southern British Columbia, which marks the northern limit of its known range; at Mount Idaho and near Fort Sherman, Idaho, which marks the eastern, and in the Volcan Mountains, in Cali- fornia, which is the most southern record for this species. Mr. Robert Ridgway found it not uncommon near Carson City, while Mr. H. W. Henshaw observed it at Lake Tahoe, Nevada, and I met with it in the Blue Mountains, near Camp Harney, Oregon, where it was rarel}' seen. Its center of abundance appears to be found in the higher Sierra Nevadas, in California, and in the Cascade Mountains, in Oregon. Both Dr. J. C. Merrill, United States Arm}-, and myself found it common at Fort Klamath in winter, but none apparently bred near the Post. The only nest found be me there was on the slopes of Crater Lake Moun- tain, about 12 miles north of Fort Klamath, at an estimated altitude of about 6,500 feet. The nesting site was excavated in an old pine stump, about 15 feet from the ground, and contained four slightly incubated eggs on May 29, 1883. THE WHITE-HEADED WOODPECKER. 71 In the Blue Mountains, near Camp Harney, Oregon, this species was rare, but I found two nests there, one on May 25, 1875, containing two fresh eggs, in a dead Hmb of a pine, and about 25 feet from the ground. The other was found on May 6, 1877, containing four fresh eggs; the cavity was located in a dead pine stump, about 15 feet from the ground, near Ruby's sawmill, on the Canyon City road, at an altitude of about 5,500 feet; it was about 10 inches deep, the entrance hole being circular and about If inches in diameter; the eggs were placed on a layer of fine chips, and, I believe, were the first described of this species. Mr. L. Belding writes: "Common in the fir forests of the Sierra Nevada from about 4,000 feet upward; most numerous at about 5,000 feet. Rare in the tamaracks. * * * Its burrows are often within 2 or 3 feet of the ground. I have seen two nests in cuts for shakes or shingles, made after the tree was sawed into sections, and one in a small, short stub of a dogwood {Cornus nuttaiuy, May 25, 1879, first full set of eggs, taken at Big Trees. At Bloods, 7,200 feet altitude, I have taken them as late as July 17. The eggs are usually four, although I have seen five. In winter it is found sparingly in the upper edge of the foothills, at 3,000 feet altitude. I found it rather common about Big Trees in the mild January of 1879, until 2 feet of snow fell, after which none were seen."^ It is found on both sides of the Sierra Nevadas, but seems to be much more common on the western slope. Mr. F. Stephens writes me: '■^ Xenopicus alholar- vatus is a resident of the pine regions of southern California, but is not common excepting possibly in a few localities. I have never observed it below the pines. I have taken incubating birds in June in the Cuyamaca Mountains at altitudes of about 7,000 feet. The nesting sites here were in very large dead pine trees and inaccessible. The white head makes the bird easily recognizable ; its notes are somewhat different from those of other Woodpeckers in this region, and seem to me more like those oi Dryobates arizonoi. On June 19, 1893, I found a nest of this bird in the San Jacinto Mountains, at an altitude of about 5,800 feet, in a rotten pine stub about 9 feet from the ground; it contained three young of different ages, the eldest being able to fly a very little." Mr. Rollo H. Beck informs me that he found this species fairly common in the pine timber near the road from Murphy's to the Yosemite Valley, California, and that he discovered three nests with young on June 8, 1893. These were all located in cavities in dead pine stumps, from 6 to 15 feet from the ground. A nest containing three fresh eggs was also discovered in a similar stump only 4 feet from the ground, the cavity being 8 inches deep. He writes also : "I noticed one of these birds on some fallen logs near the road, busily engaged in catching spiders, searching for grubs, and frequently flying after passing insects, catching them in mid-air in the manner of the California Woodpecker." Dr. James C. Merrill, United States Army, makes the following interesting remarks about this species, as observed by him at Fort Klamath, and as these entirely agree with my own, I give them entire: 'Land Birds of the Pacific District, California Academy of Sciences, II, 1890, p. 63. 72 LIFE HISTORIES OF NOETH AMERICAN BIRDS. "Xenopicus albolarvatus. — This interesting Woodpecker was first observed Noveinber 9 ; by December it had become rather abundant, and so continued until the latter part of February, but after the middle of March none were seen. During the breeding season careful search failed to reveal its presence near the fort, nor was it found in the higher mountains north of the valley in July and August. One would think that the peculiar coloration of the White-headed Woodpecker would make it very conspicuous and its detection an easy matter, but this is by no means the case, at least about Fort Klamath. On most of the pines in this vicinity there are many short stubs of small broken branches projecting an inch or two from the main trunk. When the sun is shining these projections are lighted up in such a manner as to appear quite white at a little distance, and they often cast a shadow exactly resembling the black body of the bird. In winter, when a little snow has lodged on these stubs, the resemblance is even greater, and almost daily I was misled by this deceptive appearance, either mistaking a stub for a bird or the reverse. "I have rarely heard this Woodpecker hammer, and even tapping is rather uncommon. So far as I have observed, and during the winter I watched it cai-efuUy, its principal supply of food is obtained in the bark, most of the pines having a very rough bark, scaly and deeply fissured. The bird uses its bill as a crowbar rather than as a hammer or chisel, prying off the successive scales and laj'^ers of bark in a very characteristic way. This explains the fact of its being such a quiet worker, and, as would be expected, it is most often seen near the base of the tree, where the bark is thickest and roughest. It must destroy immense numbers of Scolytidce, whose larvae tunnel the bark so extensively, and of other insects that crawl beneath the scales of bark for shelter during winter. I have several times imitated the work of this bird by prying off the successive layers of bark, and have been astonished at the great number of insects, and especially of spiders, so exposed. As the result of this, and of its habit of so searching for food, the White-headed Woodpeckers killed here were loaded with fat to a degree I have never seen equaled in any land bird, and scarcely surpassed by some Sandpipers in autumn. "Though not shy, and with care generally approachable to within a short distance, it is watchful and suspicious, and seems to know very well what is going on, even if it does not see fit to fly away, though it is more apt to do this than to dodge around the trunk. The flight is direct, and rather slow and heavy. Its skull is noticeably less hard and dense than that of Bryobates Jiarrisii or Picus arcticus. During the winter it is silent, the only sound I have heard it make being a harsh screech when wounded." ^ Since then the Doctor has also found it during the winter of 1894-95 near Fort Sherman, Idaho, where it is not uncommon, and probably breeds in the mountains in the vicinity. ' The Auk, Vol. V, 1888, p. 253. THE WHITE-HEADED WOODPEOKBE. 73 I consider the White-headed Woodpecker a rather silent and more sedate bird than most of the other members of this family, the only note I ha\e heard it utter being a sharp, clear "witt-witt" as it passes from one tree to another. During the winter its food consists principally of spiders and insects and their larvge; and in summer, as Mr. Charles A. Allen, of Nicasio, California, informs me, "It feeds its young on the large black ants with which all the dead pines and stumps are covered at that time of year." Nidification usually begins about the middle of May and continues through June. The sexes relieve each other in the preparation of the nesting site, which is usually located in a dead stub of a pine or fir; one that is partly decayed seems to be preferred as it rarely excavates one in solid, hard wood. The nesting sites are seldom situated over 15 feet from the ground, and sometimes as low as 2 feet. The entrance hole is about IJ inches wide, perfectly circular, and just large enough to admit the bird; the inner cavity gi'adually widens towards the bottom, and is usually from 8 to 12 inches deep, the eggs lying on a slight layer of fine chips, in which they become well embedded as incubation advances. Occasionally a rather peculiar site is selected. Mr. Charles A. Allen found a nest of this species in a post in one of the snow sheds on the Central Pacific Railroad, between Blue Canyon and Emigrant Gap, about 40 feet from the entrance of the shed, and some thirty trains passed daily within a few feet of the nest, which contained six eggs when found. Incubation lasts about fom^een days, and both sexes assist in this, as well as in the care of the young, which are born blind and remain so until about half grown. The number of eggs to a set varies from three to seven, sets of four being most common. There is only a single set of five in the United States National Museum collection, taken by Mr. L. Belding, at Big Trees, California, on June 8, 1879; but Mr. Charles A. Allen writes me that he has found seven eggs in one of their nests. These vary in shape from ovate to short ovate ; the shell is pure white, fine grained, and only moderately glossy. When fresh and unblown they are of a delicate pinkish tint and semitranslucent, and the yolk can be plainly seen; as incubation advances they become more and more opaque. The average measurement of forty-one specimens in the United States National Museum collection is 24 by 18.07 millimetres, or about 0.95 by 0.71 inch. The largest egg of the series measures 25.40 by 19.30 millimetres, or 1.00 by 0.76 inch; the smallest, 21.84 by 17.78 milHmetres, or 0.86 by 0.70 inch. The type specimen, No. 19436 (not figured), from a set of four eggs, Ben- dire collection, was taken by the writer, near Camp Harney, Oregon, on May 6, 1877. 74 LIFE HISTOEIBS OF NOETH AMERICAN BIEDS. 30. Picoides arcticus (Swainson). ARCTIC THREE-TOED WOODPECKER. Picus {Apternus) arcticus SwAiNSON, Fauua Boreali Americana, II, 1831, 313. Picoides arcticus Geay, Genera of Birds, 1, 1845, 434. (B 82, 300, E 367, G 443, U 400.) Geographical RANaE: Northern North America; south to the northern border of the eastern United States ; regularly to northern New England and the northern parts of New York, Michigan, Wisconsin, and Minnesota; casually to Massachusetts, northern Connecticut, northern Pennsylvania, and northern Illinois. In the Eocky Mountains to Montana and Idaho, and in the western United States south to California and Nevada to about latitude 39° (Lake Tahoe), and possibly still farther south in the Sierra Nevada in winter. The northern hmits of the range of the Arctic or Black-backed Three-toed Woodpecker are not yet very well defined, and, judging from the few specimens from far northern localities in the United States National Museum collection, it appears to be much rarer there than the next species. It certainly must be considered a rare resident in Labrador, as Mr. L. M. Turner obtained only a single specimen during several years' residence in the district of Ungava. This was taken at the "Forks" on December 18, 1882, and none were observed by him in the vicinity of . Fort Chimo. There are several specimens in the collec- tion from Moose Factory, James Bay, and others from Forts Rae and Providence, on Great Slave Lake; from Fort Chipewayan, on Lake Athabasca, and a single one from Fort Reliance, on the Upper Yukon River, Alaska, in latitude 64° N., which marks about the most northern point of its known range. The Museum possesses another Alaska specimen also, taken in March, 1893, by Mr. C. L. McKay, on the Mechatna River, and it appears to be rare here also. Its south- ern limits are much better defined, and include the northern border of the eastern United States, reaching the southern point of its range in the Adirondacks, New York, in about latitude 44°, where it also breeds; and occasionally stragglers are taken somewhat farther south in winter — in Massachusetts, for instance; it is also recorded from Connecticut, northern Pennsylvania, and northern Illinois. It is not uncommon in the northern parts of Michigan, Wisconsin, and Minne- sota, and breeds in suitable localities in all these States. It does not appear to occur in the southern Rocky Mountains in the United States, excepting in Mon- tana, but it is abundant in the Cascade Mountains, Oregon, and in the Sierra Nevadas in California and Nevada, south to about latitude 39° (Lake Tahoe). It has also been met with in Washington, Idaho, and eastern British Columbia, and is said to be common in the wooded parts of Manitoba; it is certain also to occur in suitable localities in Assiniboia and Alberta, as well as in the interven- ing regions wherever suitable timber is found. The Arctic Three-toed Woodpecker is essentially a bird of the pine, spruce, fir, and tamarack forests, and is rarely seen in other localities. It is generally a resident, rarely migrating to any distance, and probably breeds wherever found. •Jooratoiy of Ornithology 159 Sapsucker Wood$ Raa THE ARCTIC THREE-TOED WOODPECKER. 75 Its flight is swift, greatly undulating, and is often protracted for considerable distances. It is quite common in northern Maine, and Mr. Manl)' Hardy con- siders it as the tamest and most stupid of the Woodpeckers found in that State. He writes me: "Here (in Maine) it is rarely, if ever, found in any numbers far from burnt tracts; if in green growth, usually singly, or at most in pairs; but on newly burnt lands specimens may be found by the score, and their sharp, shrill 'chirk, chirk' can be heard in all directions. It seems to feed entirely on such wood worms as attack spruce, pine, and other soft-wood timber that has been fire-killed. Specimens are so abundant in such places that I once shot the heads off of six in a few minutes when short of material for a stew." The food of this Woodpecker seems to consist almost entirely of tree- boring insects and their larvae, mainly BuprestidcB and Ceramhycidce ; but Audubon states that it feeds also on berries and fruits. It never attacks a healthy tree, and is far more beneficial than harmful, and deserves protection. Mr. J. W. Preston, of Baxter, Iowa, writes me that he found this Wood- pecker breeding in Becker County, Minnesota, the nesting site being situated in a live larch tree, about 30 feet from the ground; it contained young on June 13, 1887. Dr. James C. Merrill, United States Army, found it breeding in Prickly Pear Canyon, on the road between Helena and Fort Shaw, Montana, as well as near Fort Klamath, Oregon; and Mr. R. S. Williams writes me that the species is tolerably common about Columbia Falls, Montana. Mr. E MacFarlane found it nesting near Fort Providence, Great Slave Lake, Northwest Territoiy, and Mr. C. Krieghoff at Three Rivers, Lower Canada, eggs taken by the two last-named gentlemen being now in the collection. Dr. C. Hart Merriam found two nests, with eggs, of this species in the Adirondacks, near Seventh Lake, Fulton Chain, Hamilton County, New York, on May 27 and June 2, 1883, and has kindly furnished me with the following notes : "The water of Seventh Lake, Fulton Chain, had been raised by a dam at the foot of Sixth Lake, flooding a considerable area along the inlet, and the trees killed by the overflow stood in about 6 feet of water. In 1883 the place was first visited by me, May 27. Both species of Three-toed Woodpeckers (Picoides americanus and arcticus) were tolerably common, and one new nest of each was found. That of P. arcticus contained one fresh Bgg. The nest was 10 inches deep, and the opening within 5 feet of the surface of the water. It was in a dead spruce, 10 inches in diameter. A pair of White-bellied Swallows {TacJiycineta hicolor) had feathered their nest in a deserted Woodpecker's hole higher up in the same stub. The place was next visited June 2, but the date proved still too early. Several unfinished nests of P. americanus were found, and one completed nest with four fresh eggs of P. arcticus. Like the one found on my first visit, it was in a dead spruce and about 5 feet above the water. The nest was 1 1 inches deep and the orifice If inches in diameter. Many of last year's nests were occupied by White-bellied Swallows. Some of the Tlu-ee-toed Woodpeckers were unusually noisy, the males scolding, rapping loudly on the dead wood, and making much ado for these ordinarily quiet birds. Nests were found in balsam. 76 LIFE HISTORIES OF NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. spruce, and tamarack trees, and varied from 4 to 15 feet above the water. A fortnight later (June 15) I found a nest of Picoides arcticus, containing young (apparently about a week old), at West Pond, near Big Moose Lake. It was in a tamarack tree and about 10 feet above the ground. A last year's nest in an adjacent tamarack was occupied by a family of flying squirrels." I first met with the Arctic Three-toed Woodpecker on the summit of the Blue Mountains, near Soda Springs, Grrant County, Oregon, in August, 1876, at an altitude of about 5,500 feet, where it was rare, and again near Fort Klamath, during the year 1 882-83. There they were fairly common in winter, frequenting the more open pine forests in the mountain valleys, but were rarely seen by me in summer, and I believe they mostly retired to an extensive burnt tract, some 30 miles to the northeast of the post, near the head waters of the Deschutes River, to breed. Like the Hairy Woodpecker, they are persistent drummers, rattling away for minutes at a time on some dead limb, and are especially active during the mating season, in April. I have located more than one specimen by traveling in the direction of the sound when it was fully half a mile away. On May 10, 1883, while en route from Fort Klamath to Linkville, Oregon, and only a few miles from the latter place, just where the pine timber ended and the sagebrush commenced, I found a male busily at work on a pine stump, only about 2 J feet high and about 18 inches in diameter, standing within a few feet of the road, and close to a charcoal burner's camp, in quite an open and exposed situation, nearly all the timber in the vicinity having been cut down. The stump was solid, full of pitch, and showed no signs of decay; the entrance hole was about IJ inches in diameter and 8 inches from the top. The cavity, when first examined, was only about 2 inches deep, and on my return, two days later, it had reached a depth of 4 inches; the female v/as then at work. To make sure of a full set of eggs, I waited until the 25th. The cavity then was found to be 18 inches deep, and was gradually enlarged toward the bottom. The four eggs it contained had been incubated about four days. The female was on the nest, and uttered a hissing sound as she left it, and might easily have been caught, as she remained in the hole until the stump was struck with a hatchet. The sides of the cavity were quite smooth, and the eggs were partly embedded in a slight layer of pine chips. The locality where this nest was found was near the top of a low divide, not over 4,100 feet in altitude. The majority of nesting sites seem to be located in dead trees or stumps, and rarely at any great height varying usually from 2J to 8 feet from the ground. Both sexes assist in nidification, which is usually at its height between May 20 and June 10, as well as in incubation, which lasts about two weeks. Only one brood is raised in a season. The eggs are generally four in number. These are mostly ovate in shape. The shell is fine-grained and only moderately glossy, and, like the eggs of all Woodpeckers, pure white in color. The average measurement of thirteen eggs in the United States National Museum collection is 24.38 by 18.29 millimetres, or 0.96 by 0.72 inch. The largest egg measures 25.40 by 19.56 millimetres, or 1.00 hj 0.77 inch; the smallest, 22.35 by 17.53 millimetres, or 0.88 by 0.69 inch. THE ARCTIC THREE-TOED WOODPECKER. 77 The type specimen, No. 19411 (not figured), from a set of four eggs, Ben- dire collection, was taken by the writer, about 30 miles south of Fort Klamath, Oregon, on May 25, 1883. 31. Picoides americanus BrehM. AMEKICAN THREE-TOED WOODPECKER. Picoides americanus Brehm, Handbuch der Vogel Deutschlands, 1831, 195. (B 83, 301, R 368, C 444, U 401.) Geographical range: Northern North America east of the Rocky Mountains; south (principally in winter) to the northern border of the United States; west, casually, to the western slope of the Bitter Root Mountains, in eastern Idaho. The American Three-toed, also known as the "Banded-backed," "White- backed," or simply as "Banded Tlu'ee-toed" Woodpecker, is mostly resident and breeds wherever found. Along our northern border it seems to be much rarer than the preceding species, and only breeds in small numbers in Maine, the White Mountains in New Hampshire, the Adirondacks in New York, possibly in the Green Mountains in Vermont, and probably along the west shore of Lake Superior in Minnesota; but it is evidently still rarer in the western portions of its range, within the limits of the United States. The only western specimens, taken within our borders, in the United States National Museum collection, are a female, collected by Dr. J. Gr. Cooper, on September 9, 1860, on the western slope of the Bitter Root Mountains, Idaho, and a pair sent to me by Mr. R. S. Williams, of Columbia Falls, Montana, taken on October 9 and 11, 1893. He writes me: "It is much rarer here than P. arcticus, and I consider it a much more silent bird, its ordinary call notes differing much from those of the former and resembling more those uttered by the genus Dryobates." Mr. L. M. Turner met with this Woodpecker in the vicinity of Fort Chimo, Ungava, and secm-ed several specimens at Whitefish Lake, where the spruce and junipers attain a slightly greater size than nearer the Post. In his manuscript notes he says: "Farther to the southward, where the timber is larger and better suited to their habits, they become correspondingly more numerous, and in southern Labrador, south of the 'Height of Land,' they are reported to be quite plentiful. The manner of flight of this species is less vigorous than that of Picoides arcticus, yet differing in a maimer that is diiEcult to describe. These birds are not easy to detect, as they rarely utter a note, and then only a squealing, prolonged sound, similar to that made by Sphyrapicus raniis. They are oftener found solitary, rarely t^^■o being found in the same patch of wood, excepting in the breeding season, and later when follo"\"\'ed hx their 3'oung. 1 observed their habit of decorticating large areas of the trunks of trees, very rarely the larger branches, and in only one instance have I found a funnel-shaped hole in a much-decayed snag." Stragglers have been taken in Avinter in j\Iassachusetts and also in Wis- consin, but it does not often find its way so far south. According to Sir John 78 LIFE HISTORIES OF NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. Richardson, it is found in all the forests of spruce fir lying between Lake Superior and the Arctic Sea, and is the most common Woodpecker north of Great Slave Lake. Its food, like that of the preceding species, consists prin- cipally of wood-boring insects and their larvae, found in dead and decaying timber. Mr. Manly Hardy informs me that the American Three-toed Woodpecker is rather rare in Maine, and he has no positive proof that it breeds there. Dr. C. Hart Merriam was, I believe, the first naturalist who took the eggs of this species within the limits of the United States, and he published the following account in the "Bulletin of the Nuttall Ornithological Club" (Vol. m, 1878, p. 200): "June 4, 1878. — Shortly after crossing Moose River this morning, en route for the Fulton chain of lakes, Mr. C. L. Bagg and I were so fortunate as to secure a set of the eggs, with both parent birds, of Picoides americanus (old Mrsutus). We had just crossed the boundary line between Lewis and Herkimer counties, when Mr. Bagg called my attention to a 'fresh hole,' about 8 feet from the ground, in a spruce tree near by. On approaching the tree a yellow crown appeared in the hole, showing that the male bird was ' at home.' To prevent his escape I jumped toward the tree and introduced three fingers, which were immediately punctured in a manner so distasteful to their proprietor as to neces- sitate an immediate withdrawal and exchange for the muzzle of my friend's gun. A handkerchief was next crowded into the hole, but was instantly riddled and driven out by a few blows from his terrible bill. It was then held loosely over the hole, and as the bird emerged I secured and killed him. Through the kindness of a friend, my pocket contained one of those happy combinations of knives, saws, and button hooks — a sort of tool chest in miniature — which one sometimes sees in the shop windows and is apt to regard with awe rather than admiration, but which constitutes, nevertheless, one of the most useful articles in a naturalist's outfit. With this instrument we were enabled to saw a block from the face of the nest, and to secure, uninjured, the four nearly fresh eggs which it contained. While wrapping up the eggs the female returned, and, as she alighted on the side of the tree, was killed by Mr. Bagg. The orifice of the hole was about 8 feet high and IJ inches in diameter, and the cavity was about 10 inches deep. * * * So far as I am aware, this rare Woodpecker is only foxm.d along the eastern border of Lewis County, in the Adirondack region, where it is a resident species, and even here it is much less common than its congener, the Black-backed Woodpecker." Dr. Merriam also informs me that "numerous nests were found in the Adirondacks in June, 1883. Most of them were in the flooded timber bordering the inlet of Seventh Lake, Fulton Chain. They varied from 5 to 12 feet in height above the water, and were in spruce, tamarack, pine, balsam, and cedar trees. A set of four fresh eggs was taken June 8. The feathers were worn off the bellies of both male and female before the nests were completed." He also took another set of four eggs of this species, one of them a runt, on June 8, THE AMEEICAN THKEBTOED WOODPEOKEE. 79 1883, near Sixth Lake, Fulton Chain, Hamilton County, New York, in a similar situation, and generously presented both of these sets to me. During a careful examination of the series of specimens of this bird and its two recognized subspecies* I found several skins collected by Mr. R. MacFarlane in the vicinity of Fort Anderson, in latitude 68° 30' N., Northwest Territory, which appear to me to come nearer to this species than to Picoides americanus alascensis, to which Mr. E. W. Nelson refers them. Mr. MacFarlane also for- warded two sets of eggs, with the parents, at the same time, and some of these are now in the United States National Museum collection. A single egg, originally from a set of three taken on May 30, 1863, accompanied by the female bird, was taken from a cavity in a pine tree, 4 feet from the ground, and another set of four, of which there are three eggs remaining, and likewise accompanied by the male bird, was taken on June 5, 1864, from a hole in a dry spruce, situated about 6 feet from the ground. The eggs from the last set were said to have been lying on the decayed dust of the tree, and were perfectly fresh when found. For some reason no mention has been made of these eggs in the "History of North American Birds," although they were in the collection when that work was written and were correctly labeled. The general habits of the American Three-toed Woodpecker appear to be very similar to those of the preceding species, and it seems, if possible, to be even a more hardy bird than the latter, extending its range to the northern limit of trees. Nidification, even in the most northern parts of its range, seems to commence about the same time as it does in the Adirondacks, long before the ice and snow disappear. The usual number of eggs laid appears to be four, and both sexes assist in incubation. Mr. MacFarlane, in his manuscript notes, mentions finding a nest of four young Woodpeckers, in all probability of this species (as one of these birds was seen in the vicinity on June 21, 1862) which were then already apparently about a week or ten days old. As incubation probably lasts about fourteen days, the eggs must have been laid in the last week in May. The eggs of the American Three-toed Woodpecker are ovate in shape and pure white in color; the shell is fine grained and only moderately glossy. The average measurement of twelve eggs in the United States National Museum collection is 23.41 by 17.80 millimetres, or about 0.92 by 0.70 incl. The largest egg measures 24.13 by 17.78 millimetres, or 0.95 by 0.70 inch; the smallest, 23.11 by 17.78 millimetres, or 0.91 by 0.70 inch. The type specimen. No. 23785 (not figured), Bendire collection, from a set of four eggs, was taken by Dr. C. Hart Merriam, on Moose River, Herkimer County, New York, on June 4, 1878, as previously stated. 80 LIFE HISTORIES OF NORTE AMERICAN BIRDS. 32. Picoides americanus alascensis (Nelson). ALASKAN THREE-TOED WOODPECKEE. Picoides tridaetylus alascensis Nelson, Auk, I, April, 1884, 165. Picoides americanus alascensis Ridgway, Proceedings U. S. National Museum, VIII, 1885, 355. (B — , — , R — , C — , U 401a.) Geographical kange: Alaska Territory; casually? south through western British Columbia to northwestern Washington (vicinity of Mount Baker); east irregularly to Great Bear Lake and the Mackenzie River Valley, Northwest Territory, Dominion of Canada. The Alaskan Three-toed Woodpecker, described by- Mr. E. W. Nelson in "The Auk" (April, 1, 1884), is mainly distinguishable from the preceding species by its much more conspicuous nuchal collar.and generally heavier white barring of the back and rump, larger white wing markings, and with the top of the head more or less mixed with white. The most typical specimens of this race come from central Alaska, and as it approaches the range of Picoides americanus on the east it gradually intergrades with this as well as with Picoides americanus dorsalis in the south, and it is largely a matter of individual opinion just where to draw the line of its range; I prefer to restrict it mainly to Alaska. Very little is as yet known about its general habits, food, etc., but it is not likely that it differs much in these respects. It is probably a resident and breeds wherever found. Mr. E. W. Nelson, in his report on the "Natural History Collections made in Alaska, 1877-1881," published by the Signal Service, United States Army, 1887 (p. 159), says: "On the Yukon these birds are said to prefer the groves of poplars and willows to the spruces. During my visits to the interior I saw it alive only in a few instances, and learned nothing of its habits. From the number of skins brought me by the few traders, taken at various points along the course of the Yukon, from near the mouth of that stream to the vicinity of Fort Reliance,^ its great abundance is attested." Nothing has been published about its nesting habits and eggs, but these are not likely to differ from those of the preceding form. 33. Picoides americanus dorsalis Baird. ALPINE THREE-TOED WOODPECKEE. Picoides dorsalis Baird, Birds of North America, 1858, 100. Picoides americanus dorsalis Baird, Ornithology of California, I, 1870, 386. (B84, C SOlffl, R 368«, C 445, U 4016.) Geographical range: Rocky Mountain regions of the United States and the Dominion of Canada; south to Arizona and New Mexico; north through Colorado and intervening States; and through Alberta and eastern British Columbia to Fort Liard and Cassiar, and occasionally to southern Alaska {Fort Kenay). The Alpine or " Striped-backed Three-toed" Woodpecker is the most south- ern representative of this genus, and appears to be confined mainly to the Rocky 'The Fort Eelianoe referred to by Mr. Nelson is situated on the Upper Yukon River, in Alaska; another (now abandoned) Hudson Bay Company post, situated on the eastern end of Great Slave Lake, was similarly named, and should not be confounded with it. THE ALPINE THEEETOED WOODPECKER. 81 Mountains and neighboring ranges. It is readily distinguishable from the two preceding forms by the continuous white middle line of the back, with few, if any, black bars, the markings being mostly longitudinal, and smaller white spots on the quills. The top of the head is much less streaked with white than the Alaskan race, and the bill is also more slender than in the latter. It is probably resident and breeds wherever found. It has been met with in the Black Moun- tains, at Cantonment Burgwin, near Taos, New Mexico; in the White and San Francisco Mountains, in Arizona; and in the higher ranges in Colorado, etc., as well as in the Rocky Mountains, and the Selku-ks in Alberta, and eastern British Columbia northward to about Fort Liard and Cassiar, near the northern bound- ary of this province, whence it straggles occasionally along the coast ranges into southern Alaska (Fort Kenay). It rarely occurs north of latitude 62°, however, where it is replaced by the preceding subspecies. Comparatively little has yet been recorded about the nesting habits, etc., of this subspecies. Dr. Edgar A. Mearns, United States Army, in his paper on "Arizona Mountain Birds," says: "The Alpine Three-toed Woodpecker breeds commonly throughout the, pine belt, seldom ascending far into the spruce woods of the highest peaks. On the northwestern slope of San Francisco Mountain I dis- covered a nest of this species on June 8, 1887. The female was seen alone, pecking at a large yellow pine, which, although dead, still retained its bark and was quite solid. While feeding she uttered a peculiar, harsh, nasal cry. I shot her, and then noticed a small, neatly bored hole in the south side of the pine trunk, about 30 feet from the ground and away from branches. With the aid of a rope, and taking a start from the saddle, I was scarcely able to climb to the nest, which the male did not qviit until I was well up; then he came out and uttered a sudden, sharp 'whip- whip-whip' in a menacing tone, remaining hard by while I worked with saw and chisel. It took me nearly half an hour to make an opening sufficiently large to admit the hand,- as the burrow was situ- ated so extraordinarily deep. Two young, male and female, with feathers just sprouting, were found on a bed of small chips at the bottom of the burrow, not more than 8 inches lower than the entrance, but in the very heart of the tree, the cavity being oblique and pear-shaped, and having the strong odor character- istic of Woodpeckers' nests in general. Both parents and their progeny were preserved, and are now in the American Museum collection. The irides of the adults were dark cherry red; their feet, claws, and basal half of mandible plumbeous, the rest of the bill being plumbeous black." ^ Mr. W. G. Smith writes me: "I found this bird quite common in Arapahoe County, and have also met with it in summer in Estes Park, Larimer Countv, Colorado, and have reason to believe that it breeds there; I never saw it at low elevations." Mr. Gr. F. Breninger informs me that he found a nest of this subspecies in the beginning of May, at an altitude of about 6,500 feet, west of Fort Collins, Colorado; the nesting site was located in a burnt spruce stump, about 15 feet from the ground, and contained five eggs. 1 The Auk, Vol. VII, 1890, p. 252. 16896— No. 3 6 82 LIFE HISTORIES OP NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. There are no eggs of the Alpine Three-toed Woodpecker in the United States National Museum collection, and I am unable to give exact measure- ments; but these are not likely to differ much in shape or size from those of the American Three-toed Woodpeckers. 34. Sphyrapicus varius (Linn^us). YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKER. Pictis varius Linn^xjs, Systema NatursB, ed. 12, 1, 1766, 176. Sphyrapicus varius Baied, Birds of North America, 1858, 103. (B 85, C 302, R 369, C 446, U 402.) Geogeaphioal eANGE: Eastern and northern North America; in tlie eastern parts of the Dominion of Canada north to Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, southern Quebec aud northern Ontario; thence in a northwesterly direction to Ports Resolution, Providence, and Rae, on Great Slave Lake, and somewhat north of Port Simpson, Northwest Territory, to about latitude 63° 30' N.; west, to Port Liard, in northeastern British Columbia, and in the United States to North and South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, the Indian Territory, and Texas; south, in winter, to the West India Islands, and through Mexico to Guatemala, Honduras and Costa Rica, Central America. Accidental in Greenland. The Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, also known as "Red-throated Sapsucker," "Squealing," and "Whining Woodpecker," is a common summer resident in suitable localities in the eastern United States north of about latitude 42°, and in Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois it is known to breed as far south as latitude 40°, while in the Smoky Mountains, in western North Carolina, it reaches the extreme southern points of its breeding range in the southeastern corner of Macon County, close to the northern border of Georgia, near latitude 35°. Here Mr. William Brewster, to whom the ornithologists of the United States are greatly indebted for a large amount of valuable infoiination, met with this sjaecies sparingly, and shot two specimens, both incubating, in May, 1885. It is claimed, however, that it has also been found breeding on the Medina River, near San Antonio, Texas, by Dr. Heerman, and that its eggs were taken by him, which would extend its breeding range still farther south. More recent observers do not appear to confirm this, and report Sphyrapicus varius only as a migrant in that vicinity. Near the Atlantic coast, in the maritime provinces of the Dominion of Canada, it is rather rare, and I believe it has not yet been found in Newfoundland or Labrador, but it is more common in the interior. It is an abundant summer resident in the northern New England States and northern New York; and in the Adirondacks it appears to me to outnumber all other Woodpeckers. Mr. W. E. Loucks, of Peoria, Illinois, writes me: "I consider this bird to be a tolerably common resident here; I have found it breeding, and a few may remain here through the winter, as I have seen them quite late in the fall. On May 18, 1891, while collecting in the river bottom, I discovered a nest of this species in the trunk of a solid dead tree, about 15 feet from the ground. I gave THE YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUOKEE. 83 the trunk a shai-p rap with my walking stick; this had the effect of bringing out a female Sapsucker, which gazed out inquisitively, and then flew to a distant branch and was joined by her mate. Climbing to the hole, I found it had been dug into the solid wood for about 3 inches, and, upon opening it to secure the eggs, I found the depth to be about a foot. The excavation tapered from the entrance to the bottom, the diameter of the latter being somewhat greater. The sides had been finely and evenly chiseled, far surpassing any nest of a Woodpecker that it has been my lot to examine. The entrance itself was a marvel, being about IJ inches in diameter, and extending about 3 inches into the wood. It was so perfect that it resembled an auger-bored hole. The excavation contained five partly incubated eggs, of a dirty -white color, which were deposited upon a good bed of chips at the bottom. The birds were not very shy, sitting around on the dead limbs, preening their feathers, making short visits to some other tree, and then returning. I took another set of eggs on June 8, and found the birds there in summer in succeeding seasons, but took no nests." Mr. D. B. Burrows, of Lacon, Illinois, likewise informs me that the Yellow- bellied Sapsucker is a common summer resident of Marshall and adjoining counties in Illinois, where it is confined almost entirely to the river bottoms. He wrote me: "These birds make their appearance here the latter part of April, and nesting begins by the middle of May or the first week in June. During my collecting trips by skifi" in the overflowed bottom lands I always met with this bird, and considered it common. They are easily located by their peculiar complaining but rather feeble calls, and a few moments' watching will usually locate the nesting site. When nesting they always seem to be uneasy if their nest is approached and very soon fly to the tree in which it is located. In most instances it is a newly excavated cavity in a dead willow, ranging from 8 to 40 feet from the water or ground." Prof. Barton W. Evermann records it as a rare summer resident in Carroll County, Indiana, where he has also obtained it in winter, on December 15, 1884, and January 11, 1885. Dr. Elliott Coues gives it as a common summer resident in the wooded bottoms of the Missouri region, and found it breeding commonly along the Red River in North Dakota. It appears also to be common throughout the wooded regions of the provinces of Manitoba, eastern Assiniboia, and Saskatchewan, Canada, and thence northward as already indicated. A set of eggs taken near Fort Resolution, Great Slave Lake, in June, 1862, by Mr. Alex. McKenzie, is now in the United States National Museum collection. Mr. R. MacFarlane also found it breeding at Fort Providence, near the head waters of the Mackenzie River, in the spring of 1886, this being the most northern breeding record known to me; but there is a specimen in the collection which is labeled as having been taken 100 miles northwest of Fort Simpson, which marks the most northern known point of its range, where it probably also breeds. The western limits of its breeding range in the United States are not well defined; I have no records from either Kansas or Nebraska, and doubt if it breeds in the former, or much beyond the eastern limits of the latter State. 84 LIFE HISTOEIES OP NORTH AMEEICAN BIRDS. The Yellow-bellied Sapsucker is a regular migrant, usually arriving on its breeding grounds in our more northern States about the middle of April, the males preceding the females about a week, and returning to its winter homes in the south in the latter part of September and throughout October; while many, presumably birds which spend the summer in the more southern portions of their breeding range, extend their migrations to the West India Islands, and others even through Mexico to Guatemala and Honduras, in Central America. It is sometimes met with in winter as far north as latitude 40°, and occasionally even farther. None of our Woodpeckers are more noisy and boisterous than this species; their querulous call notes are uttered very frequently after their return from their winter homes, and the males may at this time be heard drum- ming almost incessantly, resorting to a resonant limb of some tree, the gable of a roof, and even to tin escape pipes. Dr. C. Hart Merriam, in his paper on the "Birds of Lewis County, New York," makes the following remarks on this subject: "At this season scarcely an hour passes, from daylight till sunset, that one or more can not be heard drumming with commendable perseverance upon the tin roofs, eave troughs, or escape pipes of our houses or some of the out- buildings. They strike the tin violently half a dozen or more times, evidently enjoying the sound thus produced, and then rest a few minutes before repeating the performance. Each Woodpecker usually returns to the same spot, and on our roof are several patches the size of one's hand from which the paint has been entirely drummed off. On the escape pipe they sometimes follow around a joint, and by constant and long-continued pounding so loosen the solder that the dependent portion of the pipe falls down. How they manage to cling to these vertical pipes and nearly perpendicular portions of the roof is a mystery to me. I have seen both sexes at work on om- roof, but the female does not often indulge in this pastime, and is rarely observed to take part in the boister- ous gambols of the males." ^ This species is a true Sapsucker; its hyoid apparatus is not as well developed as is the case in the majority of our Woodpeckers, the tongue being but slightly extensile and reaching only a little distance beyond the tip of the bill. One of the most notable peculiarities of this Woodpecker and that from which it derives the name of "Sapsucker," is its habit of tapping certain trees, especially in the spring of the year, puncturing both the outer and inner bark with small holes resembling gimlet holes, which causes the sap to flow freely; on this, as well as on the tender inner bark, it lives to a considerable extent. At this season of the year I believe the greater portion of their sustenance is derived in this manner, varied with a diet of spiders, ants, beetles, and other winged insects and such of their larvae as are found hidden under the bark; while they rarely dig sufficiently deep in the more solid wood to reach those of the Buprestidce and other wood borers, which are the staple food of the majority of our Woodpeckers. For this reason, instead of being a beneficial species, like the rest of this family, in certain localities, as where apple orchards are abun- 1 Bulletin Nuttall Ornitliologlcal Club, Vol. IV, 1879, p. 2. THE YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUOKEE. 85 dant, it becomes a nuisance, and materially injures, and eventually kills, many such trees. Indirectly it also causes the death of many a Hairy and Downy Woodpecker (the best friends the fruit gi-ower has), these species being fre- quently shot through ignorance of their habits or because they are mistaken for Sapsuckers. Besides puncturing apple trees, it is also partial to the thorn apple, elm, white and yellow birch, red and sugar maple, poplar, red oak, hemlock, white and mountain ash, and several species of pines. That it shotild be fond of the sweet sap of trees does not surprise me, as this contains considerable nourishment, and likewise attracts a good many insects, which the birds eat ; but it is not so easy to account for its especial predilection for the sap of the moun- tain ash, which has a decidedly bitter taste, and I believe possesses intoxicating properties, unless it be taken for the latter purpose ; and the fact that after drink- ing freely of the sap of this tree it may often be seen clinging to the trunk for hours at a time, as if stupefied, seems to confirm this view. It is well known that some of our birds indulge in such disreputable practices, and possibly this species must be included in the number, as there are sots among birds as well as among the genus Homo. Aside from sap, the soft inner bark of trees, and the various insects already mentioned, it feeds to a considerable extent on berries of different kinds, such as those of the sour gum, dogwood, frost grapes, blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, and blackben-ies, as well as occa- sionally, when hard pressed by hunger, on nuts, acorns, and sometimes even on Indian com. Mr. Otto Widmann, of Old Orchard, Missouri, has kindly furnished me with the following notes, as observed by him in that vicinity: "They are unobtrusive and rather sluggish birds, quite unlike the Hairy and Downy ^Woodpeckers. They may be seen sitting for half an hour at a time in the same place, sometimes crosswise on a branch. During a late wintry spell, when a freezing rain had enveloped everything in a sheet of ice, a Sapsucker hugged a piece of bacon hung up in a tree for two whole days. While the Downy and Hairy never get tired of eating nuts, the Sapsucker uses them only when hard pressed by hunger, and after his return in February he spends his whole time puncturing the pines. His favorite tree among our ornamental evergreens is the Austrian pine, his second choice is the Scotch pine, while he never taps the white pine and Norway spruce. Of deciduous trees he occasionally punctures the shell-bark hickory, sugar maple, and crab apple; this, however, is not done to any great extent. "The trunks and larger limbs of the Austrian and Scotch pines look very badly at times, but, strange to say, though they are not only girdled, but in some places compactly covered with holes, the trees thrive as though they had not been hurt by the perforations and loss of sap. This sap has no terebinthine taste, but is as sweet and pure in flavor as that of a deciduous plant; but the exudations of resin, the secondary result of the Sapsucker's labors, mar the appearance of these trees by running down its sides or hardening into unsightly lumps. Many of the birds remain in southern Missouri during winter." 86 LIFE HISTOEIES OF JSTOETH AMERICAN BIRDS. Mr. Manly Hardy, of Brewer, Maine, writes me as follows about this spe- cies: "Though not generally considered as a very hardy bird, they are really one of our very earliest migrants to arrive here in the spring. I have heard them drumming in Mai'ch, when the thermometer was from 15° to 20° below zero, just as soon as the first sign of sunrise could be noticed, on one of the very coldest mornings I ever experienced. I have sometimes been inclined to the belief that some of them hibernated in hollow trees and passed the winter with us. They have spoiled several trees in my garden. Formerly I always protected them, and did not allow them to be molested; but I find that con- fidence in them has been misplaced. They destroyed a large, handsome moun- tain ash tree in my yard, and I believe another will die. I have only saved the trees by killing every Sapsucker coming near them. Where they only partly circle the tree it only stops its growth, but where they entirely girdle a limb or the trunk in several places, and close together, it stops the flow of the sap and it soon dies. I have examined into the matter very closely and there is no doubt of the cause." I consider the Yellow-bellied Sapsucker the commonest Woodpecker in the Adirondack wilderness, in New York. Its ordinary call note is a whining "whaee," and it utters a number of other sounds, some of these resembling the calls of the Blue Jay, and others those of the Red-shouldered Hawk. During the mating season, when the sexes are chasing each other, a series of notes like "hoih-hoih," a number of times repeated, are frequently heard. Although gen- erally disposed to be more or less noisy, while clinging to their food trees they are nearly always silent as far as my observations go. On June 25, 1892, in the woods in Herkimer County, New York, I noticed a series of drinking holes in a sugar maple standing close to the edge of a swamp, which ran up and down, on one side of the tree only, for a distance of 3 feet. These drinking places were visited by different birds at short intervals. All were silent while at the tree, excepting one, a male, which always made a peculiar snorting or pur- ring sound when alighting. There were three rows of holes, each about an inch apart, running parallel to each other, and these were separated about ever}^ 6 inches by an untouched space some 3 inches wide. On June 24, 1892, I noticed a nest of this species in the trunk of a dead maple, about 40 feet from the ground, near Wilmurt, New York. It contained nearly full-grown young, which kept up an a,lmost constant clamor for food while I was watching them. In the Adirondacks they prefer ash and butternut trees to nest in, but elms, birches, and maples are also frequently selected for this purpose, while in the river bottoms in Illinois and Indiana they often breed in willows or cottonwoods. Solid dead trees seem to be preferred; if a living one is selected it is usually one in which the core is decayed. The nesting sites vary from 8 to 50 feet in height from the ground, being usually about 25 feet up, and these are either excavated in a dead limb or the main trunk of the tree; if in the latter, frequently directly under a limb, which affords some protection against storms. They are rather tame and fearless about their homes, and generally allow themselves to be closely approached. THE YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKEE. 87 While in the woods one morning, seated against the trunk* of a maple, observing the moA-ements of a Winter Wren and her brood, a male Yellow- bellied Sapsncker suddenl)' flew down from a neighboring tree and ahghted on the side of the one on which I was leaning, within a foot of my head. He startled me not a little, and no doubt he was equally astonished, as he remained only about a minute, and, uttering a sharp note, hke "huwy," beat a hasty retreat. Its favorite resorts during the breeding season are deciduous and mixed woods, generally close to water, hi river bottoms, along the shores of the numerous lakes and the borders of swamps, while it is much less frequently seen at this season of the year in extensive coniferous forests. In the more southern portions of its breeding range nidification usually commences about the beginning of May, and somewhat later farther north. It takes about a week or ten days to complete the excavation for a nesting site, which is usually gourd-shaped, varying from 6 to 18 inches in depth. The entrance hole is perfectly circular, about 1| inches in diameter, and just large enough to admit the bird ; the sides of the excavation are smooth, and a layer of fine chips is left in the bottom of the hole, on which the eggs are deposited. The sexes relieve each other in this work, and also share the duties of incuba- tion. Several other fresh holes are usually excavated in the same tree, pre- sumably by the male, to which he probably retires to rest during the night, and to guard his mate from possible danger. Fresh eggs may be looked for during the latter half of May and the first week in June, and from five to seven are laid to a set, those containing five or six eggs being most common. An egg is deposited daily, and should the first clutch be taken, a second, usually containing four eggs, is laid about two weeks later, frequently in an excavation in the same tree. They are devoted parents, and when incubation is somewhat advanced, or the young have been recently hatched, the bird on the nest is loath to leave it, and Avill sometimes allow itself to be captured rather than to desert its treasures. The one off duty may also frequently be seen clinging just below the hole, and remaining in this position perfectly motionless for several minutes at a time, as if in a deep study. The eggs, like those of all Woodpeckers, are pure white in color, the shell is close- grained and only moderately glossy ; in shape they vary from ovate to elliptical ovate, and occasionally to an elliptical oval. The average measurement of seventeen eggs in the United States National Museum collection is 22.23 by 17.06 millimetres, or about 0.88 by 0.G7 inch. The largest egg measures 23.37 by 17.53 millimetres, or 0.92 by 0.69 inch; the smallest, 20.57 by 16.26 millimetres, or 0.81 by 0.64 inch. The type specimen, No. 24726 (not figured), from a set of six eggs, was taken by Dr. William L. Ralph, near Trenton Falls, Herkimer County, New York, on May 28, 1886, from a cavity in a rotten limb of an elm tree standing in an open field.^ ' For further information on tliis species, I refer tlie reader to Mr. William Brewster's interesting article in the Bulletin of the Nuttall Ornithological Cluh, Vol. I, 1876, pp. 63-70; also, to cue by Dr. C. Hart Mer- riam, published in the game Bulletin, Vol. IV, 1879, pp. 1-6; and to the careful observations made by the late Mr. Frank Bolles, published in the Auk, Vnl. VIII, 1891, pp. 256-70, and ^"oL IX, 1892, pp. 109-119. 88 LIFE HISTOEIBS OP NOETH AMEEIOAN BIRDS. 35. Sphyrapicus varius nuchalis Baird. EED-NAPED SAPSUCKER. Sphyrapicus varius var. nuchalis Baird, Birds of jSTorth America, 1858, 103. (B 86, 302a, E 369a, C 447, U 402a.) GrEOGBAPHiCAL RANGE : Rocky Mountains and adjacent ranges from western Texas, Arizona, and New Mexico; north tlirougli Colorado, Utali, Nevada, Wyoming, Montana and Idaho, into the British provinces of Alberta and eastern British Columbia to about latitude 64° and probably farther; west to the Cascade Eange in Washington and Oregon, and the Sierra Nevada in California, and in winter into Lower California and northern Mexico. Casually east to western Kansas (Wallace). The breeding range of the Red-naped Sapsucker or Woodpecker appears to be principally confined to the higher mountain ranges of the interior from Colorado northward, as already indicated, and west to the eastern slopes of the Cascade Mountains in Oregon, Washington, and British Columbia. It is ques- tionable if it breeds, to any extent at least, in the Sierra Nevadas, in northern California, or in the mountains of New Mexico, Arizona, and western Texas, where it seems to be only a migrant. Dr. Elliott Coues, however, in the "Proceedings of the Philadelphia Academy of Natural Sciences," January, 1866, records the Red-naped Sapsucker as a permanent and abundant resident in Arizona; but more recent observations made in various parts of this terri- tory do not confirm this statement, and I believe it is only a rather rare migrant. Its summer home appears to be restricted to the borders of the numerous streams found throughout the mountains of the interior, including the eastern slopes of the Rocky Mountain system and those of the Cascades, at altitudes from 5,000 to 10,000 feet. It usually arrives on its breeding grounds about the first half of May, and the fall migration commences about October 1. Its gen- eral habits are similar to those of the preceding species, and in the fi-uit- growing sections within its range, in southern Utah, for instance, it is said to do consider- able damage to the orchards in the early spring and again in the fall, tapping the peach and apple trees for sap in the same manner as Sphyrapicus varius does in the East. Its principal food consists of small beetles, spiders, grasshoppers, ants, and such larvae as are to be found under the loose bark of trees, as well as of wild berries of different kinds. Mr. F. Stephens writes rae: ^^Sphyrapicus varins nuchalis is very rare in southern Cahfornia. On November 2, 1891, a neighbor of mine shot a female of the year and brought it to me; he said that it was boring holes in the apple trees and had damaged one considerably. This is the onlj^ California instance of sap-sucking (in orchards) known to me." In a more recent letter he informs me that he met with this Woodpecker on Lassen Creek, in Modoc County, Cali- fornia, at an altitude of 5,600 feet, on August 2, 1894, obtaining both parents and a family of young of the year THE EED-NAPBD SAPSCJCKBR. 89 Mr. W. Gr. Smith informs me that this Sapsucker is a common summer resi- dent in Estes Park, Colorado, breeding from 7,000 feet up to nearly timber line, invariably nesting in live quaking aspens, between June 1 and 15. The following is taken from an article of mine published in "The Auk" (Vol. V, 1888, pp. 226 to 229), with some slight alterations made in the text: This race of Sphyrapicus varius I have met sparingly in various portions of the Blue Mountains of Oregon, Washington Territory, and Idaho, and as far west as the eastern slope of the Cascade Range in Southern Oregon, in the Klamath Lake region, where, however, it was rare and replaced by Spliyrupicus ruber, the two species overlapping each other, but not intergrading, and remain- ing perfectly distinct. I first met with the nest and eggs of this bird in a small aspen grove at the edge of a beautiful little park-like prairie, near the summit of the Blue Mountains, in Grant County, Oregon, on June 12, 1877.^ I was escorting an army paymaster from Canyon City to Camp Harney, Oregon, where I was then stationed. After a laborious climb to the top of the steep mountain at the foot of which the little mining town of Canyon City nestled, I stopped for some twenty minutes to rest the animals and to eat lunch. The spot was a lovely one; the little grove at the edge of the heavy pine forest contained perhaps half a dozen aspens that measured a foot or more through; and a number of smaller ones. I had made myself comfortable under one of the largest ones, which stood on the outer edge of the grove, watching the horses enjoying the luxuriant grass, and was busily engaged in eating my lunch, shariilg it with several Oregon Jays, Perisoreus obscurus, which were quite tame and absorbed my entire attention for some time. A Red-naped Sapsucker was, in the meantime, flying about my tree, alighting on others in the vicinity, and keeping up a constant chatter. I thought at first he was jealous of the Jays, and paid no attention to him, till he flew onto the tree I was sitting under, which brought out his mate. Their nesting site was directly over my head, about 20 feet from the ground, and I might have noticed it sooner by the fresh chips dropped by the birds in excavating the cavity, and which were lying all around me, had I not been entirely absorbed in watching the Jays, or 'Meat Birds,' as they are called there by the hunters and trappers. It did not take long for one of my men to climb up and chop a sufficiently large hole in the tree to insert the hand. The entrance to the excavation was exceedingly small, not over IJ inches in diameter, about 8 inches deep, and about 4 inches wide at the bottom. It contained three nearly fresh eggs, lying partly embedded in a layer of fine chips. About a year afterwards, when passing the same spot, June 2, 1878, I took another set of three fresh eggs of this species out of a hole in another, somewhat smaller aspen tree in the same grove. Although aspens of suitable size were to be found in several places in the immediate vicinity of Camp Harney, Oregon, which is located at the foot and on the southern slope of the Blue Mountains, at an altitude of about 4,800 ' But I had previously found a nest with young in June, 1875, in the same locality, as well as several in 1876. 90 LIFE HISTORIES OF NORTH AMERIOAJST BIRDS. feet, I failed to find any of these birds nesting there, though they were met with by me at various times in the vicinity, and sometimes even quite a distance away from the mountains. They are only summer residents in that region, but an occasional straggler remains in sheltered locations throughout the winter. I am inclined to think that this bird is much more common in the Rocky Mountain region. Mi\ Denis Gale, of Gold Hill, Colorado, kindly furnished me with the following observations regarding this subspecies. He writes as follows: "My observations have been that this subspecies invariably selects for its nesting site a living aspen tree. I have never met with it in any other. This tree favors the mountain gulches and low, sheltered hillsides, at an altitude of from 7,000 to 10,000 feet. Above this point they do not attain sufficient size, and are mostly dwarfed and scrubby. Here in Colorado Sphyrapicus varius nuchalis is seldom found above 9,000 feet or much below 8,000 feet. The aspen tree is short lived, and ere much of a growth is attained, a cross section, in the majority of instances, will show a discolored center of incipient decay, involving half or two-thirds of its entire diameter, with a sound, white sap zone on the outer circumference, next to the bark. This sound, healthy zone nourislies the tree until the decayed core discovers itself in some withered limbs, and frequently the top of the tree manifests the canker. " Such trees the Red-naped Sapsucker selects for its nesting site, and with great perseverance chisels through this tough, sound zone, from 1 to IJ inches in thickness, commencing with a very small hole and gradually extending its circumference with each stage of the deepening process, working from the lowest center out, till the exact circumference of the intended aperture of entrance is attained. In thus radiating in circles from the central point the minute chips are chiseled out with considerable ease. This mode of working is observed until the tough zone is worked through; what remains then is comparatively easy work; the soft, soggy, lifeless inside is worked into and downward with greater facility, and a roomy, gourd-shaped excavation quickly follows, the female doing the excavating from beginning to end, and, according to exigencies, completes it in from six to ten days. "Some idea of the vitality and toughness of this zone of sap in a live aspen may be realized when it is stated that in a tree used consecutively for three or four years, if undisturbed, as is the general custom of Spliyrapicus varius nuchalis, the entire aperture will be almost closed by the recuperative agency of the sap which quickly heals and closes up the wound. No other Woodpecker will face such a formidable task. Picus villosus harrisu comes next as a borer; then follows Sphyrapicus thyroideus. Both of these species nest sometimes also in apparently live aspens, but upon close inspection such trees will be found to be badly decayed. "Sphyrapicus varius nuchalis usually insists upon a new excavation each year. The height of the nesting sites from the ground varies from 5 to 30 feet; the full set of eggs is four or five in number; sometimes a smaller num- THE EED-NAPED SAP8UCKER. 91 ber of eggs mark a full set, presumabl}' the nest of one of last yeai-'s birds. Fresh eggs may be looked for m Colorado from June 1 to 15, and should the first set be taken, a second one may generally be found from ten to fifteen days later; and, as a rule, the second nesting site will not be greatl}' distant from the first one. Se\'eral nests of this species may be found within a short distance of each other in the same aspen grove." My own limited observations during the breeding season bear out Mr. Gale's statements completely, viz, that this species breeds exclusively in live aspen trees. Dr. J. C. Merrill, United States Army, in " Bulletin Nuttall Club," October, 1881, states, however, that he found a nest of these birds in a dead Cottonwood tree in Montana. In southwestern Oregon, in the mountain j^arks of the Klamath Lake region, these birds breed sparingl}- at as low an altitude as 5,000 feet, and it is more than probable that at a higher one, near the summit of the Cascade Range, they may be quite common. In the Blue Mountain region, in eastern Oregon, I found them breed- ing only in the single locality already mentioned, at an altitude from 6,000 to 7,000 feet. During the winter months, I have occasionally observed a Red- naped Sapsucker in the Harney Valley, in Oregon, busily engaged in hunting for food among the willow thickets found growing along the banks of the small streams in that sagebrush- covered region, often long distances away from timber of any size. In Sphyrapicus varius nuchalis the red or crimson markings found about the head and throat of adult birds are usually wanting in the young birds of the year, or else are replaced by a pale, claret-colored tinge on the corresponding parts. The black on the back and wings is also duller and not so deep, and the general pattern less distinct. I believe that both sexes assist in the labor of excavating the nesting site, the female appearing to do the greater part of the work, however, which is frequently very laborious, and that the male also shares the duties of incubation, which lasts about fourteen days. The number of eggs to a set varies from three to six, usually four or five ; these are mostly ovate in shape, a few are elliptical ovate; they are pure white in color; the shell is fine grained and moderately glossy. The average measurement of thirty-five specimens in the United States National Museum collection is 22.78 by 17.07 millimetres, or about 0.90 by 0.67 inch. The largest egg of the series ineasures 24.13 by 18.29 millimetres, or 0.95 by 0.72 inch ; the smallest, 20.83 by 16.76 milhmetres, or 0.82 by 0.66 inch. The type specimen. No. 19415 (not figured), from a set of three eggs, was taken by the writer on the summit of the Blue Mountains, in Grant Count}', Oregon, as previously described, on June 12, 1877. 92 LIFE HISTORIES OP KORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. 36. Sphyrapicus ruber (Gmelin). EED-BREASTED SAPSUCKER. Pious ruber Gmblin, Systema Naturae, 1, 1788, 429, SpliyrapiGus ruber Baikd, Birds of North America, 1858, 104 (B 87, C 302&, 303?, R 3696, 448, U 403.) Geographical range: Pacific Coast districts, from northern Lower California through California, Oregon, Wasliington, and British Columbia; north to southern Alaska; east mainly to the western slopes of the Sierra Nevada, and on both sides of the Cascade Mountains in Oregon, Washington, and British Columbia. The Red-breasted Sapsucker or Woodpecker is only a summer resident from northern CaUfornia northward, and a resident throughout the balance of its range in the Sierra Nevadas, in the southern half of this State. Mr. H. W. Henshaw found it near Fort Tejon in August, 1876, taking a young bird there and seeing several others. Mr. F. Stephens writes me: "I saw one in June in the San Bernardino Mountains, where it probably breeds, and consider it as a rather rare winter visitant near the coast." Mr. L. Belding says: "A common summer resident in the fir forests of the Sierra. Like nearly all the California Woodpeckers, it is found lower down in the winter, then becoming rather common in the foothills, although rarely ■ seen in the valleys. I have seen a considerable number of its burrows in Calaveras, Tuolumne, Alpine, Butte, and other counties. They are rarely below 30 feet, and are often overlooked or found with some difficulty, as they frequently are in bark-covered trees. It was noticed at Sierra Valley and Donner Lake."^ Mr. Charles A. Allen, of Nicasio, California, writes me: "These Wood- peckers are very fond of hanging to telegraph poles, and may be found drumming along the line of the Central Pacific Railroad through the Sierra Nevadas, where you can hear them beating a tattoo for hours at a time. If you try to approach one, as soon as a certain distance is reached the bird will sidle to the opposite side of the pole, and then keep peeping around the corner at whatever has excited his suspicions, and as soon as it thinks it has a good opportunity to escape it will fly away with a shrill cry, and keep the pole in line between it and yourself for protection. Here they are very shy, and remain very quiet if discovered. They feed their young on black ants and other insects, which they pick out of decayed trees." Dr. Clinton T. Cooke found the Red-breasted Sapsucker moderately com- mon in the vicinity of Salem, Oregon, and took two sets of eggs from dead cottonwoods, one set containing five fresh eggs, on May 12, 1888, the other, also of five, on May 15, 1891, in which incubation had commenced. The nesting sites were situated 20 and 25 feet from the ground. Mr. A. W. Anthony writes me that this species was ratner common in Washington County, Oregon, ' Laud Birds of the Pacific District, California Academy of Sciences, II, 1890, pp. 66, 67. THE EED BREASTED SAPSUGKEE. 93 in 1885. He located two pairs in a grove of alders, and another was found excavating a nesting site in a big fir stub, fully 50 feet from the ground, on April 10. They seemed to prefer the orchards to the forests, although they were often seen in the maples. He also observed it in March near Ensenada, Lower California. Mr. R. H. Lawrence met with this species at Ridgefield, Washington, on October 2, 1892. Mr. R. MacFarlane found it breeding near Fort St. James, Stewart Lake, British Columbia, on May 25 and 31, 1889, and sent eggs of this species, and also a young bird of the year, taken near Babine, somewhat far- ther north, to the United States National Museum. It reaches the northern limits of its breeding range in southern Alaska. A specimen taken on June 5, 1882, near Fort Wrangel, by Ish: W. A. Jones, is now in the United States National Museum collection. The following account is taken from my article on this species published in "The Auk" (Vol. V, 1888, pp. 229-234), only a few changes being made in the text : In my various travels throughout the interior of Oregon, Nevada, Wash- ington, and Idaho, covering over fifteen years, I never met with this bird till the summer of 1882, when I was ordered to take station at Fort Klamath, located near the northern end of Klamath Lake, in the southwestern part of Oregon. Here I found the Red-breasted Sapsucker an abundant summer resi- dent, and I have no doubt a few of these birds winter in the more sheltered portions of the deep canyons of the lower Klamath River region. They are among the earliest birds to arrive in the spring. The first bird of this species shot by me, in the spring of 1883, was obtained on March 13, and I have seen a few as late as November. On one of my collecting trips, the morning of April 4, 1883, while riding through a patch of pine timber, near Wood River, the principal stream running through the center of Klamath ^"alle}', I noticed a flock of these birds, at least twenty in number. They were ver}- noisy, appar- ently glad to get back to their summer homes, and seemed to have an excellent time generally, flying from tree to tree and calling to each other. As I wanted a couple of specimens, I was compelled to disturb their jol- lification; those procured were both males, and presumably the entire flock belonged to this sex. By April 20 they had become very common, and some pairs at least were mated and had already selected their futm-e domiciles, in every case a good-sized live aspen tree. The males might at that time be heard in almost all directions drumming on some dry limb, generally the dead top of one of these trees. They scarcely seemed to do anything else. At least five pairs nested within half a mile of my house, and I had excellent opportunities to observe them. Some birds, apparently more industrious than others, would not be satisfied with one hole, and excavated several, sometimes all in the same tree; others contented themselves with a single one. It is possible that the extra ones, after being begun, were abandoned, either being found to be too damp inside or for some other cause unknown to me; or they may have been 94 LIFE HISTOEIBS OP NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. made by the male for his own use to pass the nights in and be close to his mate in case of danger; or, again, just to keep his bill in chiseling practice. I am myself inclined to think that the female does nearly, if not quite all, the work on the cavity in which she deposits her eggs. These birds are not at all shy during the breeding season, allowing you to approach them closely; but they have an extraordinarily keen sense of hearing. I frequently tried to sneak up to a tree close to my house which I knew had been selected by a pair of these birds, to watch them at work, but I was inva- riably detected by the bird, no matter how carefully I tried to creep up, before I was able to get within 30 yards, even when she was at work on the inside of the cavity and could not possibly see me. The bird would cease working at once, her head would pop out of the hole for an instant, and the surroundings be surveyed carefully. If I kept out of sight and perfectly still, she would probably begin working again a few minutes afterwards, but if I moved ever so little, without even making the least noise, in my own estimation, she would notice it and stop working again at once. If the tree were approached too closely, she would fly off, uttering at the same time a note resembling the word 'jay,' or 'chae,' several times repeated, which would invariably bring the male around also, who had in the meantime kept himself busy in some other tree, either drumming or hunting for food. While the female was at work on the inside of the excavation the male would fly to the entrance, from time to time, and look in, probably asking his mate how her work was coming on, how soon they miglit begin housekeeping, etc.; and at other times he would hang, for five or ten minutes even, just below the entrance to the burrow, in a dreamy sort of study, perfectly motionless and seemingly dazed, evidently thinking of the family responsibilities that were soon to come. I am inclined to think that this species does not indulge in the habit of girdling trees for the sap and the soft inner bark (cambium) to the same extent that Spliyrapicus varius does — at any rate, not during the breeding season. These birds were, as I said before, extremely abundant in the vicinity of Fort Klamath, and this being the case, evidence of their work in this direction should have been rather common. I do not remember having seen more than two instances showing extensive and systematic signs of girdling — one, a medium- sized Cottonwood limb, showed the punctures all over for a distance of 3 feet; the other, a species of moimtain ash, on which none of the shoots were over 3 inches through, had been riddled all over by the birds. These mountain-ash shrubs, none of which grow to any size, were rare, however, in that vicinity. Throughout its range I think this species breeds frequently at lower alti- tudes than Sphyraipicus varius nuchalis. Fort Klamath, however, although but 4,200 feet above sea level, has a very cool summer climate, frosts occurring in almost every month of the year. The surrounding country is very beautiful at that time. Heavy, open forests of stately pines and firs, among these the grace- ful and beautiful sugar pine, are found on the mountain sides and reacMng well down into the green, park-like valleys. Interspersed here and there are aspen THE EED-BEEASTED SAPSUOKEE. 95 groves of various extent, tlieir silvery trunks and light-green foliage blending artistically with the somber green of the pines. These aspen groves are the summer home of the Red-breasted Sapsucker. As far as my own observations go, healthy, smooth-barked aspens are always selected as suitable nesting sites by these birds. The trees used vary from 12 to 18 inches in diameter near the ground, and taper very gradually. The cavity is usually excavated below the first limb of the tree, say from 15 to 25 feet from the ground. The entrance hole seems to be ridiculously small for the size of the bird — perfectly circular, from 1^ to 1^ inches in diameter only — so small, indeed, that it seems as if it took considerable effort for the bird to squeeze himself in and wriggle out of the hole. The gourd-shaped excavation varies in depth from 6 to 10 inches, and it is from 3 inches near the top to 4 or 5 inches wide at the bottom. The finer chips are allowed to remain in the bottom, forming the nest proper, on which the eggs are deposited. Frequently they are more than half covered by these chips. The interior of the entire excavation is niost carefully smoothed off, ■n'hich must consume considerable time, considering the tough, stringy, and elastic nature of the wood when filled with sap, making it even more difficult to work when partly decayed, which seems to be the case with nearly all aspens of any size. Probably eight or ten days are consumed in excavating a satis- factory nesting site. All the larger and coarser chips are di-opped out of the hole and scattered about the base of the tree. From the quantity of these found under every tree occupied by these birds during the nesting season of 1883, I am inclined to believe that they are only satisfied with an entirely new nesting site every year, and not simply with an old one repaired to answer the purpose. These same chips are an extremely simple and sure guide to their nest. In hunting for them I looked for the chips on the ground first, and after finding these it did not take long to find the hole from which they came. In this manner it was an easy matter to find their nest, and I took no less than fifteen sets of their eggs in a single season, and might have taken more had I been so inclined, especially by following up the birds for their second set, where they had been robbed previously. Ordinarily but one brood is raised in a season. The number of eggs varies from five to six to a set. Full sets of fresh eggs may be looked for in that locality from May 20 to June 5, and I have taken nearly fresh eggs as late as June 13. I took my first set on May 23, 1883. It contained six fresh eggs, and the cavity was about 7 inches deep, the entrance about 8 inches below and directly under the first limb of the tree, as usual a live aspen, about 18 feet from the ground. While the nest was being rifled of its contents both parents flew about the upper limbs of the tree, uttering a number of different sounding, plaintive cries, like 'peeye,' 'pinck,' and 'peurr,' some of these resembling somewhat the purring of a cat when pleased and rubbing against your leg. I used to note the different sounds in a small note- 96 LIFE HISTOEIES OP NOETH AMEBIC AN BIRDS. book at the very time, but scarcely ever put them down aHke; each time they appeared a trifle diflferent to the ear, and it is a hard matter to express them exactly on paper. The eggs, when fresh and before blowing, like those of all Woodpeckers, show the yolk through the translucent shell, giving them a beautiful pinkish appearance, as well as a series of straight lines or streaks, of a more pronounced white than the rest of the shell, i-unning toward and converging at the smaller axis of the egg. After blowing, the pink tint will be found to have disappeared and the egg changed to a pure, delicate white, the shell showing a moderate amount of luster. There is considerable variation in their shape, runnuig as they do through all the different ovates to an elongated ovate. Both sexes assist in incubation, which lasts from twelve to fourteen days, I think. Their food consists principally of grubs, larvae of insects, ants, various species of lepidoptera, which they catch on the wing, like Flycatchers, and berries. Of the latter quite a number of different edible species are found about Fort Klamath, and they seem to be especially fond of wild strawberries, which grow there in abundance The young, after leaving the nest, stick to the tree in which they were hatched for the first day or two, without venturing to fly. The beautiful carmine or crimson on the head and breast in the adults is replaced by claret-brown in the young, varying in amount and intensity in different individuals ; in some it is very distinct and prevalent. The yellow, so plainly noticeable on the belly of adult birds, is also wanting in the young. The colors throughout are much duller and the general pattern less distinct. By the latter part of September the majority of these birds leave for their winter haunts, only a few stragglers remaining. These are possibly birds that breed farther northward and winter in the warm valleys of northern California, and are then comparatively near the end of their migration, remaining in the Klamath Valley region, where there is always an abundance of food for the Woodpecker family, judging from the number of different species of these birds found there throughout the year, till the heavy winter snows drive out the less hardy, among which the Red-breasted Sapsucker must be included. While stationed at Fort Klamath, Oregon, I took especial pains to collect a good series of both adult and young birds of this species, as well as a number of sets of their eggs, and devoted considerable time, at no little inconvenience to myself, to observe their general habits closely. Although my personal observa- tions differ materially from those of other naturalists (see 'History of North American Birds,' by Baird, Brewer, and Ridgway, Vol. II, pp. 544 and 545), I am confident that they will be found substantially correct by future observers. The average measurement of seventy-two specimens in the United States National Museum collection is 23.37 by 17.58 millimetres, or about 0.92 by 0.69 inch. The largest egg of the series measures 25.40 by 17.78 millimetres, or 1.00 by 0.70 inch; the smallest, 21.84 by 17.27 millimeters, or 0.86 by 0.68 inch. The type specimen. No. 19395 (not figured), from a set of six eggs, was taken by the writer near Fort Klamath, Oregon, on May 23, 1883. WILLIAMSON'S SAPSUCKER. 97 37. Sphyrapicus thyroideus (Cassin). WILLIAMSON'S SAPSUCKEE. Picus thyroideus Oassin, Proceedings Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia, 1850, 1851, 349. Sphyrapicus thyroideus Baird, Birds of North America, 1858, 106. (B 88, 89; C 304, 305; R 370; 449; F 404.) Geographical range: Western North America; from the eastern slopes of the Rocky Mountains west to the Pacific coast, and from Arizona and New Mexico northwest- ward to southern British Columbia; east, in winter only, to western Texas (Concho and Tom Green counties); south to Jalisco, Mexico. The feouthem limits of the breeding range of Williamson's Sapsucker, also known as the "Black-breasted," "Brown," and "Round-headed" Woodpecker, as far as they can be defined at present, extend through the higher mountain ranges of northern New Mexico, such as the Black and Culebra mountains, the Mogol- lon and San Francisco mountains of Arizona, and northward along the eastern slopes of the Rocky Mountains, where it has as yet been found breeding only in Colorado. However, as several specimens have been taken on Laramie Peak, in southeastern Wyoming, in August, this would indicate that it breeds at least as far north in this direction. I have been unable to find any records for Montana. The northern limits of its summer range on the Pacific Coast include southern British Columbia, where it has been taken near Similkameen in June, 1882, and it breeds throughout the Cascade Mountains of Washington and Oregon and southward through the Sierra Nevadas, in southern California. Mr. F. Stephens writes me: "I have found Sphyrapicus thyroideus feeding their young in Taquitch Valley, in the San Jacinto Mountains, in southern Cali- fornia, on June 20, 1893, at an altitude of about 7,500 feet, and shot the female. The nest was some 45 feet from the ground, in a dead and broken fork of an otherwise green fir. The nest contained three young, one of wliich laid dead and decomposing in the bottom of the nest; the others were but a few days old. In the week following I saw several more adults of this species, between 7,500 and 8,500 feet altitude, and succeeded in shooting two more. The locality where they were obtained is in about latitude 33° 50'. I have also taken it near Fort Bayard, New Mexico." Mr. Robert Ridgway obtained specimens near Carson City, Nevada, and at Parley's Park, in the Wahsatch Mountains, in Utah, where it is known to breed, and Mr. H. W. Henshaw found it to be a fairly common summer resident in the mountains near Fort Garland, in southern Colorado. Mr. W. Gr. Smith writes me: "Williamson's Sapsucker is a common summer resident in Estes Park, Colorado, where it nests mostly in dead pines, often within a few feet of the ground, and again as high as 70 feet up. Full sets of fresh eggs are usually found here during the first week in June. The male appears to me to do most of the incubating, and hereabouts it is most often found at altitudes between 7,000 and 8,000 feet, but I have also taken it at much higher ones, where it nests somewhat later." 16896— No. 3 — 7 98 LIFE HISTOEIBS OF NOETH AMERICAN BIRDS. Mr. Lyman Belding, in his "Land Birds of the Pacific District," speaking of this species, says: "Tolerably common from about 7,000 feet upward in summer, often breeding in living tamaracks and covered with their resinous juice. In winter down to about the lower edge of the sugar pine (Pinus lambertiana), altitude about 2,500 feet, but rare here, and mostly female or young birds found so low, while at Big Trees, Calaveras County, California, January 6-13, 1879, I got thirteen adult males. In the breeding season they are most numerous in the valleys, as at Bloods, Hermit Valley, Blue Lakes, etc. Their burrows vary from 5 to 6 feet up to 30 or 40 feet. The young were still in their nests at Bloods, July 21, 1880, but in 1881 they were about a month earlier."^ The following account is taken from my article on this species published in "The A.uk" (Vol. V, 1888, pp. 235-239), a few alterations being made in it: This interesting Woodpecker is so unique in the entire difference of cqlor- ation of the sexes that for a long time they were considered and described as separate species. It remained for Mr. H. W. Henshaw, when .attached as naturalist to Lieut. George M. Wheeler's expedition, engaged upon the geographical exploration of Colorado and New Mexico, in 1873, to establish their identity, he finding the supposed two species paired and breeding, near Fort Garland, Colorado, in June of that year. Like Sphyrapicus varius nuchalis, it has an equally wide and extended range, reaching from the eastern slopes of the Rocky Mountains to the western spurs of the Sierra Nevada, and Cascade ranges in California and Oregon. In its habits, however, it difi'ers considerably from the tlu-ee other species of the genus Sphyrapicus, all of which seem to prefer regions abounding in deciduous trees, and using these, as far as at present known, almost exclusively for nesting purposes, while Williamson's Sapsucker gives the preference to coniferous forests, selecting pines to breed in, at least as frequently as aspens, and, according to my own observations, oftener than the latter. Although it undoubtedly occurs in the region intervening between the Rockies on the east and the Cascades on the west, I can not positively recall a single instance where I have seen this bird in the entire mountain system, beginning at the Bitter Root Range, in Montana, in the east, following the contin- uation of this through the Blue Mountains of Washington and Oregon, as well as in most of the Salmon River mountain country in Idaho, till I first met with it on the eastern slopes of the Cascade Range, near Fort Klamath, Oregon, in the autumn of 1882. It was here Dr. J. S. Newberry obtained the type of the so-called ' Sphyrapicus tvilliamsoni.^ Here I saw it for the first time on September 23, and as late as November 8 of the same year, taking specimens on both dates. Strange to say, all the birds I saw and secured for a period covering about five weeks, at that time, were females; and I only succeeded on October 28 in seeing and obtaining my first male of this species. It was taken under rather peculiar circumstances. I had only to walk a couple of hundred yards from my house to find myself in a fine, open pine forest. Gun in hand, I, as usual, took a short stroll that morning, following close along the banks of Fort Creek, dii'ectly east ' Occasional Papers, California Academy of Sciences, II, 1890, pp. 67, 68. WILLIAMSON'S SAPSUGKEE. 99 of the Post, and I had not proceeded more than half a mile from my house when I saw two males chasing each other about a dead pine stump, and utter- ing at the same time shrill cries. These cries attracted my attention to the birds. I tried to get within ordinary shooting distance, but they took alarm and flew in opposite directions before I was near enough. Nevertheless, I took a snap shot at the one nearest to me ; but it continued its flight, apparently unin- jured, crossing the creek, about 60 yards in advance of me, which was too deep and cold for me to ford, and, much to my disgust, disappeared in the heavier pine timber on the opposite side, without stopping while it was in sight. As it was useless as well as impracticable to follow this one, I kept on in the direction the other had taken, but failed to see it again. Fully an hour afterwards, on my way back to the Post, and when within a few yards of the place where I first noticed the two birds ; tired out and disgusted, I sat down on an old log and was taking a rest, absorbed in reflections on my bad luck, when, from quite a distance, I noticed a black-looking bird flying toward me, coming from the opposite side of the creek, and from the same direction the one I shot at had taken earlier in the morning. Its flight was so peculiar and strange, constantly sinking, that I refrained from shooting when it first came within range. No wonder; it was its last expiring effort, and it actually dropped within a yard of where I was sitting. It was unquestionably the very bird I had shot at more than an hour before; no one else was out hunting at the time, as no other shots were heard. A single No. 12 pellet had penetrated the lungs, and the bird, in its dying struggle, had evidently tried to reach the same stump again on which I first noticed it. My earliest record for 1883, on which date I obtained a male specimen, was March 20. It seems to me to be a more solitary bird than Sphyrapicus ruber. I never saw more than two together or in close proximity of each other. It is also more shy, and does not allow itself to be approached so readily as either of the preceding species. Its breeding range extends, near Fort Klamath, from an altitude of about 5,000 feet to the higher peaks of the Cascade Range, which attain in that vicinity a height of about 9,000 feet. On the mountain slopes about Crater Lake it seems to be most abundant, but not as much so as is Sphyra- picus ruber in the lower valley, where almost every aspen grove harbors a pair of these birds. Crater Lake itself is such a strangely interesting and unique freak of nature, the peer in sublime grandeur of the Yosemite Valley, in California, and the Yellowstone Park, with its grand canyons and geysers, in Wyoming, and so little known withal, that I will give a short description of it as it appeared in "The Auk:" "The lake is about 7 J miles long and 6 wide, and unlike anything found in this or any other country. It is situated on the summit of the Cascade Range, about 25 miles north of Fort Klamath, at an altitude of about 7,500 feet; the highest peak in the vicinity reaches up to 9,000 feet. The rocky walls surrounding it on all. sides are nowhere less than 1,000 feet and in places more than 2,000 feet high, at many points almost perpendicular, so that a stone can 100 LIFE HISTORIES OF NORTH AMElSlOAN BIRDS. be thrown without striking anything on its way till it reaches the water, fully 2,000 feet below. It is said to be some 1,800 feet deep, and in places is prob- ably more. One can not realize the magnitude of this hole in the ground with- out seeing it. A mountain the size of Mount Washington, the highest peak of the White Mountains, in New Hampshire, might be dumped into it and not fill it up then. The water is beautifully clear and deep azure blue in color; the only living thing seen near it on a visit to the lake on July 27, 1882, was a solitary female Wandering Tatler (Heteractitis incanus), apparently very correctly named. An island, covered with good-sized trees, rises out of the water to a height of nearly a thousand feet, on the west side of the lake. It is composed mostly of volcanic scoriae and pumice, and evidently was the principal cone of the now extinct crater, traces of whose activity in former times, in the shape of heavy pumice deposits, can be found for 50 miles inland to the east, on the road from the Deschutes River to Fort Klamath. There is only one place from which the shore of the lake can be reached with comparative safety, and even from there it is by no means an easy matter." Mr. Gale, who is quite famiHar with this species, writes me that in Colorado they nest sometimes at an altitude of 10,000 feet, and that they are generally distributed between that limit and 8,000 feet. The nesting sites, he says, are as often met with in moderately thick woods as in the more open clearings and isolated pine trees and shrubs, the only condition guiding their choice of a home being a shelter from the strong west winds. My own observations agree pretty well with his. He says: "A marked peculiarity I have noted with Sphyrapicus thyroideus is that the male takes a lookout station upon some suitable tree, where, at the approach of any possible danger, he gives the alarm by striking a short dry limb with his bill, by which a peculiar vibrating sound is given out, which the female, not very distant, fully understands, and is at once on tlie alert. If either excavating, guarding, or covering her eggs, she will immediately look out of her burrow, and, should the intrudei-'s path lie in the direction of her nest, she will silently slip away and alight in a tree some distance off, but in view of both her nest and the intruder. The first or second blow of a hatchet upon the tree trunk in which the nest is excavated will mark her move- ment again by a short flight, so managed as not to increase the distance — in fact oftener coming nearer. When satisfied that her treasures have been dis- covered, she utters a peculiar, low, grating sound, not unlike the purring of a cat. The male then comes to the fore and braving the danger,- is very courageous, and, should the eggs be far advanced in incubation, he will even enter the nest when you are almost within reach of it. When the latter is rifled, he is always the first to go in and discover the fact, often passing in and out several times in a surprised sort of manner. The large, gaping opening made by the robber's hatchet he seems to ignore altogether. To him it seems impos- sible that a few minutes only suffices to cut through the wall of wood that took his mate as many days of hard labor to accomplish. Presently he is joined by the female, a joint inspection is made, a verdict of grand larceny quickly reached, WILLIAMSON'S SAPSUCKER. 101 and tlie conclusion arrived at: 'Well, we shall have to try again, with the hope of better luck next time.' " Nidification is similar to that of the other species of the genus, with the exception already mentioned, of the difference in the kind of trees preferred. The height of nesting sites A'aries considerably, say from 5 to 60 feet, and per- haps still more in exceptional cases. Fresh eggs may be looked for, according to altitude, from May 20 to June 15; on May 26, 18)S7, Mr. Gale took a fine set of six, which I judge to have been perfectly fresh, from the exquisite manner in which they are prepared. I obtained my first set of eggs of this species on June 3, 1883, about 9 miles north of Fort Klamath, in the open pine forest on the road to Crater Lake. It consisted of five eggs, slightly incubated. The nesting site was excavated in a partly decayed pine whose entire top for some 20 feet was dead; the height of the excavation from the ground was about 50 feet. The man climbing the tree reported it to be about 8 inches deep and about 5 inches wide at the bottom, and freshly made. A second set, of six fresh eggs, was taken June 12 of the same year, about 12 miles north of the Post, at a still higher altitude than the first one. It came also out of a pine about 40 feet from the ground. A third nest, found a week later, near the same place, contained five young, just hatched. This nest was in a dead aspen, about 20 feet from the ground. Only one brood is raised, and, like the two other species, it is only a summer resident, in the vicinity of Fort Klamath. Its food seems to consist almost exclusively of insects and their larvae, various species of lepidoptera, and an occasional grasshopper. Berries, I think, are seldom eaten by them. I have found fully fledged young in July; a young female, shot July 21, must have left the nest certainly by the beginning of the month. When the young are large enough to fly, they are not at all rare at the lower altitude of Fort Klamath. They show the same differences in coloration in the sexes in their first plumage, with the following exceptions: The young males lack the red on the throat, which is replaced by dirty white ; the sulphur yellow on the lower parts is mostly wanting, a slight trace of it being noticeable on some specimens ; and the black on the back is much duller. The young females differ likewise by the absence of yellow on the belly, the black patch on the-breast is wanting, the markings and barrings on the upper parts are less distinct, and the colors gen- erally duller. In its undulating flight from tree to tree this species utters a shrill note, like "huit, huit." Williamson's Woodpecker winters in the lower valleys and foot hill regions in the southern half of California, a,nd southward in the pine forests of Arizona, New Mexico, western Texas, and probably also in similar localities of northern Mexico. The number of eggs laid to a set varies from three to seven, sets of five or six being most often found. These, like all Woodpecker's eggs, are pure china- white in color; the shell is close grained, rather thin, and only slightly glossy. In shape they vary from ovate to elongate ovate, and a few approach an ovate pyriform, a shape apparently not found in the eggs of the other species of this genus. 102 LIFE HISTORIES OF NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. The average measurement of thirty-four specimens in the United States National Museum collection is 24.20 by 17.19 millimetres, or about 0.95 by 0.68 inch. The largest egg of the series measures 25.40 by 17.78 millimetres, or 1.00 by 0.70 inch; the smallest, 22.35 by 16.51 millimetres, or 0.88 by 0.65 inch. The type specimen. No. 19409 (not figured), from a set of five eggs, was taken by the writer near Fort Klamath, Oregon, on June 3, 1883. 38. Ceophloeus pileatus (Linn^us). PILEATED WOODPECKER. Picus pileatus Linn^us, Systema Naturae, ed. 10, 1, 1758, 11.3. G[eophlceus] pileatus Gabanis, Journal fiir Ornithologie, 1862, 176. (B 90, 294, R 371, 432, U 405.) Geographical range: More or less irregularly distributed through the heavier wooded districts of North America, excepting Newfoundland, -Labrador, the shores of Hudson Bay, and those portions of the Northwest Territory, in the Dominion of Canada, north of latitude 63°. In the United States, apparently absent or very rare in the south- ern Rocky Mountains, and in the Territory of Alaska. Rare or extirpated in the more thickly settled parts of the eastern United States. The Pileated Woodpecker, also known in different sections as "Cock of the Woods," "Logcock," "Woodcock," "Black Log" or "Black Woodcock," "Johnny Cock," "Wood-hen," " Woodchuck," and, according to Mr. B. F. Gault, by the peculiar name of "Good-Gods" in southeastern Missouri, is generally resident and breeds wherever found, although in winter it may sometimes rove about more or less, according to the food supply. Throughout most of our Eastern States, north of latitude 39°, the Pileated Woodpecker is now some- what rare, and here it is mainly confined to the heavily timbered bottom lands along the larger streams and the more thinly settled sections in the mountain regions, where in a few favorable localities it is still met with in small numbers. In quite a number of our Southern States, however, it is far more common, and in suitable localities it may be called fairly abundant. This is especially the case throughout the greater part of Florida, as well as in portions of South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Arkansas, southern Missouri, the Indian Territory, and the gi-eater part of Texas It is by no means rare in portions of the other Southern States, as it is well known to occur throughout North Carolina, generally below an altitude of 4,500 feet, and I have occasion- ally seen bunches of these birds, numbering from four to twelve, exposed for sale in the markets of Washington, D. C, which had been liilled in some of the neighboring counties in Virginia, where this large and handsome Wood- pecker appears to be considered as a game bird. 1 tried to eat one, when short of meat, while traveling through the Blue Mountains of Oregon, but I certainly can not recommend it. It feeds to a great extent on the large black wood ants, which impart to it a very peculiar, and to me an extremely unpleasant THE PILEATED WOODPEOKEE. 103 flavor, a kind of sweet-sour taste, which any amount of seasoning and cooking does not disguise, and I consider it as a very unpalatable substitute for game of any kind. In the Rocky Mountain regions of Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, and Wyoming the Pileated Woodpecker apparently does not occur, and if it occa- sional!)^ should, it must be considered very rare. The same remarks apply to Utah and the greater part of Nevada, but it is occasionally met with in the western part of the latter State. I found it quite rare also in Idaho, Oregon, and Washington, excepting in the coast regions of the latter States. In California it is not uncommon in portions of the Sierra Nevadas, while in British Columbia it appears to be far more abundant than anywhere else west of the Rocky Mountains, both on the coast and in the interior, especially in the vicinity of Lake Babine, in about latitude 55°, from which point Mr. R. MacFarlane sent a number of specimens to the United States National Museum in 1889. It has also been taken by Mr. B. R. Ross, of the Hudson Bay Company, at Fort Liard, in the extreme northeastern corner of British Columbia, and on Big Island, in Great Slave Lake, by Mr. John Reed, which marks the most northern point of its known range. It can thus be seen that the Pileated Woodpecker is by no means dis- tributed over the whole of North America, and that it is not found in many heavily timbered sections which appear to be equally suitable as a habitat as many of those which it occupies. It is eminently a bird of the more extensive forest regions, and is as much at home in a semi-tropical as in a cold climate. As a rule, specimens from the northern borders of its range are considerably larger than those from the south. There appears to be considerable difference in the habits of this bird; in some sections it is extremely shy and wary, while in others it is exactly the reverse. Mr. Manly Hardy, of Brewer, Maine, writes me: "This splendid bird is not uncommon in the heavily timbered portions of our State, and. although usually very shy, becomes accustomed to man if not disturbed. I once had two so tame they would allow me to sit within 4 paces of them, and put my hand upon the tree when they were not 10 feet above my head. They usually select certain large dead hemlock trees to which they go almost daily, often remaining for hours, repeating their visits until the bark is almost entirely removed from the tree. It was owing to the proximity of several such trees to my home camp that I was able to become so familiar with them. They often chisel holes 6 or 8 inches deep in cedar and other soft-wood trees, and as large as the holes in a post-and-rail fence. I have seen one pick a large hole through 2 inches of frozen green hemlock to get at the hollow interior, and it seemed impossible that a steel tool of the same size could have done such work without beina- broken. They are easily called by clapping the hands so as to imitate their pounding. This requires skill, but I have taught others so that they have been successful in it. When called they seem to lose their usual shyness, and seem stupefied at not finding their mate, as they had expected. I have found them 104 LIFE HISTORIES OF NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. nesting in the large yellow birch, and once found one late in the fall at work inside the tree, as I have often seen other species of Woodpeckers do in the fall ; but whether working on next year's nest or providing a winter's retreat is unknown to me. Its food consists very largely of ants. In some cases it descends to the ground to obtain them, after the manner of the Flicker. 1 have seen them in Yosemite Valley and Calaveras Grove, California, and their actions and notes seemed exactly the same as in Maine birds. "I once saw a Sharp-shinned Hawk persecute a pair of these Woodpeckers most persistently. They spent considerable of their time on some dead hemlocks close to my camp, and while busily at work the little Hawk would dart at one and follow him with his legs stretched out as if to seize him, all the time uttering a 'ca-ca-ca' to scare him. When the Woodpecker alighted and faced him from behind a tree, the former would also alight close by on some convenient limb, ready to repeat the performance as soon as the other commenced to work again. Sometimes the Woodpecker, instead of flying, would sidle around the body of the tree, and the Hawk would occasionally follow him twice entirely around before alighting to take a rest, only to make a fiercer dash next time. On some days this performance would be continued for at least an hour at a time, and the Hawk seemed to put in all the time he could spare from getting a living in annoying these birds. It was very evident, however, that he dared not seize one, as he easily could have done had he wished to do so. One would hardly think that a Pileated Woodpecker could catch on the side of a tree, swing his body around, and present his bill to the Hawk so quickly, but I saw this done dozens of times. The Sharp-shinned Hawk reminded me of some people who never can bear to see others getting an honest living. "The Pileated Woodpecker is a constant resident in Maine, but rarely leaves the vicinity of large timber. It prefers places where large hemlocks abound, especially those localities where a few have been killed by camp building or small fires. In fall and winter a pair will regularly visit such trees every day for weeks, spending hours daily in stripping off the bark, until trees from 2 to 3 feet in diameter are often entirely denuded or large patches of the bare wood are exposed. In the spring I have often seen bushels of bark under a single tree." Mr. R. S. Williams, of Columbia Falls, Montana, writes me: "Ceophlceus pileatus is rather common all through the timber of the Upper Flathead River region, in the northwestern part of the State. The bark of the western yellow pine seems to offer attractive foraging for these birds. One tree I observed, some 2 feet in diameter, is about stripped to the wood for 50 or 60 feet up. The birds strike their blows sidewise, splitting the bark off in thin scales that soon accumulate in large heaps at the base of the trees where they work. I ran across one bird obtaining his meal in a rather novel manner. He was eating the berries of a dogwood (Cornus stolonifera), and as the stem of the shrub was much too small for him to perch upright on, he allowed himself to swing THE PILEATED WOODPECKER. 105 head downward, and, stretcliing his neck to one side, manao-ed to reach the berries. Not unfrequently they search for food on the ground, usually alighting- low down on a trunk and dropping backward, a few inches at a time, till they reach the base, where they search among the chips, etc., but constantly looking up with the most knowing glances, as if to say that they were not to be sur- prised in such a proceeding. I have never seen this species east of the Rocky Mountains in Montana." I have seen this species in but few localities in the West, and with but one exception I always found the Pileated Woodpecker extremely shy and difficult to approach. In the latter part of June, 1882, I found a nest containing four young about one-half mile southeast from Fort Klamath, Oregon, and I noticed this family on several occasions afterwards in the heavy pine timber in the vicinity of the Post. These birds were not shy, and I could readily have shot them all, but refrained, hoping they would nest in the neighborhood again next season, which they, however, failed to do. The ordinary call note is a loud "cack-cack-ciick," several times repeated; another resembles the "chuck-up" of the Red-shafted Fhcker, only somewhat slower, louder, and clearer; others again remind me of the cackling of a domestic hen. One of its love notes, according to Mr. A. Nehrling, sounds like "a-wuck, a-wuck," and one of alarm, or anger, like "ha-hi, ha-hi." It is very noisy during the mating season and indulges in a good deal of drumming at this time of year. I believe they remain mated through life, and pairs are more frequently seen than single birds. Its food consists of the different species of boring beetles and their larvae infesting timbered tracts, and of ants, many of which it captures on the ground; it also feeds on wild grapes, the berries of the black gum, dogwood, pokeweed, service berries, acoms, beechnuts, and chestnuts. Considered from an economic point of view, it does far more good than harm, and only attacks decaying and fallen timber. In the mountains of Oregon, and presumably in other localities, the Pileated Woodpecker is most frequeutl}' met with in the extensive burnt tracts, the so-called "deadenings," where forest fires have swept through miles of fine timber and killed everything in its path. Such localities afford this species an abundant food supply in the slowly decaying trees, and are sure to attract them. I have seen the sun obscured for weeks at Fort Klamath by the dense smoke caused by such a fire, which raged in the Cascade Mountains, near Diamond Park, some 50 miles north of the Post, in August, 1883. The bright scarlet crests of these birds were in former years highly prized by many of the Indian tribes in our Northwestern States, being used as ornaments on their war bonnets, and these birds were eagerly hunted for this purpose. Its flight is both strong and swift at times, but, as a rule, when at ease it is slow and crow-like, rather more direct and not s© undulating as that of most of our Woodpeckers, and is often protracted for long distances. In southei'n Florida the mating season commences early in March, and farther north correspondingly later. A suitable tree having been selected, gen- erally a dead one in large and extensive woods, both birds work alternately on the nesting site. This is usually excavated in the main trunk, from 12 to 75 106 LIFE HISTORIES OP NOETH AMERICAN BIRDS. feet from the ground, and it takes from seven to twelve days to complete it. The entrance measures from 3 to 3 J inches in diameter, and it often goes 5 inches straight into the trunk before it is worked downward. The cavity varies from 7 to 30 inches in depth, and is gradually enlarged toward the bottom, where it is about-6 inches wide. A layer of chips is left at the bottom, on which the eggs are deposited. Occasionally the entrance hole, instead of being circu- lar, is oval in shape, like that of the Ivory-billed Woodpecker. The inside of the cavity is quite smooth, the edges of the entrance are nicely beveled, and, taken as a whole, it is quite an artistic piece of work. Some of the birds, presumably such as have been molested previously, are quite shy and artful, removing every trace of chips as soon as loosened and dropping them in dif- ferent places, at some distance from the nesting site, so as not to betray its location by the accumulation of chips at the base of the tree, and occasionally they show, if possible, still more intelligence. Dr. William L. Ralph tells me that in the spring of 1892 he found a nest of this species in Putnam County, Florida, where the bird is quite common, excavated in a dead cypress in swampy woods, which was .comparatively easy to get at. He found this in the second week in April, about the time nidification is at its height there. On rapping on the trunk of the tree the bird, which was at home, stuck his head out of the hole and dropped some chips, naturally causing the Doctor to believe that the nest- ing site was still unfinished. The same performance was repeated on several subsequent visits, and finally he concluded to examine the nest anyhow, when he found nearly full-grown young. This pair of birds must have had eggs at the time he first discovered the nest, and the chips were simply thrown out as a ruse to deceive him. The trees most often used for nesting sites are cypress, gum, pine, fir, tamarack, oak, sycamore, elm, birch, and cottonwood, and in southern Florida the trunk of the cabbage palmetto also furnishes suitable nesting sites. Besides the customary layer of chips found in the bottom of the hole, one of the nesting sites examined by Dr. Ralph contained fully a pint of clean sand. A fresh cavity is generally made each season, and this species also excavates others in the fall of the year to retire to during inclement and stormy weather in winter. On the data blank furnished by Dr. Ralph, for a set of three eggs taken by him in Putnam County, Florida, on April 20, 1892, from a hole in the side of a rotten pine stump, 27 feet above the ground, in low, flat pine woods, near a small swamp, I find the following entry: "This nest was examined April 13, but contained no eggs. At that time the cavity was opened by tearing out a piece about 3 inches wide from the aperture nearly to the bottom. The damaged place was repaired by nailing over it a piece of bark from the stump, with a small hollow in the top, to restore the jopening to its proper shape." The cavity was about 18 inches deep. In northern Florida full sets of eggs may be looked for about April 15. Three eggs to a set seems to be the usual number found here, and most of the eggs in the United States National Museum collection came from this State. Dr. A. K. Fisher took a set of four at Lake Greorge, Warren County, New York, on May 15, 1878; and Mr. J. Harris Reed, THE PILEATBD WOODPBCKEE. 107 of Beverly, New Jersey, writes me: "On June 4, 1893, In company with a friend, I discovered a nest of the Pileated "Woodpecker, in Cape May Comity, New Jersey, containing five young birds. Our attention was attracted by tlie female, who, with food in her mouth, flew about us from tree to tree, very much agitated, and uttering a chattering note resembling that of a tree frog. Upon an examination of the surrounding trunks of dead trees, we located the nest, which was about 12 feet above the ground. Two of the young were removed and examined, they were nearly able to fly. Although we remained there nearly an hour watching the female tlirough field glasses as she returned to the nest to feed her young, the male bird was not seen. This is the first occurrence of its breeding in this locality that I have met with." From three to five eggs are usually laid to a set, bxxt I have seen it stated that the Pileated Woodpecker often laid six, and that a nest found near Farm- ville, Virginia, contained eight. An egg is deposited daily, and incubation begins occasionally before the set is completed, and lasts about eighteen days, both sexes assisting in this duty, as well as in caring for the young. Like all Woodpeckers, the Pileated are very devoted parents, and the young follow them for some "weeks after leaving the nest, until fully capable of caring for themselves. Only one brood is raised in a season. The eggs of the Pileated Woodpecker are pure china- white in color, mostly ovate in shape; the shell is exceedingly fine grained and very glossy, as if enameled; they are not as pointed as those of the Ivory-billed, and average smaller. The average measurements of twenty-nine specimens in the United States National Museum collection, mostly from Florida, are 32.44 by 24.08 millimetres, or about 1.28 by 0.95 inches. The largest egg of the series measures 35.56 by 25.15 milhmetres, or 1.40 by 0.99 inches; the smallest, 30.22 by 22.61 milli- metres, or 1.19 by 0.89 inches. The type specimen, No. 26529 (PI. 1, Fig. 5), Ealph collection, from a set of three eggs, was taken by Dr. William L. Ralph, near San Mateo, Florida, April 13, 1893. It represents one of the larger eggs of the series. 39. Melanerpes erythrocephalus (Linn^us). EED-HEADED WOODPECKER. Picus erythrocephalus Linn^us, Systema Naturae, ed. 10, I, 1758, 13 3. Melanerpes erythrocephalus SwAiNSON, Fauna Boreali Americana, II, 1831, 316. (B 94, G 309, E 375, C 453, U 406.) G-EOGRAPHICAL RAN&B : Temperate North. America; from the southern United States north in the eastern provinces of the Dominion of Canada to about latitude 46°; rare or casual only in the maritime provinces; in the interior in Manitoba north to about latitude 50° ; west, in the United States, to the eastern slopes of the Eocky Mountains from Mon- tana to Colorado, western Kansas, the Indian Territory, and the eastern half of Texas. Casual in Utah (Salt Lake City) and southern Arizona (Chiricahua Mountains). The Red-headed Woodpecker, one of the best known and handsomest species of the PicidcB found in the United States, is unquestionably the most dis- reputable representative of this family; but this fact does not appear to be very 108 LIFE HISTORIES OF NOKTH AMERICAN BIRDS. generally known. Throughout the greater portion of the eastern United States it is a rather irregular resident. Many of these birds winter along our northern border, in certain years, when they can find an abundant supply of food; in fact, it is not unusual to find the Red-headed Woodpecker at such times in local- ities where snow falls to a depth of 3 feet and more. Throughout the western parts of its range, however, it appears to migrate pretty regularly, and it is rare to see one of these birds there, north of latitude 40°, in winter. In the eastern portions of the New England States, bordering the Atlantic Ocean, it is rather rare and the same remarks apply to that part of New York east of the Hudson Eiver and to Vermont east of the Grreen Mountains, where it is only a casual summer visitor. Its breeding range is coextensive with its distribution. Birds that migrate usually return to their summer homes about the latter part of April or the beginning of May, and leave for the south again about the first of October. Their movements are very uncertain at all times, and are evidently regulated laro-ely by the food supply; even on their breeding grounds, where they may be common one year, not a single pair may be found the next. Its favorite resorts in summer are the borders of woods, fringes of timber along streams, solitary trees in fields and pastures, shade trees along country woods, and on the treeless prairies of some of our Western States it contents itself with telegraph poles, fence posts, etc. In the South, newly cleared fields in which a number of dead, girdled trees still remain standing are much resorted to, and in such localities these birds are very abundant at almost all seasons, but especially in winter. In summer the food of the Red-headed Woodpecker consists to a consider- able extent of insects of different kinds, such as grasshoppers, ants, beetles, and flies, many of which are caught on the wing, and of such larvae as may be hidden under the bark of trees, or in rotten wood; but it rarely digs out those of the wood-boring beetles which are found in more solid trees. At this season it also feeds largely on fruits and berries, such as cherries, apples, pears, figs, peaches, and grapes, as well as oq blackberries, raspberries, mulberries, poke and elder berries, green peas, and Indian corn in the milk; and last, but not least, on young birds and eggs. In the late fall and win+er its diet is more largely vegetable, one of its staples being beechnuts; the berries of the sour gum, dogwood, and palmetto are also largely eaten; acorns, Indian corn, and small grains are like- wise used, and it is well known that these birds also store away supplies, consisting both of insects and vegetable matter, for winter use. One of the strangest things in the life history of this species, so entirely different in every respect from the habits of all our other Woodpeckers, is the fact that it feeds on both the eggs and young of other birds. I would hesitate somewhat to record such an exceedingly pernicious habit if I had the least doubt as to it and had not personally witnessed it. I have been aware of the fact that it did sometimes throw out the eggs of other birds nesting in cavities in trees, since May 18, 1885, when I found a Red-headed Woodpecker rifling the nest of a Red-shafted Flicker near Fort Custer, Montana, where both these species were not uncommon. The cavity contained six fresh eggs, two of which had THE EED-HBADED WOODPEOKEE. 109 already been thrown out, and I caught the Ked-head in the act, coming out of the hole with his bill stuck through the third. At that time I simply considered this act on its part as a forcible appropriation of a coveted nesting site, as suitable trees were scarce in this vicinity, and thought no more about the matter. The next year I saw the following article in the "Oologist" (Vol. 3, April, 1886, p. 29), which I was rather reluctant to believe at first, written by a gentleman signing himself L. B. F., Augusta, Ga. : " Cannibalism of the Bed-headed Woodpecker. — I noticed two interesting inci- dents last spring connected with a Red-headed Woodpecker, which may interest the readers of the 'Oologist.' Early in May I found a nest of this bird contain- ing six eggs, situated in the dead branches of an oak, 30 feet high. Near by a Crested Titmouse had industriously carved out his little home, in which he was feeding a nest full of young. A few days after, having taken the Woodpecker's eggs (I needed them for my collection), I was watching the Titmouse's nest to see him feed his little ones, when suddenly the owner of the robbed nest flew down and lit near the entrance to the nest of its neighbor, and thrusting his head inside, he deliberately drew out a young bird, carried it to a branch near by, and ate it. He and his mate repeated the same action until they had killed the whole brood; after which, having pulled out the lining of the nest, they flew away. This was very surprising to me, as I have never heard of Woodpeckers indulging in cannibalism before. But I had not yet done with the actions of the Woodpeckers. A week or so after having broken up the Crested Titmouse nest, I noticed the Red-heads repeatedly visiting the site of their old nest. This aroused my curiosity, and supposing they had decided to lay a new clutch, I visited the cavity to see whether my supposition was true. What was my sur- prise to find that the hollow contained not eggs, but the decaying body of a Great Crested Flycatcher. How it came there I know not; but I am fully convinced that the Red-heads visited the spot for the purpose of devouring the vermin which infested the decaying flesh.'' A similar incident is recorded in the same periodical (Vol. 5, June, 1889, p. 113), where one of these birds was seen, near Hyde Park, Ontario, July, 1886, carrying away a freshly killed young robin. Mr. W. G. Smith, formerly of Loveland, Colorado, well known as a perfectly reliable and careful observer, writes me: "The Red-headed Woodpecker is a common summer resident in the lower foothills along the eastern slopes of the Rocky Mountains in this State, and I consider it a veritable butcher among our Nuthatches and Chick- adees, driving every one away from its nesting sites, and woe to the bird that this villain can reach. It destroys both eggs and young, dragging the latter out of their nests and frequently leaving them dead at the entrance of their holes." Mr. Howard Jones, Circle ville, Ohio, I beheve was the first naturahst to record the fact that this species robbed the nests of other birds of their eggs, and states how a colony of Clifif Swallows which had estabhshed themselves under the eaves of a large barn, near Mount Sterling, Ohio, was nearly exter- 110 LIFE HISTOEIBS OF NOETH AMEKICAN BIEDS. minated by these pests. (See "Ornithologist and Oologist," Vol. 8, July, 1883, p. 56.) To these instances I will now add my own testimony, if further con- firmation of the evil doings of this handsome freebooter is wanted. On the evening of July 1, 1892, while walking with Dr. William L. Kalph along the border of an open piece of mixed woods, used as a pasture, near Holland Patent, New York, we noticed a Red-headed Woodpecker take some- thing, apparently a bunch of moss, from a crotch of a maple and carry it to a fence post of an adjacent field. After worrying some time in trying to swallow something rather too large for his gullet, he finally succeeded, after an effort, and then worked some little time, evidently trying to secrete the remainder. Both of us had our field glasses and were watching the bird's actions closely. After some little time he flew back to the tree he had started from, while we pro- ceeded to the fence post to investigate, and, much to our disgust and surprise, we found the freshly killed and partly eaten body of a young bird, almost denuded of feathers, securely tucked away behind the loose bark of the post. His victim was too much mutilated to identify positively, but looked like a half-grown Bluebird, whose head had been crushed in, the brain abstracted, and the entire rump and entrails torn out; the only parts left intact were the breast, upper part of the back, and the lower portion of the head. The missing parts had evidently just been eaten by the rascal while clinging to the top of the post, and the rem- nant was then hidden for future use. After carefully replacing this as nearly as possible in the position in which it was found, we returned; but I was interested enough to revisit the spot next morning, only to find that the Red-headed Woodpecker had evidently been there before me and breakfasted on the remains of the bird, as not a vestige of the victim was there to tell of the tragedy. It is sincerely to be hoped that all Red-headed Woodpeckers are not addicted to cannibalism; but when this matter is looked into more carefully I fear that this habit will be found not uncommon. Its flight, like that of all Woodpeckers, is undulating and surging, and the bird looks especially graceful and pleasing on the wing. It is an adept fly- catcher, and its vision is exceedingly sharp. A considerable portion of its food is picked up from the ground. I have seen one drop down from his perch on some dead limb, fully 20 feet overhead, pick up a small beetle out of the grass, fly back to its perch to eat it, and repeat the same performance as soon as another was espied. I have also seen them cling to the side of a tree or fence post, perfectly motionless, for fifteen minutes at a time. Dr. William L. Ralph tells me that the Red-headed Woodpecker is the latest of these birds to arrive on its breeding grounds in Putnam County, Florida, where it rarely begins laying before May 1. It undoubtedly spends the winters in some other part of the State where the food supply is more abundant. It is known to breed throughout the South, from Florida westward through the eastern half of Texas, and to the foothills of the Rocky Mountains where it is fairl}'^ common, in suitable localities, from Colorado northward, but it has not yet been found in New Mexico. In the South it is stated to raise two THE EED-HEADED WOODPEOKEE. Ill broods in a season, but in the northern parts of its range it raises only one. While stationed at Camp Harney, Oregon, I was much surprised to see a headdress of a prominent Pah-Ute chief profusely decorated with a number of the heads of the Red-headed Woodpecker, and I was led to beheve that it might possibly occur in the vicinity, but learned subsequently that an enterprising Indian trader had imported a number of the skins from the East and sold them to the Indians at fancy prices. Mr. Robert Ridgway records having seen one near Salt Lake City, Utah, probably a straggler, and I know of only one other rehable record west of the Rocky Mountains, that of a bird taken by Mr. W. W. Price, in the Chiricahua Mountains, Arizona. Like most Woodpeckers, the Red-headed is rather noisy during the mating season, continually frolicking and playing hide and seek with its mate, and when not so engaged, amusing itself by drumming on some resonant dead limb, or on the roof and sides of houses, barns, etc. It is a rather suspicious bird, but where not molested it will occasionally nest in close proximity to houses. Its ordinary call note is a loud "tchur-tchur;" when chasing each other a shrill note like "charr-charr" is frequently uttered, and alarm is expressed by a harsh, rattling note, as well as by one which, according to Mr. Otto Widmann, is indis- tinguishable from the note of the Tree-frog {Hyla arbored). He tells me that both bird and frog sometimes answer each other. I consider this species rather quarrelsome and domineering, both toward its own kind and with other birds, and see little in its general character to commend. From an economic view, it appears to me certainly to do fully as much if not more harm than good, and I consider it less worthy of protection than any of our Woodpeckers, the Yellow- breasted Sapsucker not excepted. In the northern parts of its range nidification begins usually during the last week in May or the first week in June. Some of its nesting sites are exceed- ingly neat pieces of work; the edges of the entrance hole are beautifully beveled off, and the inside is as smooth as if finished with a fine rasp. The entrance is about If inches in diameter and the inner cavity varies from 8 to 24 inches in depth; the eggs are deposited on a layer of fine chips. It usually nests in the dead tops or limbs of deciduous trees, or in old stumps of oak, ash, butternut, maple, elm, sycamore, cottonwood, willow, and other species, more rarely in coniferous and fruit trees, at heights varying from 8 to 80 feet from the groxuid, and also not infrequently in natural cavities. On the treeless prairies it has to resort mainly to telegraph poles and fence posts, and here it also nests under the roofs of houses or in any dark cornei it can find. Incubation lasts about two weeks, and both sexes assist in this labor, as well as in the preparation of the nesting cavity; an egg is laid daily, and incubation sometimes commences before the set is completed. The young of this species are fed in the ordinary way, at any rate after they are half grown, the parents bringing their food in their bills. The number of eggs to a set varies from four to seven, sets of five being most frequently found, while occasionally as many as eight eggs have been taken from a nest. Mr. R. C. McGregor records taking 112 LIFE HISTOEIBS OF NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. a set of ten eggs of the Red-head, varying in size from ordinary down to that of the Song Sparrow. Incubation varied from fresh in the smallest egg to advanced in the larger; the nest was in the end of a rotten limb of a large willow, about 20 feet from the ground. Locality, Crow Creek, Weld County, Colorado, May, 1887.^ Like the eggs of all our Woodpeckers, they are pure china- white in color; the shell is fine grained and rather glossy, and when fresh they are quite translucent; they are mostly short ovate in shape, and show but little variation in this respect. The average measurement of sixty eggs in the United States National Museum collection is 25.12 by 19.25 millimetres, or about 0.99 by 0.76 inch. The largest egg of the series measures 26.92 by 20.32 millimetres, or 1.06 by 0.80 inches; the smallest, 22.90 by 18.03 millimetres, or 0.90 by 0.71 inch. The type specimen. No. 23423 (not figured), from a set of five eggs, was taken by Mr. C. W. Richmond, near Washington, D. C, June 23, 1885. 40. Melanerpes formicivorus bairdi Ridgway. CALIFOENIAN WOODPECKEK. Melanerpes formicivorus bairdi Ridgway, Bulletin No. 21, U. S. National Museum, 1881, (B 95, C 310, R 377, O 454, D" 407.) 34, 85. Geogkaphical range : Northern and western Mexico, northern Lower California, and adjacent portions of the United States, from western Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona, north through California into western Oregon to about latitude 44°; east to the western slopes of the Sierra Nevada and Cascade mountains in California and Oregon. Sporadic- ally on the eastern slopes of the Cascades in Lake and Klamath counties, Oregon. In suitable localities, the Californian Woodpecker is one of the most abundant and familiar species along our southern border, and it is also rather common in many portions of California and western Oregon. Being essentially a bird of the oak belt, this handsome Woodpecker need only be looked for where these trees are abundant. In the northern portions of California and in southwestern Oregon it is rarely met with at a greater altitude than 4,500 feet, but in Arizona, New Mexico, and in northern Lower California it is often found at considerable distances above this point. In California it reaches the eastern limits of its range on the western slopes of the Sierra Nevadas, and in Oregon it rarely crosses over to the eastern slopes of the Cascades. As far as I have been able to ascertain, it reaches the northern limits of its range in Oregon, and it appears to be rare or entirely absent in the northwestern parts of this State. I have been unable to find a single reliable record of its occurrence in Washington, and do not believe that it has ever been met with so far north. It attains the eastern limit of its range, as far as known, in the Santa Fe Moun- tains, in northern New Mexico, where Mr. H. W. Henshaw secured several specimens, and it is also common in the Guadalupe and Davis Mountains, and 'The Oologist, vol. 5, March, 1888, p. 44. THE CALIFOENIAN WOODPECKER. 113 in the hilly country in the vicinity of Harris Lake, near the head waters of the Guadalupe River, in Kerr County, Texas. A female, shot on November 25, 1894, hi the vicinity of this lake, was recently sent me for examination by Sir. H. P. Attwater, of San Antonio, Texas, and he writes me that it is reported as fairly common there in winter, and may possibly also breed there. This, as far as I can ascertain, marks the most eastern point of its known range within our borders. Messrs. L. Belding and A. W. Anthony both met with the Californian "Wood- pecker in northern Lower California, and it is well known to be a common inhabitant of many localities in northern Mexico. It is usually a resident and breeds wherever found, and it is generally more partial to the canyons and foothill regions than to the extensive level tracts and larger valleys. The Californian Woodpecker is by far the most social representative of this family found within the United States, and it is no unusual occurrence to see half a dozen or more in a single tree. It is also a well-disposed bhd, and seldom quarrels or fights with its own kind or with smaller species; but it most emphatically resents the thieving propensities of the different Jays, Magpies, and Squirrels, when caught trespassing on its winter stores, attacking these intruders with such vigor and persistency that they are compelled to vacate the premises in a hiu'ry. Its manner of flight and call notes closely resemble those of the Red-headed Woodpecker, and, like it, it loves to cling to some convenient dead limb near the top of a tree and drum for hours at a time. It is one of the most restless Woodpeckers I know of, and never appears to be at a loss for amusement or work of some kind, and no other bu-d belonging to this family could possibly be m.ore industrious. During the spring and summer its food consists, to a great extent, of insects, including grasshoppers, ants, beetles, and different species of flies, varied occasionally with fruit, such as cherries, which are carried off whole, apples, figs, and also berries and green com; but acorns always form its principal food supply during the greater portion of the year, and large numbers are stored away by it in the thick bark of pines, as well as in dry and partly rotten limbs of oak and other trees, also in telegraph poles and fence posts. This peculiar habit of storing acorns in receptacles especially made for this purpose, and not under loose bark or similar hiding places, seems, however, to be principally confined to the birds found in California and southwestern Oregon, while it has not as yet been noted, to the same extent at least, in the somewhat smaller birds found in Arizona and New Mexico; and this habit is far too noticeable to have been overlooked by the many careful ornithologists who have visited Arizona since I was there in 1872 and 1873, and have had far better opportunities for observing its habits than I enjoyed. Although I traveled over considerable areas in both years where these birds were fairly common in places, I saw no evidence of their storing acorns in the way they do in the more northern parts of their range, though I must confess that I was then generally far more on the lookout for hostile Indians than ornithological matters. 16896— No. 3 8 114 LIFE HISTORIES OP NOETH AMERICAN BIRDS. Dr. E. A. Mearns, United States Army, separated the birds found in Arizona from those in CaUfornia and Oregon, describing the southern form as Melanerpes formicivorus aculeatus, and taking into consideration the principal difference claimed by him, which appears to be constant, and also some apparent discrep- ancies in its general habits, I believe it is as well entitled to subspecific rank as not a few other now recognized subspecies. The most notable difference of this southern form from other recognized races of this species is the small size and peculiar shape of the bill. Referring to its habits, the Doctor says: "A very common resident in the pine belt, breeding plentifully. I have found it as high as the spruce forests, but never ia them. It is essentially a bird of the pines, only occasionally descending to the cottonwoods of the low valleys. The oaks which are scattered through the lower pine zone supply a large share of its food. Its habit of industriously hoarding food in bark of pines and in all sorts of chinks and hollows is well known. These stores are the source of unending quarrels between this Woodpecker and its numerous pilfering enemies, and I have laid its supplies under contribution myself, when short of provisions and lost from the command with which I had been traveling, by filling my saddle- bags with half-dried acorns from under the loose bark of a dead pine."-^ In Mexico it is reported that they store acorns in the dry flower stalks of the yuccas and the maguay. Agave americana, which is generally known as the "mescal plant" in Arizona. In the Rogue River Valley, in southwestern Oregon, I found these birds exceedingly abundant in the canyons and foothills along the western slopes of the Cascrode Mountains, and here one could see evidences of then- industry every little while. I have seen the thick bark of large sugar and other pines, as well as partly decayed oak limbs and telegraph poles, completely riddled with small holes. Some trees certainly contained thousands of holes. A section of a partly decayed oak limb now before me, which is 3 feet 2 inches long and 5J inches in diameter, of which only about three-fifths of the surface has been utilized (the remainder having probably been found too solid) contains 255 holes by actual count. These holes are circular, and average about three-quarters of an inch in depth by half an inch in diameter ; each one is intended to hold a single acorn, and they are generally placed from half an inch to an inch apart. The acorns fit these holes pretty accurately, and are apparently always driven in point foremost, the base of the acorn being flush with the surrounding wood and not readily extracted. It seems improbable and almost impossible, for a single pair of these birds to be able to excavate all the holes found in certain favorite trees, and I believe that stores so put away are shared in common by a number of birds living in the vicinity. There is considerable difference in the edible qualities of acorns; some are exceedingly palatable, while others are rather bitter. The Califomian Woodpeckers know this, and. as far as I have been able to detect only select the sweet ones. The supposition that they store only wormy ones, and allow the inhabitant to get fat before eating it, is nonsense ; the meat ' The Aut, Vol. VII, 1890, pp. 249-254. THE OALIFOENIAN WOODPECKER. 115 of tlie acorn is the attraction, not the worm in it, and there is no doubt that it furnishes their principal food during the winter, and more or less during the remainder of the year as well. To get at their contents, they are carried to a convenient tree where a limb has been broken off; the acorn is then driven firmly into some suitable crack between the splinters, or in a crevice in the bark (any place which holds it firmly answering the purpose) it is soon split open, the outer hull removed, and the kernel is then ready to be eaten. Mr. F. Stephens writes me: "The Calif ornian Woodpecker is an abundant winter resident in the oak forest, on the mountain slopes in southern California, and a rather common summer resident in mixed oak and pine forests; less common, though still not rare, in summer, in the oaks below the pines. It is always active and noisy, and more or less gregarious. At one of my camps in the pine region of Smith's Mountain a family of this species developed the sap-sucking habit. I had noticed some fresh holes in the bark of two live oaks, a foot or two from the ground, from which sap was flowing, and later I saw the birds drinking; in one case three were seen drinking at the same time. This is the only instance of the habit in this species that has come under my observation." I found the Californian Woodpecker very abundant on the western slopes of the Cascade Mountains, on the wagon road from Fort Klamath to Jackson- ville, Oregon, in the middle of June, 1883. Shortly after crossing the summit, and as soon as the first oak trees were met with along the western slope of the mountains, some of these birds were continually in sight, and their loud "tchurr, tchurr" could be heard in all directions. Several nests with young were found, and these made a buzzing sort of noise when disturbed; a single set of four slightly incubated eggs, one of them a runt, was taken on June 15, 1883, probably a second laying, the first set having been destroyed, as nearly all the birds had good-sized young at that time. The nests were all situated in live-oak trees, from 15 to 25 feet from the ground. The site, from which I obtained the set of eggs, was excavated on the under side of one of the main branches of a good-sized oak, about 22 feet from the ground, some eight feet away from the main trunk, and rather difficult to get at. I never saw Wood- peckers so abundant anywhere as this species was here. Evidences of their indefatigable industry were frequently visible. A telegraph pole was observed which was fairly honeycombed with small holes, and a large black pine had the bark perforated from near the base of the tree fully 40 feet up and all around the trunk. This tree alone must have contained several thousand holes. The only locality where I have observed this species on the eastern slopes of the Cascade Mountains was near Pelican Bay, on the west side of Klamath Lake where a few straggling oaks existed, the only ones I have seen on that side of the mountains; this accounted for the presence of this Woodpecker there. It was quite rare, however, only three birds being noticed. I am erroneously quoted in "Nests and Eggs of American Birds," by Oliver Davie (3d edition, 1889, p. 220), as having found this species breeding near Camp Harney, 116 LIFE HISTORIES OP ISTORTH AMERICAN BIRDS, Oregon; I never met with this bird in southeastern Oregon, and know that it does not occur there. Mr. J. K. Lord, the naturalist of the British Boundary Commission, on May 25, 1860, observed this species on the head waters of the Deschutes River, Oregon, also on the eastern slopes of the Cascades, among a mixed growth of pines and oaks. The latter are found here only in a few localities, and are not generally distributed through this region. He does not claim to have met this species in Washington, and is misquoted in "History of North American Birds" (Vol. II, 1874, p. 568). Viewed from an economic standpoint, the Californian Woodpecker deserves protection, as it is unquestionably more beneficial than otherwise. The small amount of fruit it steals during a season is fully paid for by the insects and their larvse it destroys at the same time. In the more southern portions of its range nidification commences some- times as early as April, and somewhat later farther north. The nesting sites are mostly excavated in white-oak trees, both living and dead, but preferably one of the former is selected in which the core of the tree is decayed. It also nests occasionally in sycamores, cottonwoods, and large willow trees, and more rarely in telegraph poles. Both sexes assist in the excavation of the nesting site, as well as in incubation. The entrance hole is about If inches in diameter, perfectly circular, and is sometimes chiseled through 2 or 3 inches of solid wood before the softer and decayed core is reached. The inner cavity is grad- ually enlarged as it descends, and varies from 8 to 24 inches in depth, usually being from 4 to 5 inches in diameter at the bottom, where a quantity of the fine chips are allowed to remain, on which the eggs are deposited. In the Rogue River Valley the nesting season is at its height about the latter part of May, and full sets of fresh eggs may be looked for here about the 20th of that month. I have seen the parents here carrying food in their bills to the young, and I believe they are mostly fed in this way. The number of eggs laid to a set is usually four or five, rarely more. Mr. F. H. Fowler, Fort Bowie, Arizona, writes me that he has taken a set of ten, saying, however, "evidently the product of two females." Like the eggs of all Woodpeckers, they are pure white in color; the shell is fine grained and not nearly as glossy as in the eggs of the preceding species. They are mostly short ovate in shape, a few only being elongate ovate. The average measurement of nineteen specimens in the United States National Museum collection is 25.40 by 19.05 millimetres, or 1.00 by 0.75 inch. The largest egg measures 26.42 by 19.81 millimetres, or 1.04 by 0.78 inches; the smallest, 24.38 by 18.29 millimetres, or 0.96 by 0.72 inch; and a runt egg, 19.05 by 13.21 millimetres, or 0.75 by 0.52 inch. The type specimen, No. 19414 (not figured), Bendire collection, from a set of four eggs, was taken by the writer near Ashland, Oregon, on June 15, 1883. THE NAREOW-FKONTED WOODPECKER. 117 41. Melanerpes formicivorus angustifrons Bated. NAEROW-FEONTED WOODPECKEE. Melanerpes formicivorufi var. angustifrons Baibd, Ornithology of California, I, 1870, 405. (B — , C 310«, E 377ft, C 455, U 407a.) Geographical range : Southern portions of Lower California. The Narrow-fronted Woodpecker, a slightly smaller race with a brighter sulphur-yellow throat and a narrower frontal band than the Californian Wood- pecker, is confined to the more southern portions of the peninsula of Lower California. It was described by the late Prof. Spencer F. Baird, in the "Orni- thology of California, 1870" (p. 405), from specimens obtained by Mr. J. Xantus, in the vicinity of Cape St. Lucas, Lower California. Since then Mr. L. Belding found it common at Miraflores, and still more abundant in the Victoria Mountains. Mr. M. Abbott Frazar, while collecting for Mr. William Brewster, in 1887, in the Sierra de la Laguna, Lower California, found a nest of this subspecies on June 3, containing four eggs, which are now in Mr. Brewster's collection. He describes these as white, with a rather dull gloss, varying in shape from blunt ovate to broad elliptical oval, measuring, respec- tively, 0.95 by 0.76, 0.94 by 0.74, 0.89 by 0.77, and 0.89 by 0.76 inch; or 24.13 by 19.05, 23.88 by 18.80, 22.61 by 19.56, and 22.61 by 19.30 millimetres. Mr. Frazar tells me that, as nearly as he remembers, the nesting site was in a dead pine stump at no very great distance from the ground. Its general habits, food, etc., appear to be very similar to those of the Californian Woodpecker. There are no eggs of this subspecies in the United States National Museum collection. 42. Melanerpes torquatus (Wilson). LEWIS'S WOODPECKEE. Pious torquatus Wilson, American Ornithology, III, 1811, 31, PI. XX, Fig. 3. Melanerpes torquatus Bonaparte, Geographical and Comparative List, 1838, 40. (B 96, C 311, R 376, C 456, TJ 408.) Geographical range: Western North America; from western Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona through Colorado, Wyoming, western South Dakota, Montana, and interven- ing regions west to the Pacific coast; north to southern British Columbia on both sides of the Cascade Mountains, and to southern Alberta, in the Dominion of Canada. Casual in western Kansas. Lewis's Woodpecker, a handsome and rather peculiarly colored species, whose rich dark crimson and bristle-like breast feathers identify it at once, is of common occurrence in suitable localities throughout the West, ranging from the eastern slopes and foothills of the Rocky Mountains and adjacent ranges westward to the Pacific coast. In the more northern parts of its range it is only a summer visitor, and from about latitude 38° south it is an irregular resident, 118 LIFE HISTOEIES OP NOETH AMEBIC AN BIEDS. retiring to the lower foothills and valleys to winter. It is especially abundant along- the eastern slopes of the Sierra Nevadas, in California and Nevada, as well as on those of the Cascades in Oregon and Washington, and on both sides of the Blue Mountains and connecting ranges in Oregon, Washington, and Idaho. In the immediate vicinity of the coast it is not so common and occurs only sparingly, but a few apj^ear to winter here. Mr. E. H. Lawrence writes me: "I occasionally saw one in January, 1892, at Vancouver, and later in the season several apparently nested in the vicinity of Ridgeville, Clarke County, Washington, in the broken tops of large cotton- woods or willows, on the border of a slough of the Columbia called 'Lake River.' In the summer these birds came to feed in some cherry trees by the farmhouse where I stopped. Upon flying away each one usually carried off a cherry in its bill. The only call or note of this bird I have heard is a kind of peeping twitter, a sound that is weak and feeble for a bird of this size to give. On July 10, 1892, I saw one on a cherry tree in the garden, circling for insects; each time it flew a robin chased it, almost touching it, as valiant as a Crow after a Hawk, but the bird made no resistance to the several attacks. I also observed this species, on September 27, 1893, near Wilson's Peak, in southern California, at an altitude of about 5,200 feet, flying by with an acorn in its bill." Mr. F. Stephens writes me : " Melanerpes torquatus is irregular in appearance in southern California, but is at times abundant. I have seen this species under circumstances that warrant the belief that it occasionally breeds here, but such instances are rare." It probably breeds in small numbers in the pine forests of the higher mountain ranges in Arizona and southern New Mexico, where it has been found at all seasons of the year by different observers. I saw large flocks near my camp on Rillito Creek, during the winter of 1872—73, on several occasions; they are more or less gregarious at this season. In northern New Mexico and in Colorado it is a common summer resident up to 7,000 feet; these remarks apply also to similar regions in Wyoming and Montana. The eastern limit of its breeding range extends to the Black Hills, in South Dakota, where Mr.W. T. Wood took a specimen on August 2, 1856, which is now in the United States National Museum collection. In winter it has been met with in western Texas, and it straggles also occasionally into the western parts of Kansas. Although I have not been able to find a single reliable record of this bird having been taken in any of the northern States of the Mexican Republic, I am confident it will yet be found there as a winter visitor. I have met with Lewis's Wood- pecker in the vicinity of nearly all the Military Posts I have been stationed at in the West, but found it nowhere so abundant as along the southern slopes of the Blue Mountains, in the vicinity of Camp Harney, Oregon, during the years 1875 to 1878. Here it was only a summer resident, usually arriving about the 20th of April, and in some seasons from seven to ten days later. It is by far the most silent Woodpecker I have met, and, aside from a low twittering, it LEWIS'S WOODPECKEE. 119 rarely utters a loud note. Even when suddenly alarmed, and when it seeks safety in flight, the shrill "huit, huit" given on such occasions by nearly all of our Woodpeckers is seldom uttered by it. Only when moving about in flocks, on their first arrival in the spring and during the mating season, which follows shortly afterwards, does it indulge in a few rattling call notes, resembling those of the Red-shafted Flicker, and it drums more or less, in a lazy sort of way, on the dead top of a tall pine, or a suitable limb of a cottonwood or willow. Its flight is not nearly as swift as that of the majority of our Woodpeckers, and reminds one more of that of Clarke's Nutcracker and some of our Jays, being accom- panied by a considerable amount of flapping of the wings; it is also less undulating and more direct. In summer its food consists mainly of insects of different kinds, such as grasshoppers, large black crickets, ants, beetles, flies, larvae of different kinds, as well as of berries, like wild strawberries and raspberries, service berries and salmon berries, acorns, pine seeds, and juniper berries, while in cultivated districts cherries and other small fruits enter into its daily bill of fare. Here, Avhen common, it may occasionally do some little damage in the orchards, but this is fully compensated by the noxious insects it destroys at the same time. In localities where grasshoppers are abundant thev live on these pests almost exclusively while they last. Mr. Shelly W. Denton tells me he noticed this Woodpecker gathering numbers of May flies (JEphetnera) and sticking them in crevices of pines, generally in trees in which it nested, evi- dently putting them away for future use, as they lasted but a few days. It is an expert flycatcher, and has an extremely keen vision, sallying forth frequently after some small insect when this is perhaps fully 100 feet from its pei"ch. Solitary trees, such as have a few dead limbs near their tops and afford a good outlook over the surrounding country, are much liked bv them, and such a one is almost certain to be tenanted by a pair of these birds, if there are any to be found in the vicinity. I have rarely seen Lewis's Woodpecker in deep forests; far more frequently just on the outskirts of the pines, in juniper groves on the table-lands bordering the pines, as well as in the deciduous timber along streams in the lowlands, and occasionally even in solitary cottonwoods or willows, near some little spring, in the drier sagebrush-covered flats, miles away from the nearest forest; it is by no means as particular in the choice of a nesting site as the majority of our Woodpeckers. Shortly after arriving' on their breeding grounds a suitable site is selected for the nest, and not infrequently the same excavation is used for successive years. In most cases the nesting sites are excavated either in the tops of tall pines or in dry cottonwoods, and in tall rotten tree trunks, occasionally in partly decayed limbs of sycamores, oaks, and less frequently in junipers and willows. The nests, as a rule, are not easily gotten at, and quite a number are practically inaccessible, varying in height from 6 to fully 100 feet from the ground. Dr. C. T. Cooke informs me that in the vicinity of Salem, Oregon, it usually nests in oaks, and is a rare breeder there. Lieut. H. C. Benson, United States Army, has sent to the National Museum a set of five eggs, taken near Grilroy, California, on May 8, 1894. 120 LIFE HISTOEIES OP NOETH AMERICAN BIRDS. Mr. W. G. Smith took several sets of eggs near Loveland, Colorado, during the first ten days in June, and I have found it breeding near Fort Lapwai, Idaho, at Walla Walla, Washington; and at Fort Klamath and Camp Harney, Oregon. At the latter place these birds nested mostly in junipers, and their eggs were comparatively easily obtained. I have taken fresh eggs, a set of eight, here on May 17, and another of seven as late as June 29, showing the nesting season to be somewhat variable. The junipers which are selected for nesting sites were invariably decayed inside, and after the birds had chiseled through the live wood, which was usually only from 1 to 2 inches thick, the remainder of the work was comparatively easy; the same site, if not disturbed, was occupied for several seasons, and in such the inner cavity was much deeper, some being fully 30 inches deep and generally about 4 inches wide at the bottom. The entrance hole varies from 2 to 2 J inches in diameter, and when this is made by the birds it is always perfectly circular; but occasionally a pair will take advantage of an old knot hole, if it and the cavity it leads to are not too large. The presence of fresh chips found at the bottom of the tree enabled me to readily tell if the site was a newly made one, or one of the previous year, and a rap against the trunk easily told if it was occupied. On its breeding grounds Lewis's Woodpecker appears to be a stupid and rather sluggish bird ; it does not show nearly as much parental affection as most of the other members of this family, and it is much less demonstrative. It is not at all shy at such times, and will often cling to some convenient limb on the same tree while its eggs are being taken, without making the least complaint. A second and smaller set is generally laid a couple of weeks later, if the first one is taken, and not infrequently in the same nest, if the entrance hole has been left intact. Both sexes assist in incubation, and this lasts about two weeks. The young leave the nest about three weeks after they are hatched, and are readily tamed. I kept a couple for several days, but they had such enormous appetites that I was glad to give them their liberty, as they kept me busy providing suitable food. They were especially fond of gi-asshoppers, but also ate raw meat, and climbed everywhere over the rough walls of my house. A considerable share of the food of these birds is picked up off the ground, and they appear to be much more at home there than Woodpeckers generally are. The young are fed on insects, and I believe also on berries; I have seen one of these birds alight in a wild strawberry patch, pick up something, evidently a strawberry, fly to a tree close by in which the nest was situated, and give it to one of the young which was clinging to the side of the tree close to the nesting site. From five to nine eggs are laid to a set; those of six or seven are the most common, but sets of eight are not very rare ; I found several of that number, and a single set of nine. The eggs of Lewis's Woodpecker vary greatly in shape and also in size. They are mostly ovate or short ovate in shape, but an occasional set is decidedly rounded ovate, while others are elliptical ovate; the shell is close grained and, in LEWIS'S WOODPECKEE. 121 most cases, dull, opaque white, without any gloss whatever. Some sets, however, are moderately glossy, but scarcely as much so as the better-known eggs of the Red-headed Woodpecker, and none are as lustrous as the eggs of the Flicker. The average measurement of one hundred and seventy-one specimens in the United States National Museum collection is 26.23 by 20.26 millimetres, or about 1.03 by 0.80 inches. The largest egg of the series measures 29.97 by 22.35 millimetres, or 1.18 by 0.88 inches; the smallest, 23.88 by 16.51 millimetres, or 0.94 by 0.65 inch; and a runt egg, 18.80 by 15.24 millimetres, or 0.74 by 0.60 inch. The type specimen. No. 19363 (not figured), Bendire collection, from a set of nine eggs, was taken by the writer near Camp Harney, Oregon, on May 24, 1877; incubation had commenced in seven of these eggs and two were fresh; the male was caught in the nest. 43. Melanerpes carolinus (LiNNiEus). RED-BELLIED WOODPECKER. Pious carolinus Linn^US, Systema Naturae, ed. 10, 1, 1758, 113. Melanerpes carolinus Eidgwat, Annals Lyceum Natural History, New York, X, Jan., 1874, 378. (B 91, C 306, E 372, 450, U 409.) Geographical range: Eastern United States; from Florida and the Gulf coast, nortli to southern New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, southern Michigan, southern Wisconsin, southeastern South Dakota, and southern Ontario, in the Dominion of Canada; west to Nebraska, Kansas, the Indian Territory, and through about the eastern half of Texas. Eare or casual in eastern New York, Connecticut, and eastern Massachusetts. The northern limits of the breeding range of the Red-bellied Woodpecker, also known as the "Carolina" a,nd "Checkered" Woodpecker, "Zebra Bird," "Woodchuck," and in Florida as "Orange Sapsucker" and "Sham-shack," are not well defined as yet. It is questionable if it breeds in New York, although specimens have been taken in different localities in this State both in fall and winter. It is known to breed regularly in southwestern Pennsylvania, in Wash- ington and Westmoreland counties, where it is a resident, and in a number of instances Red-bellied Woodpeckers have been taken much farther north in this State, mainly in winter. From southwestern Pennsylvania westward it becomes both more common and a more regular summer resident throughout its range as already indicated. In Nebraska it appears to be rare north of the Platte River, and it is also reported as a rare summer visitor in southeastern South Dakota by Dr. Gr. S. Agersborg, where he says it probably breeds. Strange to say, it has not been reported yet from any place in Minnesota; but it will undoubtedly be found in some of the southern counties in this State. Although the western limits of the range of this species are generally given as reaching the eastern slopes of the Rocky Mouritains, I can not find any positive and reliable records of its occurrence west of the States of Nebraska and Kansas, and in these it seems to be rare in the western parts. It is fairly common and breeds 122 LIFE HISTOEIBS OF NOETH AMERICAN BIRDS. in the Indian Territory and the eastern part of Texas. It is a constant resident south of about latitude 39°, and not a few winter even at the northern limits of its range. It is a common and well-known resident in suitable localities throughout all the Southern and Middle States within its habitat. I presume, like the Red-headed Woodpecker, they are more or less irregular in their move- ments at this season, depending mainly on an abundant winter food supply. This handsome Woodpecker is not at all uncommon here in the adjoining coun- ties of Maryland and Virginia, and is also met with in the District of Columbia. Here it is a resident, and prefers the more heavily timbered bottom lands and swampy woods to the hilly and drier forests. Throughout the northern portions of its range it prefers deciduous or mixed forests to coniferous, but in the south it is apparently as common in the flat, low pine woods as in the oak hammocks. Newly cleared lands in which numbers of girdled trees still remain standing are favorite resorts for this as well as other species. The Red-bellied, like the majority of our Woodpeckers, is a rather noisy bird. Its ordinary call note resembles the "tchurr, tchurr" of the Red-headed very closely; another sounds more like "chawh, chawh," and this is occasionally varied with a disagreeable creaking note, while during the mating season peculiar, low, mournful cooing sounds are sometimes uttered, which somewhat resemble those of the Mourning: Dove. Its food consists of about equal proportions of animal and vegetable matter, and it feeds considerably on the ground. Insects, like beetles, ants, grasshoppers, different species of flies, and larvae are eaten by them, as well as acorns, beechnuts, pine seeds, juniper berries, wild grapes, blackberries, straw- berries, pokeberries, palmetto and sour-gum berries, cherries, and apples. In the South it has acquired a liking for the sweet juice of oranges and feeds to some extent on them; but as it always returns to the same one, until this ceases to yield any more juice, the damage done in this is but slight. It has also been observed drinking the sweet sap from the troughs in sugar camps. The injury it commits by the little fruit it eats during the season is fully attoned for by the numerous insects and their larvse which it destroys at the same time, and I therefore consider this handsome Woodpecker fully worthy of protection. It is generally a rather shy and retiring bird throughout the greater part of its range; but in a few localities it is quite the reverse, and, according to Prof. D. E. Lantz, has been known to excavate its nesting sites in the cornices of buildings in Manhattan, Kansas. Here, as well as in some other of our prairie States, it nests also in telegraph poles. Birds that migrate from the northern portions of their range usually arrive on their breeding grounds rather early, sometimes by March 20, and shortly afterwards preparations for nesting are commenced. A suitable site is readily found in the decayed top of some tree, or in an old stump, near a stream along the edges of a pasture, or close to some road, and less often farther in the center of a forest. Deciduous trees, especially the softer wooded ones, such as elms, basswood, maple, chestnut, poplar, willow, and sycamore, are prefeiTed to the harder kinds, such as ash, hickory, oak, etc. In northern Florida they nest fre- THE EBD-BBLLIED WOODPECKEE. 123 quently in pines. Several excavations are often found in the same tree in which the nest is located, and occasionally the same site, with slight repairs, is used for more than one season. Mr. E. A. Mcllhenny tells me that this species is quite common near Alton, Illinois, where he saw an enormous cottonwood tree, stand- ing near the banks of Wood Eiver, occupied by several pairs of these birds, the tree being fairly riddled with their holes. Mr. D. B. Burrows, of Lacon, Marshall County, Illinois, has kindly sent me the following notes on this species, as observed by him: "The Red-bellied Woodpecker is a fairly common species in this section, and is found in the river bottoms, in the bluffs, or in the small timber tracts bordering the prairies. I also met with this species frequently in southern Arkansas, and found it to be the most common Woodpecker in north central Texas, and there it frequently makes its nest in telegraph poles. During the nesting season I have found the birds to be quite noisy about the nest, and in several instances have discovered the site, while building, by the noisy call of the bird; a search would reveal the female clinging to the tree just beneath the opening. Sometimes I have observed her standing motionless for quite a while, as though resting from her labors. This bird is a good nest builder, and with its sharp bill is able to excavate cavities in living trees. I have never found a nest in a tree that was wholly dead. Sometimes the dead extremity of an upright branch of a living tree is used, and again I have found the nest in the trunk of a living tree; in two instances I have found second-growth, living black oaks used, the nest cavity being about halfway up, where the body of the tree was not more than 7 inches in diameter. The birds do not seem to be particular as to the kind of tree used, as I have found them in many different species. The nest ranges from 15 to 60 feet from the ground. When it is reached, the birds fly about uneasily, uttering their oft-repeated " cha-cha-cha, " and I have had the female alight on the same branch that I was on and but a few feet distant. "In this part of Illinois the nesting season begins in April. I have taken fresh eggs as early as May 2 and as late as June 6, and have found young in the nest as early as the latter part of April, so that in some instances eggs are deposited quite early. I have never found more than four eggs to the clutch in this locality. In central Texas I took the first full set of five eggs on April 23, and believe they do not begin to nest much earlier in their southern range than they do here. The eggs taken from this locality average much larger than my Texas specimens, and five eggs to the clutch are not uncommon farther south." Both sexes assist in excavating the nesting site, as well as in incubation, which lasts about fourteen days. The sites selected are usually from 5 to 70 feet from the ground, and resemble those of our other Woodpeckers in every respect, averaging about 12 inches in depth. It takes from seven to ten days to excavate a nest, and frequently the birds rest for a week. afterwards before beginning to lay; an egg is deposited daily, and from three to five are iisually laid to a set, rarely more. Climate seems to affect the time of their nesting very 124 LIFE HISTORIES OF NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. little, as they appear to lay quite as early in the northern parts of their range as in the more southern. Full sets of fresh eggs may be looked for the last week in April and during the first half of May. Generally only one brood is raised in a season. Both parents are devoted to their eggs and young, and will frequently allow themselves to be captured rather than forsake their treasures. The eggs are white, mostly ovate in shape; the shell is fine grained and rather dull looking, with little or no gloss, resembling in this respect the eggs of Lewis's Woodpecker more than those of the Red-headed species. The average measurement of twenty-four specimens in the United States National Museum collection (the majority of these coming from Florida) is 25.15 by 18.54 millimetres, or 0.99 by 0.73 inch. The largest egg measures 26.67 by 19.30 millimetres, or 1.05 by 0.76 inches; the smallest, 23.11 by 16.76 milli- metres, or 0.91 by 0.66 inch. The type specimen. No. 24727 (not figured), Ralph collection, from a set of four eggfi, was taken by Dr. William L. Ralph, near San Mateo, Florida, on May 18, 1885. 44. Melanerpes aurifrons (Wagleb). GOLDEN-FRONTED WOODPECKER. Pious aurifrons Waglee, Isis, 1829, 512. Melanerpes aurifrons Ridgwat, Proceedings U. S. National Museum, VIII, 1885, 355. (B 92, C 307, R 373, C 451, IT 410.) GrEOGEAPHiCAL RANGE: Eastern Mexico; south to the City of Mexico; west to Jalisco; north into the southern portions of central Texas to about latitude 35° 10' (Young County). Apparently not found in western Texas west of longitude 101°. The breeding range of the Grolden or Yellow-fronted Woodpecker is coextensive with its geographical distribution in the United States, and it is probably a constant resident wherever found. The northern limits of its range have been considerably extended during the past few years, the most northern point where it has been found, as far as known at present, being Belknap, Young County, Texas, where Mr. Gr. Ragsdale observed this species in the fall of 1878, and I would not be surprised to find it still farther extended into the extreme southwestern parts of the Indian Territory and Oklahoma. While it appears to be pretty generally distributed throughout southern Texas, it is less abundant in the central districts of the State, and throughout the more western parts it appears not to be found at all. In some of the eastern portions of its range in Texas it. overlaps that of the preceding species, and its general habits are very similar to those of the former. It is equally at home in the more or less stunted mesquite, huisache (Acacia farnesiana), and post-oak thickets of the drier plains, as in the heavier and more luxuriant forests of the river bottoms. Mr. D. B. Burrows has kindly furnished me with the following notes on the habits of this species, as observed by him near Roma, Starr County, Texas, THE GOLDElf-FEONTED WOODPECKER. 125 on the lower Rio Grande: "The Golden-fronted Woodpecker is a common resident species in this locality, and much more abundant than Bairds' Wood- pecker, the only other variety that I have found here. They may be found wherever there is a growth of trees sufficiently large to afford nesting places, but are most numerous in the river bottoms where there is a heavy growth of old mesquite timber. During the fall and winter they may be found traveling about from place to place in.pairs, and are easily located by the call note, which some- what resembles that of the Red-bellied Woodpecker, the habits of the two birds being in many respects quite similar. In the spring, when nesting, they become very noisy, and when approached, utter their alarm note with great vigor. I have never known this species to drum on a dead limb, as most of the other Woodpeckers do. When searching for food they may be seen very diligently at work near the base of old trees, among the thick bushes, or even on the ground. The nest is by preference made in the live trunks of large trees, usually the mesquite, but sometimes, in a dead stump or limb, the same cavity being used year after year, and it is quite a rare thing to see a fresh excavation. The nesting season begins in April, and most of the nests contain fresh eggs by May 10. I took a set of six eggs from a cavity in a live mesquite tree, the opening being but 2 feet 9 inches from the ground, but usually they are placed from 8 to 20 feet up. Although the birds are not notably shy, yet it is my experience that they leave the nest when approached, and it is a hard matter to find the bird in the excavation. If the nest is molested, the birds return and vigorously protest." Mr. H. P. Attwater writes me: "The nearest point where these birds nest in the vicinity of Rockport, on the Gulf coast, is in the mesquite region, from 15 to 20 miles north of this place. Here their favorite nesting sites are in telegraph poles, and there are few that are without Woodpecker holes, as they appear to make new ones every year. Near San Antonio, Texas, where the Golden-fronted Woodpecker is a common resident, it nests in all kinds of tall live timber, pecan, oak, and large mesquite trees being preferred, but telegraph poles furnished favorite sites here also. A line running out of San Antonio to a ranch nine miles distant was almost destroyed by these birds; they came from all sides, from far and near, and made fresh holes every year, sometimes as many as five or six in a single pole. Here it also nests occasionally in artificial nesting sites, like bird boxes, etc., in yards and gardens." I have read the following statement in a newspaper, said to have been made by a prominent official of one of the transcontinental telegraph lines, of which I quote only a portion: "Woodpeckers are attracted to telegraph poles by the humming noise of the wires, caused by the latter's vibration in the wind, they believing that the noise is made by insects boring. in the poles, and these birds accordingly lost much time and energy in knocking against the poles with their bills in order to drive the supposed insects to the surface, where the latter would be readily captured if they were only there to come out." 126 LIFE HISTOEIES OF NOETH AMEEIOAl^ BIEDS. I do not believe for an instant that these birds are quite as readily deceived as this. The real cause of their predilection for telegraph poles, in my opinion, is this: These poles are in many instances taller than the prevailing timber found in the vicinity, and afford a much better outlook over the surrounding country. All Woodpeckers are fond of clinging to the highest dry limbs they can find in the vicinity of their nesting sites; hence their preference for tele- graph poles in prairie country or in mesquite and post-oak scrub, which rarely attain any great, height in the dry plains and hills where they are usually found. In such sections.the telegraph poles furnish not alone a better outlook, bxit also convenient, and secure nesting sites, and they are not slow to avail themselves of such advantages. Their food consists of insects of various kinds, such as beetles, ants, grass-" hoppers, also larvae, acorns, Indian corn, and different kinds of wild hemes and fruit. Considered from an economic point of view, this Woodpecker certainly does more good than harm, and the only thing that can be said against it is that in certain localities where it is common it may make itself more or less of a nuisance by injuring telegraph poles. Nidification commences sometimes in the latter part of March, but usually not much before the middle of April; both sexes assist in this labor, and it takes from six to ten days to excavate a proper nesting site; both live and dead trees are used for this purpose, as well as telegi'aph poles and fence posts; the holes are rarely over 12 inches deep, and are situated at no great distances from the ground, mostly from 6 to 25 feet up. From four to seven eggs are laid to a set, usiially five or six; these are pure white; the shell is close grained, dull looking, with little or no gloss, and varying in shape from ovate to short and rounded ovate. Incubation lasts about fourteen days, and both sexes share this duty. The earliest breeding record I have is April 7, 1884, on which date the late Capt. B. F. Goss took a set of five eggs, near Corpus Christi, Texas, which is now in the United States National Museum collection. It is probable that two broods are occasionally raised in a season, as there are sets of eggs in the collection taken in June, and two of these in the latter part of this month. The average measurement of seventy-three eggs in the United States National Museum collection is 25.85 by 19.60 millimetres, or about 1.02 by 0.77 inches. The largest egg of the series measures 27.94 by 19.56 millimetres, or 1.10 by 0.77 inches; the smallest, 22.86 by 17.78 millimetres, or 0.90 by 0.70 inch. The type specimen, No. 20902 (not figured), from a set of four eggs, was "taken by Dr. James C. Merrill, United States Army, near Fort Brown, Texas, on April 28, 1877. THE GILA WOODPEOKBE. 127 45. Melanerpes uropygialis (Baird). GILA WOODPECKER. Genturus uropygialis Baied, Proceedings Academy Natural Sciences, Philadelphia, June, 1854, 120. Melanerpes uropygialis Eidgwat, Proceedings U. S. National Museum, VIII, 1885, 355. (B 93, 308, E 374, C 452, U 411.) Geogkaphical kange: Southeastern California, southern Arizona, southwestern New Mexico, Lower California; south to Jalisco and Aguas Cali'entes, Mexico. The Gila Woodpecker is a common resident in suitable localities throughout the greater part of southern Arizona, and is most common at altitudes of about 2,500, but it is met with here up to 4,500 feet. Although it has been reported as having been taken in several localities in New Mexico, for instance, by Lieutenant Whipple on Bill William's Fork, on February 16, 1854, this is really in western Arizona; a couple of more recent records, from Pueblo Viego, New Mexico, September 19 and 27, 1873, by Dr. C. Gr. Newberry, I believe will also have to be changed to Arizona, but I have been unable to find this place on any of the later maps. The only locality in New Mexico where the Grila Woodpecker seems to occur is in the Guadalupe Mountains, in the extreme southwestern corner of the Territory, where Dr. Edgar A. Mearns, United States Army, found it common along the international boundary line in the summer of 1893, and forwarded several specimens obtained in that vicinity to the United States National Museum. It reaches the northern limits of its range in the United States in the vicinity of Fort Mohave, Arizona, about latitude 35°, while in southeastern Arizona I believe it has not been detected as yet north of the Gila River, in about latitude 33°. It seems also to be found throughout the greater part of Lower California, where both Messrs. J. Xantus and L. Belding report it as common in the vicinity of Cape St. Lucas. Mr. Walter E. Bryant observed a few on Santa Margarita Island, and met with it generally along the overland route, and Mr. A. W. Anthony writes me: "I found the Gila Woodpecker not uncommon from the southern slopes of the San Pedro Martir Mountains nearly or quite to the coast of San Fernando, Lower California. Its presence was governed entirely by the giant cactus, and it was only in the near vicinity of the large growths of these that they were to be found." In a subsequent communication he states: "At the time I left my camp in the dry desert region, about 50 miles south of San Quentin, Lower California, on June 26, 1894, young of Bryobates scalaris lucasanus, Melanerpes uropygialis, and Colaptes chrysoides were all common in families. The cacti found here were vastly larger than in southern Arizona." Relating to its distribution in southeastern California, Mr. F. Stephens sends me the following notes: "The western limit of this Woodpecker seems to be the Colorado River. I expected to find it in the central part of the Colorado Desert, where such species as Bryobates scalaris bairdi, Pipilo aberti, and Harporhynchus crissalis occur, but so far I have failed. I foixnd a set of three partly incubated 128 LIFE HISTORIES OP NOETH AMEEICAN BIEDS. eggs in a freshly excavated hole in a growing willow on May 4, 1886, opposite Yuma, on the California side of the Colorado River." I first met with the Gila Woodpecker during the winter of 1871-72 in the vicinity of my camp on the Santa Cruz River, a few miles south of Tucson, and subsequently found it to be a common breeder at my permanent camp on Rillito Creek, some seven miles from Tucson. Its general habits resemble those of the Californian Woodpecker in many respects. Like it, it is a rather noisy bird; its ordinary call note, sounding like "dchiirr, dchiirr," can be heard in all directions in the spring; when flying from one point to another it usually utters a sharp, shrill "huit" two or three times, resembling the common call note of the Phainopepla, and which may readily be mistaken for it. It is also more or less addicted to drumming on the dead tops of cottonwood, sycamore, and mesquite trees. Its flight, like that of most Woodpeckers, is undulating, rather swift, and, on the whole, I consider it a more or less suspicious and shy bird. In southern Arizona at least, it seems to be equally partial to the well-timbered bottom lands and mountain canyons as well as to the giant cactus groves in the more arid foothill regions. Its food consists of insects of various kinds, such as ants, beetles, grass- hoppers, and larvae, and in season largely on the sweet, fig-like fruit of the sahuaras, the giant cactus, and also, to a considerable extent, on the viscous berries of a species of mistletoe which is commonly found on most of the larger cottonwoods, oaks, and mesquite trees in these regions. These sticky, whitish- looking berries are a favorite food of many Arizona birds. While the majority of the Gila Woodpeckers in southern Arizona nest probably in sahuaras, quite a number breed also in the larger cottonwoods, sycamores, and mesquite trees, generally, however, either in inaccessible situations in dead limbs which can not be trusted, or in the live mesquite trees, in which the entrance can only be enlarged with a great deal of labor. I know no native tree whose wood is harder than this. According to my observations, nidification in southern Arizona begins about the latter part of April, and full sets of fresh eggs may be looked for during the last two weeks in May. I found my first set of four eggs on Rillito Creek, on May 23, 1872. The nesting site was excavated in a limb of a large cotton- wood tree, on the under side, and about 20 feet from the ground. The cavity was 18 ijiches deep and 4 inches wide at the bottom; the entrance hole was perfectly circular and only 2 inches in diameter. The limb was partly dead, and the nesting site was located in this, a few chips being left in the bottom of the hole, on which the eggs were deposited. Both birds were on hand and very uneasy while I was rifling the nest, uttering notes of protest from a limb overhead. As soon as I descended the tree they examined their despoiled home in turn, and were evidently much surprised to find their eggs gone. On May 28, 1872, I found a second nest, also containing four eggs, in a sahuara, about 20 feet from the ground. It caused me fully two hours of hard work, with two men assisting me, to get these, by planting a pole alongside and about TUB GILA WOODPECKER. 129 a foot from the cactus, and climbing up this. Incubation was about one-fourth advanced; the female was at home, but flew out as soon as the cactus was struck with a stick. The inner cavity was only 4.} inches deep and quite roomy: the juices of the cactus formed a hard incrustation, and the eggs laid on the bare, hard floor. On May 30 I took another nest, also in a cactus, containing four much-incubated eggs. This time I tried chopping, and had ropes thrown around the top of the cactus to steady it and let it come down slowly, but this plan did not work well, and two of the eggs were broken. Fully thi'ee-fourths of these birds nest in cacti here, while the remainder, nesting in trees, are about equally difficult to get at. Most of their nesting sites are used for several years in succession; in fact, I doubt very much if a freshly excavated hole in a giant cactus is fit to nest in the same season. Both sexes assist in excavating the nesting site, and incubation lasts about two weeks. The number of eggs to a set varies from three to five, sets of four being most common. Like those of all Woodpeckers, they are pure ^'^ hite in color. The shell is fine grained and not very glossy — not nearly as much so as the eggs of the Red-headed Woodpecker; they resemble more the eggs of the other species of this genus in this respect, and in shape they vary from ovate to elliptical ovate. l^he average measurement of twelve eggs in the United States National Museum collection is 24.38 by 18.09 millimetres, or about 0.96 Ijy 0.71 inch. The largest egg measures 27.43 by 18.80 millimetres, or 1.08 by 0.74 inches; the smallest, 22.86 by 17.27 millimetres, or 0.90 by 0.68 inch. The type specimen, No. 19418 (not figured), Bendne collection, from a set of four eggs, was taken by the writer on Rilhto Creek, near Tucson, Arizona, on May 23, 1872. 46. Colaptes auratus (Linnaeus). FLICKER. Guculus auratus Linn^us, Systema l^aturse, ed. 10, 1, 1768, 112. Colaptes auratus YiGOES, Zoological Journal, III, 1827, 444. (B 97, 312, E 378, C 457, U 412.) Geographical range: Eastern K'orth America; from Florida and the Gulf coast north through the maritime provinces of Canada to Newfoundland and southern Labrador, and the shores of Hudson Bay, to about latitude 58°; thence in a northwesterly direction to Alaska, to about latitude 68°; west through about the eastern half of Texas, the greater part of the Indian Territory, Kansas, the eastern half of Nebraska, South and North Dakota, and the provinces of Assiniboia and Saskatchewan, Dominion of Canada, to northern British Columbia. Casual in California; accidental in Greenland and Europe. The breeding range of the Flicker, also commonly known as "Golden- winged Woodpecker," "Yellow-shafted Flicker," "Yellow-hammer," and less often as "High-hole" or "High-holder," "Clape," "Wake-up," besides a number 16896— No. 3 9 130 LIFE HISTOEIES OF NORTH AMEEIOAI^ BIKDS. of other more or less local names, is nearly coextensive with its geographical distribution. In the more northern portions of its range it is a regular migrant, while it is usually a resident south of latitude 38°, and winters in considerable numbers farther north, stragglers remaining even in Maine and New Brunswick. In the Southern States it is much more abundant in winter than in summer; still a number of these birds breed in southern Florida, while it appears to be a rather rare breeder in the immediate vicinity of the Gulf coast, in Louisiana and eastern Texas. It is a very common bird in suitable localities throughout the eastern United States and the more southern parts of the Dominion of Canada, being generally found below altitudes of 4,000 feet, and few species are more generally and better known than the Flicker. Its breeding range also is more extensive than that of any other member of this family found on the North American continent, ranging from about latitude 28° in Florida to Fort Anderson, British North America, in latitude 68° 35' N., and probably still farther north. Here Mr. R. MacFarlane reports it as "by no means scarce in the valley of the Anderson; but, as its eggs were not in demand, very few indeed were gathered for transmission to Washington, D. C." ^ It probably breeds throughout Alaska; both Messrs. J. Lockhart and Robert Kennicott forwarded skins and eggs from Fort Yukon, which are now in the United States National Museum collection, and it has been taken within a few miles of the coast in Bering Strait. One of the most western breeding records known to me is that furnished by Mr. R. MacFarlane, from Fort St. James, Stew- art's Lake, British Columbia, who found the Flicker not uncommon there, both skins and eggs, taken in the summer of 1890, having been forwarded by him to the United States National Museum. In Labrador it is rare, and I doubt if it breeds there to any extent, excepting perhaps in the extreme southern portions. Along the western borders of its range in the United States it inter- grades with Colaptes cafer, and quite an extensive transition zone exists here, including western Texas, the eastern slopes of the Rocky Mountains, and adjacent ranges, in which typical specimens of both species are found, as well as many intermediates which show the chief characteristics of one or the other species more or less distinctly. The same conditions exist to a somewhat less degree on the Pacific Coast, in California, Oregon, Washington, and British Columbia, where Colaptes auratus from Alaska intergrades with Colaptes cafer from the interior, and probably also with the darker northwest coast form, known as Colaptes cafer saturatior. For more detailed information on this subject I refer the reader to Dr. J. A. Allen's interesting paper.^ The Flicker is one of the most sociable of our Woodpeckers, and is apparently always on good terms with its neighbors. Birds which migrate usually return to their summer homes early in April, and occasionally even in March, and one will not have far to go tlien without hearing some of its 1 Proceedings U. S. National Museum, 1891, vol. 14, p. 438. ^ The North American Species of the Genus Colaptes, considered with special reference to the rela- tionships of Colaptes auratus and Colaptes cafer, published by the American Museum of Natural History, Bulletin, Vol. IV, 1892, pp. 21-44. THE PLTCKEE. 131 many and rather melodious calls. The males usually precede the females ;i, few days, and as soon as the latter arrive one can hear their M'oU-known voices in all directions. One of their commonest calls at this season of the year is a clear "whick-ah, whick-ah;" another sounds like "quit-ti, quit-u," a number of times repeated; "tchuck-up, tchuck-up," is another familiar sound uttered by them; a far-reaching "clape, clape" is also frequently uttered, while a quickly given rolling or rattling "thee-he-he-he-he" and a low "cack-ctick-cack" seem to be the notes of endearment. Another call Avhen courting its mate sounds like "ouit-ouit" and ends with a soft "puir, puir," or a cooing "yu-cah, yu-cali." Low, chuckling sounds are also frequently uttered during their love making ; another common call note sounds like "zee-ah, zee-ah," and during the summer a clear "pi-ack, pi-ack," or "pioh," is also frequently heard; in fact, no other of our Woodpeckers utters such a variety of sounds. The Flicker is especially demonstrative during the mating season, and is an ardent wooer. It is an exceedingly interesting and amusing sight to see a couple of males paying their addresses to a coy and coquettish female; the apparent shyness of the suitors as they sidle up to her and as quickly retreat again, the sly glances given as one peeps from behind a limb watching the other — playing bo-peep — seem very human, and I have seen few more amus- ing performances than the courtship of a pair of these birds. The defeated suitor takes his rejection quite philosophically, and retreats in a dignified man- ner, presumably to make another trial elsewhere. I have never yet seen a pair of males fight over a coveted female. Few birds deserve our good Avill more than the handsome Golden-winged Woodpecker, and it is well entitled to all of the consideration generally shown it. Looked at from an economic point of view, it is an exceedingly useful bird, destroying many noxious insects and their larvae, a great many of which are gleaned from the ground, as it is far more terrestrial in its habits than any other member of this family. Its beak is frequently cov- ered with soil from digging in pastures after grubs and earthworms, and also in ant-hills after these insects or their larvae, of which it is especially fond; it also feeds on hahless caterpillars. Diff'erent kinds of berries and fruit, such as cherries, apples, persimmons, strawberries, mulberries, raspberries, wild grapes, dogwood, whortle, poke, and sour-gum berries, and occasionally green corn, are also eaten by it. The damage it does to cultivated fruits is very trifling, and this bird deserves the fullest protection. In the northern portions of its range nidification begins about a couple of weeks after the birds arrive from the South, and a suitable place is then selected for a nesting site. It prefers open country, interspersed here and there with groves and orchards, to the deeper forests to nest in. It is easily pleased in this respect — any old stump, a partly decayed limb of a tree, near the outskirts of a forest, along the banks of a creek, beside a country road, or in an old orchard, will answer the purpose. A fresh cavity is usually excavated every year, but where suitable trees or stumps are not readily available the same may be occupied for several seasons in succession. In the vicinity of Washington, District of 132 LIFE HISTOEIES OP NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. Columbia, these birds uest in the oak, ash, chestnut, ehn, maple, poplar, willow and sycamore; spruce and birches are also iised, but, on the whole, soft-wood trees seem to be preferred to hard ones. In the Southern States it breeds frequently in pines, and in the prairie States it occasionally selects strange nesting sites. Here it has been known to chisel through the weather-boarding of dwelling houses, barns, and other outbuildings, and to nest in the hollow space between this and the crossbeams; its nests have also been found in gateposts where both jaeople and stock pass constantly, in church towers, and in burrows of Kingfishers and Bank Swallows in the perpendicular banks of streams. Dr. G. S.Agersborg, of Vermillion, South Dakota, records finding a nest of a Flicker in an old wagon hub, about 2 feet from the ground, and hidden by a rank growth of weeds; but the most peculiar nesting site I have ever heard of is one described to me by Mr. William A. Bryant, of New Sharon, Iowa, under date of December 7, 1892. He writesi "On a small hill, a quarter of a mile distant from my home, stood a haystack which had been placed there two years previously. The owner, dur- ing the winter of 1889-90, had cut the stack through the middle and hauled away one portion, leaving the other standing with the end smoothly trimmed. The following spring I noticed a pair of Yellow-shafted Flickers about tlie stack showing signs of wanting to make it a fixed habitation. One morning a few days later I was amused at the efforts of one of the pair. It was clinging to the perpendicular end of the stack and throwing out chipped hay at a rate to defy competition. This work continued for nearly a week, and in that time the j^air had excavated a cavity 20 inches in depth. The entrance was located 8;} feet above ground, and was 2 J inches in diameter and dug back into the stack for 6 inches, where it turned sharply downward and was slightly enlarged at the bottom. On May 28 I took a handsome set of seven eggs from the nest, the eggs lying on a bed of chipped hay. The birds lingered about the stack and by June 14 had deposited another set of eggs. They remained in the vicinity until autumix During that winter the balance of the stack was removed. They returned the following spring, and, after a brief sojourn, departed for parts unknown. I never could quite understand the philosophy of their peculiar choice of this site, as woodland is abundant here. A well-timbered creek bottom was less than half a mile distant, while large orchards and groves surround the place on every hand." Flickers nest occasionally in natura^ cavities and at distances from the ground varying from 2| to 60 feet, but mostly between 10 and 20 feet. Old rotten stumps, and dead or partly decayed trees are prefeiTed to live ones. The entrance hole is usually 2 J inches in diameter, and the inner cavity varies from 8 to 30 inches in depth. It is gradually enlarged toward the bottom, and a layer of fine chips, on which the eggs are deposited, is allowed to remain. Its flight, although apparently laborious, is strong and swift, and, like that of all Wood- peckers, undulating or wave-like. It frequently perches on a limb instead of clinging to it, as do others of the tribe. In the spring of the year it also indulges in drumming, but not to the same extent as the majority of this family. THE FLIOKEE. 133 llv. Manl)- Plardy, of Brewer, Maine, writes me: "I once found one asloep on tlio outside of a tree, late in the evening. I was traveling 1))' moonlight, and knowing the exact location of the nest in a small poplar, decided to visit it. I walked close inider the l)ird, without apparently waking him, and then struck the tree a blow with a club, which I felt sure would stun him, but he flew off all right. There was no bird inside of the hole, so he slept outside, clinging to the tree, from choice. This proves that they can and do sleep in this way. In blue- berr)^ time they congregate in flocks — I have seen at least thirty at once — and at such times their entrails are dyed blue from the fruit eaten. I have fed the young with strawberries when they were still in their nest, being obliged to put the first into their bills ; but after that they ate them greedil}', and would scratch up to the hole and look out when they heard me coming, acting just as if it was the old bird which was feeding them." Nidificati'on in the southern portions of its range begins ordinarily in the last half of March, and in the north from four to fully six weeks later. Both sexes assist in the construction of the nesting site as well as in incubation, and the male iisually does his full share of work at both. According to Dr. William L. Ralph's observations in Florida, the male usually sits on the eggs during the night. In the South fresh sets of eggs may be looked for during the first week in April; in the vicinity of Washington, District of Columbia, during the first half of iMa}', and in the more northern parts of its range, in Alaska and the North- west Territory, about the first ten days in June. Flickers breeding in Florida are generally somewhat darker colored and smaller than those from the more northern States, and this latter difference is especially noticeable in the eggs. From five to nine eggs are usually laid to a set, mostly six or seven; but considerably larger ones are sometimes found, possibly the product of two females laying in the same nest; but the fecundity of this Woodpecker is known to be very great. Prof B. W. Evermann took not less than thirty-seven eggs from a pair of these birds (out of the same nest) between May 4 and June 22, 1885; and a still more remarkable instance is recorded in the "Young Oologist" (Vol. I, June, 1884, p. 26), by Mr. Charles L. Phillips, of Taunton, Massachusetts, who found two eggs of this bird in a cavity of a large willow on May 6, 1883, of which he took one, leaving the other as a nest egg; and he continued to do this day after day until the poor bird had laid seventy-one eggs in seventy-three days. Mr. Steward Ogilliy, of Staten Island, New York, also reports, in "Forest and Stream" of June 2.5, 1 885 (p. 427), finding a brood of not less than nineteen young Flickers in one nest, all alive and apparently in good condition. It seems almost impossible for a single bird to cover and hatch such a number of eggs, but the fact that the young were apparently well fed and in good condition is still more remarkable, and the parents must certainb^ have had a busy time to nrovide for such a large family. The eggs of the Flicker are glossy white in color, and when fresh appear as if enameled; the shell is very close grained and exceedingly lustrous, as if polished, resembling the eggs of the Ivory-billed and Pileated Woodpeckers in 134 LIFE HISTOEIES OF NOETH AMEEICAN BIEDS. this respect. They are quite variable in shape; the majority are ovate, others short and elhptical ovate, and a few approach subpyriform, while some are nearly perfect ovals. An egg is deposited daily until the set is completed, and incubation lasts about fifteen days ; this ordinarily does not begin until the set is completed, but now and then young birds and eggs in different stages of advancement are found in the same nest. The young are able to leave their nest in about sixteen days; they crawl about on the limbs of the tree for a couple of days before they venture to fly, and return to the nest at night. The parents are rather suspicious about the nesting site, and endeavor to keep out of sight as much as possible, even where not molested; they are devoted in the care of their young, and will frequently allow themselves to be captured on the nest. In the more northern portions of their range only a single brood is raised in a season; in the south possibly two. The return migration to their winter homes usually begins about the latter part of September, and is occasionally protracted from four to six weeks later in favorable localities. The average measurement of one hundred and ninety-six eggs of this species in the United States National Museum collection, mostly from the more northern portions of its range, is 27.96 by 21.50 millimetres, or about 1.10 by 0.85 inches. The largest egg of the series measures 30.48 by 22.86 millimetres, or 1.20 by 0.90 inches; the smallest, 24.64 by 20.83 milHmetres, or 0.97 by 0.82 inch. Three sets of eggs — two of five and one of six — taken in Putnam County, Florida, by Dr. William L. Ralph, average only 25.82 by 20.52 millimetres, or about 1.02 by 0.81 inches. The largest of these eggs measures 26.42 by 21.34 millimetres, or 1.04 by 0.84 inches; the smallest, 24.89 by 18.03 millimetres, or 0.98 by 0.71 inch, which is quite a perceptible difference in size. The t3^pe specimen. No. 24612 (not figured), from a set of ten eggs, was taken on June 8, 1891, by Mr. R. MacFarlane, near Cumberland House, Sas- katchewan, Dominion of Canada. 47. Colaptes cafer (Gtmelin). EED-SHAFTED FLICKEK. Picus cafer Gmblin, Systema Katurte, 1, 1788, 431. Colaptes cafer Stejnegbr, Standard Natural History, lY, 1885, 428 (B 98, 314, E 3786, C 459, U 413.) Geographical range: Western North America; from the Isthmus of Tehuan- tepec, north over the table-lands of Mexico, through western Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, California, Oregon, the eastern portions of Washington, to southern British Columbia (east of the Cascade Mountains only) and southern Alberta; east, regularly to the eastern slopes of the Eocky Mountains, through Colorado, Wyoming, Montana, and western Assiniboia in the Dominion of Canada, and sporadically to Kansas, Nebraska, North and South Dakota; west, in Washington, only to the Cascade Mountains; south, in northern Lower California, in the San Pedro Martir Mountains, to about latitude 31°. The Red-shafted Flicker, in which the under surface of the quills and tail feathers are deep orange vermilion, instead of yellow as in the preceding spe- cies, replaces tlie latter throughout the western United States and along the THE RED-SnAFTED FLICKER. 135 southwestern Ijovdcr of the Dominion of Canada, east of the Cascade Mountains. It is a resident throughout the greater part of its range, excepting the mon; northern portions, wintering reguhirly in the vicinity of Fort Walla Walhi, Wash- ington, in latitude 4(i°, and it is pretty generally distributed, being as much at home in the higher mountain ranges up to altitudes of about 10,000 feet, as in the lower and much hotter valleys among the timbered bottom lands. As already stated, this species intergrades extensively with the preceding one along the eastern borders of its range, and typical specimens are not imcommonl}' met with in western Kansas, western Nebraska, and southwestern South Dakota; but as transition forms, or so-called "hybrids," predominate largely here, I do not include these sections in their range proper, considering them as neutral ground on which tvpical specimens of both species are about equally common. Its breeding range is nearly coextensive with its geographical distribution. It appears to be an equally common summer resident on the Mexican table-lands as in the western United States. Here, however, it is not met with in summer hi the lower Rio Grande Valley, nor throughout the dry and arid portions in the western parts of Texas and similar regions in southern New IMexico and Arizona, where it rarely breeds below altitudes of 6,000 feet. ]\Ir. W. A. Anthony met with it in the San Pedro Martir Mountains, in Lower California, in summer, at altitudes of from 7,000 to 10,000 feet, evidently nesting; and near the coast, in winter, as low as 3,000 feet. I found this handsome bird a common summer resident nearly everywhere throughout the West, from eastern jMontana west through Idaho, Oregon, Washington, and Nevada, to California, and an abundant winter resident in the vicinity of Tucson, southern Arizona, where it unquestionably breeds in the pine belt in the higher mountains. In its general habits, food, call notes, etc., the Red-shafted Flicker resembles the preceding species very closely, and I have been unable to detect any notable differences. It is a trifle larger bird than the preceding, and in certain sections appears to be rather more partial to extensive forests than its eastern relative. Its nesting habits are also quite similar, and it adapts itself readily to the condi- tions found in its surroundings. Its favorite nestmg sites are old rotten stubs or trees, such as cottonwoods, willows, sycamores, junipers, oaks, and pines. It nests also in holes in banks, in the sides of houses, in gate posts, etc. In the more northern portions of its range the migrants usually return to their 1 n-eeding grounds during the last week in March or the beginning of April. Xiditication begins about the 1st of May, and full sets of fresh eggs may l^e looked for about the middle of that month. The earliest set found by me, one of eight eggs, ■^^'as on May 4, 1871, near Fort Lapwai, Idaho; the latest, one of seven eg-gs, on June 6, 1875, near Camp Harney, Oregon. In southern California they nest mostly in April, and here, Mr. F. Stephens writes me, "the Red-shafted Flicker is a common resident ; I find it from sea level to the upper limits of timber, anywhere where trees occur. It often feeds on ants and insects picked from the ground." One brood only is usually raised in a season; but I believe an occasional pair of early nesting birds raises two. Among some peculiar nesting sites of this species the following deserve mention: 136 LIFE HISTORIES OF NOETH AMEEICAN BIRDS. Mr. Walter E. Bryant gives the following: "One of these was in a bridge bulkhead, a few feet above the Carson River, Nevada. The interior of the structure was filled with gravel and large stones, among which the eggs were deposited. Another pair used a target butt, at a much-frequented range, as a substitute for a stump. A third nest was in a sand bank, 3 feet from the top and 10 from the creek. This hole was apparently specially prepared, and not one made by a ground squirrel, such holes being sometimes used by these birds." ^ Mr. Charles A. Allen, of Nicasio, California, found a pair of Red-shafted Flickers nesting in a similar situation in a creek bank, the burrow containing seven eggs, which he took. About ten days later, happening to pass the same spot, he examined the hole again and found it occupied by a California Screech Owl, which in the meantime had deposited four eggs. Some two weeks subse- quently he examined it for a third time, and on this occasion the tenant proved to be a Sparrow Hawk, which was setting on five handsome eggs. There was no nesting material present on any occasion, the eggs lying on some loose dirt. Near Fort Lapwai, Idaho, on June 2, 1871, I found a pair of Long-eared Owls and Red-shafted Fhckers nesting in an old cottonwood stump ; the Owls occupied a natural cavity, and the Flickers had excavated their nesting site directly over that of the former, the entrance holes, although on diff'erent sides of the stub, were not over 2 feet apart. The Red-shafted Flicker's eggs, seven in number, were on the point of hatching, while those of the Owls were about half incubated. These birds evidently lived on good terms with each other. Occasionally, after incubation has commenced, additional eggs are laid at different intervals by this species. On June 6, 1875, near Camp Harney, Oregon, I found a pair of these birds nesting in a rotten pine stump, on the southern slopes of the Blue Mountains, the entrance hole being 3 feet from the ground. This nest contained three young birds, apparently just hatched, and two eggs already chipped, besides five perfectly fresh ones, one of these being a runt egg. In this vicinity the Red-shafted Flicker was very common, and nested mostly in juni- pers, usually from 3 to 12 feet from the ground; but I have also seen them entering holes in the dead tops of large pines, fully 70 feet above the ground. Besides the usual insects and larvae upon which this species feeds, I have seen it catch grasshoppers, both on the ground and on the wing, and it is likewise very fond of wild strawberries and service berries. Considered from an economic point of view, the Red-shafted Flicker is as beneficial as the preceding species, and, like it, deserves the fullest protection. The number of eggs in a set varies from five to ten, sets of six or seven being most common. These are indistinguishable from those of the preceding species, excepting that they average a trifle larger, and the same description will answer for both. The average measurement of one hundi'ed and fifty-two eggs in the United States National Museum collection is 28.34 by 21.68 millimetres, or about 1.12 by 0.85 inches. The largest egg of the series measures 32.76 by 22.35 milli- ' Bulletin California Academy of Sciences, II, August 2, 1887, pp. 451, 452. THE EED-SIIAFTEI) L'LICKEK. 137 metres, or 1.29 by 0.88 inches; the smallest, 2.5.15 Ijy 20.57 milliinctros, or 0.99 by 0.81 inch; and a runt, 20.57 by 15.75 millimetres, or 0.81 by 0.62 inch. The type specimen, No. 19391 (not figured), from a set of te]i eggs, was taken by the writer near Fort Walla Walla, Washington, on ]\Iii,y 11, 1882. 48. Colaptes cafer saturatior Ridgway. NORTHWESTERN FLICKER. Colaptes mexicanus saturatior Eidgway, Proceedings Biological Society of Wasliingtou, 11, April 10, 1884, 90. Colaptes cafer saturatior Eidgway, MS. (B — , — , E _, — , U 413a.) Geographical range : Northwestern coast regions, from northern California north to southern Alaska (Sitka). The breeding range of the Northwestern Flicker, a somewhat darker-colored race than Colaptes cafer^ is confined to the coast districts of Washington, British Columbia, and the southern parts of Alaska north to Sitka, Avhere it occurs both in the uplands and lowlands. In the corresponding regions in western Oregon, and probably also in northwestern California, it appears to be found only on the summits of the different mountains between the Cascades and the coast during the breeding season, where the same moist climate prevails as is found in the immediate vicinity of the coast, while in the drier lowlands, such as the Umpqua, Rogue, and Willamette river valleys, it is replaced by Colaptes cafer and by intermediates between the two forms. A specimen in the collection of the United States Department of Agriculture, taken near Glendale, in Douglas County, Oregon, on June 13, 1894, although not quite typical, seems to bear out this view ; another from near Sodaville, Linn County, in the United States National Museum collection, taken in September, however, is a perfectly tyjDical Colaptes cafer saturatior. As this subspecies is known to be a common Avinter resident in British Columbia, it is questionable if the latter was a migrant. I first met with this dark-colored race in the Puget Sound region, Washington, in the latter part of May, 1894, and found it moderately common in the vicinity of* Seattle, in partly cleared tracts where there was a good deal of dead timber, and also in tlie rich bottom lands of the Puyallup River. Here, as the majorit}^ of its nesting sites are located in rotten trees, and frequently quite a distance from the ground, its eggs are rather hard to obtain. Mr. John Fannin, curator of the Provincial Museum at Victoria, British Columbia, in his "List of Birds" found in that Province, reports this subspecies as follows: "Abundant west of the Cascades; a number winter in the neighbor hood of Victoria." According to Mr. E. W. Nelson, it does not appear to go regularly as far north as Sitka, Alaska. He says: "During Bischoif's visit to Sitka, at the time of the Russian- American telegraph expedition, numbei-s of these beautiful birds were taken there, and some of the specimens are now in the collection 138 LIFE HISTOEIES OF NORTH AMEEICAN BIEDS. of the National Museum. Since then, however, the bird has not been secured from that region. Both forms, Colaptes nuratus and Colaptes eafer satumtior, undoubtedly breed in that section, their habitats overlapping, but no interme- diate examples liave been secured thus far."^ Its general habits, food, call notes, and nidification, as well as its eggs, are similar to those of the two ])receding species, and the same description will answer for them. The only absolutely identified set in the United States National Museum collection is an incomplete one of four, taken by Mr. James Hepburn, near Victoria, British Columbia, in May, 1867. These measure, respectively, 30.94 by 21.84, 30.48 by 22.35 30.78 by 21.69, and 30.22 by 21.34 millimetres; or 1.22 by 0.86, 1.20 by 0.88, 1.21 by 0.85, and 1.19 by 0.84 inches. The type specimen, No. 13205 (not figured), is the largest egg of this set. 49. Colaptes chrysoides (Malheebe). GILDED FLICKEE. Geopicus chrysoides Malherbe, Eeview et Magasin Zoologique, IV, 1852, 553. Colaptes chrysoides Eeiohenbach, Handbuch der speciellen Ornithologie, Scansorife, 1854, 413. (B 99, G 313, E 379, C 458, U 414.) Geographical range: Lower Galifomia aud Sonora, Mexico; nortb, through south- ern and portions of northwestern Arizona, to latitude 35°. Casually to southeastern California. The Gilded Flicker, also known as "Cactus" or "Cape" Flicker, which has the yellow shafts and quills of C. auratus and the red malar patch and ashy throat, as in C. cafer, is a common resident of the giant cactus belt of southern Arizona, the adjacent Mexican State of Sonora, and similar regions in Lower California. It was also met with on the Colorado River, near Fort Mohave, Arizona, by Dr. J. G. Cooper, in February, 1861, where these birds were feed- ing on larvae and insects among the poplar trees, and were very shy and wary. It undoubtedly occurs also, occasionally at least, on the California side of the Colorado, but only as a straggler. It breeds throughout the rest of its range. Mr. F. Stephens, who has collected quite extensively in southern Arizona, writes me: "So far as my experience goes, this Flicker is restricted to the giant cactus region. The most western point at which I have seen this species was near the head waters of Big Sandy Creek, in western Arizona, where the giant cactus is common. I have looked closely for this bird at Yuma, but failed to find it. All but one of the sets of eggs I have taken were found in holes in the giant cactus. The exception was a set taken near Tucson, Arizona, on April 25, 1884, from a dead cottonwood stuli, and I shot the male in the mouth of the hole." Mr. A.W.Anthony writes me: "The Gilded Flicker is rather common in the heavy growth of giant cactus, Ccreus pringlei, but not adverse to the candle- ' Report iipou Natural History Colleetions made iu Alaska, No. 3, 1887, p. 161. THE GILDED FLICKEE. 139 wood forests which cover a large part of tlie p(iiiiusula between latitudes 28° and 30°. Young were found by me in June at San Fernando and near San Carlos, Lower California." Mr. J. Xantus found the Gilded Flicker very common in the vicinity of Cape St. Lucas, and quite a number of specimens now in the United States National Museum collection were taken by him there; these a^-erage a trifle smaller than the Arizona birds. Mr. W. E. D. Scott met with this species in the early spring and ftill on the San Pedro slope of the Catalina Mountains, in southern Arizona, as high up as 3,000 feet, and saw now and then single individuals in the mesquite timljer, far away from any giant cactus.^ I first met with this Flicker in some large cottonwoods on Rillito Creek, near Tucson, in the spring of 1872, and also found a pair nesting in a dead limb of one of these trees, but the site was inaccessible. I at first considered these birds rare, and not until the nesting season was over did I discover how abundant they were in an extensive giant cactus grove in Sahuarita Pass, a few miles northeast of my camp. Here numbers of them were feeding on the sweet, fig- like fruit of this cactus, in company with other species, and, as many of the cacti had holes dug in their sides, this was unquestionably a favorite breeding place for them. I do not consider the Gilded Flicker a very shy bird in the late summer and fall, and I could have shot numbers of them at different times had I wanted to do so. I paid but little attention to this species when I first saw it, taking it at the time to be the common eastern Flicker, from the similarity of its appearance when flying, and only discovered my error on shooting one on June 16, 1872. Its call notes, manner of flight, and general habits are so similar to those of the common Flicker that one, particularly a novice, as I was then, might readily make such a mistake. Its food consists mainly of insects of different kinds and their larvse, as well as of wild berries and fruits, and it obtains a good portion of this on the ground. By far the greater number of these birds nest in the sahuaras or giant cactus; and where these are not found within reasonable distances, this species is not apt to be met with, at least not during the breeding season. This is at its height from the middle of April to the end of May, and, as Mr. F. Stephens has taken its eggs in June, it is possible that two broods are occasionally raised in a season. It nests at varying distances from the ground from 8 to 40 feet, generally at heights of about 15 feet. I have the indurated form of a nesting cavity of this species now before me, showing its exact shape. The hardened walls are about one-fourth of an inch thick, and show the inner contour of the cavity perfectly. The entrance is nearly 3 inches in diameter; inside it is about 7 by 4 inches wide and 5J inches deep. The sides and bottom of the cavity are quite smooth, considering the nature of the substance (the soft inner pulp of the cactus) out of which it is excavated. It occupied only one-half of the trunk of one of these giant cacti, and the rear of the cavity did not quite reach ' The Auk, Vol. V, 1886, p. 429. 140 LIFE HISTOEIES OF NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. the center of the jilaiit. The eggs lay on the hardened floor, and not, as usual, on a layer of chips. I am inclined to believe that a freshly excavated nesting site is not habitable for some weeks, as it must require some time for the exuding sap to harden. The mold before me somewhat resembles a wasp's nest, both in color and shape, and if suspended from the limb of a tree might easily be mistaken for one. From two to five eggs are laid to a set, usually four, and these are indistinguishable in shape and color from those of the rest of our Flickers. The average measurement of seven eggs in the United States National Museum collection is 28.96 by 21.63 millimetres, or about 1.14 by 0.85 inches. The largest egg measures 30.78 by 22.10 millimetres, or 1.21 by 0.87 inches; the smallest, 26.92 by 20.32 millimetres, or 1.06 by 0.80 inches. The type specimen. No. 22635 (not figured), from a set of four eggs, was taken by Mr. Herbert Brown, near Tucson, Arizona, on May 25, 1884, from a hole in a giant cactus, 15 feet from the ground. 50. Colaptes rufipileus Ridgway. GUADALUPE FLICKER. Colaptes mexicanus rufipileus Ridgway, BuUetiu TJ. S. Geological and Geographical Survey of the Territories, II, No. 2, April 1, 1876, 191. Colaptes rufipileus Ridgway, Bulletin Nuttall Ornithological Club, II, July, 1877, 60. (B _, C — , R 380, — , U 415.) Geographical range : Guadalupe Island, Mexico. The Gruadalupe Flicker was discovered by Dr. Edward Palmer in 1875, while engaged in making natural history collections on Gruadalupe Island, off the coast of Lower California, and nearly all of the land birds obtained by him at the time proved to be insular forms and new to science. Since then Mr. "Walter E. Bryant has twice visited this remote island, which is situated about 250 miles to the south and west of San Diego, California, the northern extremity lying in about latitude 2d° 10' N. and longitude 118° 18' W. It is about 15 miles in length, with a maximum width of 5 miles, and it is said to reach an altitude of about 4,500 feet at its highest point. There are some pines, cypress trees, and cabbage palms found on the island. For all the information we possess about the life history of this insular Flicker, whose habitat appears to be confined to this island, we are indebted to Mr. Bryant, who published an interesting paper entitled "Additions to the Ornithology of Guadalupe Island" (in Bulletin 6, California Academy of Sciences, January 5, 1887, pp. 269 to 318), from which I extract the following relating to this little-known species: "Comparatively speaking, tliis bird was not rare in the restricted area of the large cypress grove, but apart from this locality less than a dozen were seen. Three specimens were taken among some palms, within a short distance from the beach, on the eastern side of the island. Only one was heard among the pines at the northern portion, and in the vicinity of the large palm grove on the northwestern slope they were occasionally seen. THE (lUADALUPE FLICKEK. 141 "Of all the species of this family I have ever met witli, none have heen so tame and unsuspicious or less frightened hy the report of a gun. In January I witnessed a peculiar habit not before noticed, 1 believe, iu birds of this genus. A pair of Flickers were perched facing each other upon a gnarled root about 3 feet from the ground, their heads within a foot of each other. Suddenly the male, who had been sitting motionless before the female, began a somewhat grotesque performance, which consisted in a rapid bobbing of his head. In this he was immediately followed by the female. This spasmodic bobbing and bowing they repeated alternately a few times, when both stopjied as suddenly as they had commenced. After an interval of a few seconds the male began again, and was joined by the female. The movement resembled more an upward jerk of the head than a bow. "Approaching on my hands and knees to get a closer view, I could hear a low, chuckling sound while these strange actions were in progress. What the outcome of this love-making — for such I regarded it — would have been I did not ascertain. The fear of losing the specimens — almost the first I had seen — prompted me to fire. The first shot brought down the female. At the report away flew the male, followed by another male, which, unseen by me, had been quite near, on the ground. They returned while I was still holding the female, and thus gave me an opportunity of securing them both. Their evident lack of timidity permitted me to draw near enough to plainly distinguish the character- istic bright red cheek patches. In February I saw a rejDetition of the action above noted, the birds being in a cypress tree above me. They were very tame, especially the female, who came quite near as I lay upon tlie ground, whistling "quit-tu, quit-tu," and watching her puzzled actions. In a half-dead cypress this pair had partially pecked a cavity for a nest. In addition to the familiar scythe-whetting notes they have the peculiar "wake-up" call and its rapid prelude of monosyllables. By imitating this call I decoyed a distant female to within short range, the bird coming through the thickest of the cypress grove, stopping at short intervals to call and listen for a reply. "The food of this species during a portion of the year consists largely of smooth-skinned caterpillars, besides numerous beetles and ants; the latter are always obtainable and, growing to a large size, figure as an important item of their diet. The scarcity of decayed trees, with the exception of fallen ones, necessitates either work upon seasoned wood or the resort to dead palm stumps. The nests will therefore be found at heights varying from 3 to 15 feet. "By March 16 the birds were invariably found in pairs, and my -\^dsll to secure a setting of eggs before departing seemed in a fair way of being fulfilled. Strolling among the cypress, on the 27th of March, I found four trees upon v»rhich the birds were at work or had been recently, and in such cases the birds themselves were always to be found in the immediate vicinity. Passing a half- dead tree, I heard the sounding taps of a Woodpecker at Avork, and as I neared the spot the slight noise which I made as I carefully picked ray way over the rock-strewn ground caused a handsome male bird to suddenly appear at an 142 LIFE HISTORIES OF NORTH AMEEIOAN BIRDS. opening about 4 feet higli. With a foot grasping either side of the entrance he gazed upon the intruder. Having comprehended the situation, he flew to another tree, where he quietly awaited my inspection and departure. The hole was then down about 15 inches. By April 7 it had reached a depth of about 20 inches, and contained six fresh eggs, upon which the female was then sitting. As no description has hitherto appeared of the eggs of this species it may be well to present here the measurements of this set (No. 803, author's oological collec- tion). They correspond exactly, both in color and general shape, with scores of other eggs of this genus, and offer the following measurements in miUimetres: 28 by 22, 28 by 22, 28 by 22.5, 29 by 22, 29.5 by 22, 29.5 by 22;" or about 1.11 by 0.87, 1.11 by 0.87, 1.11 by 0.89, 1.14 by 0.87, 1.16 by 0.87, and 1.16 by 0.87 inches. There are no eggs of this species in the United States National Museum collection. Family CAPRIMULGID^. Goatsuckers, etc. 51, Antrostomus carolinensis (Gtmelin). CHUCK- WILL'S- WIDOW. Gaprimulgus carolinensis Gmelin, Systema IsTaturje, I, ii, 1788, 1028. Antrostomus carolinensis Gould, Icones Avium, 1838. (B 111, C 264, E 353, 396, U 416.) Geogbaphioal range : From the South Atlantic and Gulf States and the Lower Mississippi Valley north to the southern portions of Virginia, Illinois, and Indiana, the greater portion of Arkansas, southern Missouri, and the Indian Territory; west to Texas; south in winter to the West India Islands, and through eastern Mexico and Central Amer- ica to Colombia, South America. Casual in southern Kansas ; accidental in Massachusetts. The breeding range of Chuck-will's-widow, also locally known in South Carolina as the "Dutch Whip-poor-will" or "Chip-the-red-oak-white-oak," and in some of the West India Islands as the " Spanish Wliip-poor- will," is coexten- sive with its geographical distribution in the United States, excepting the lower Rio Grande Valley, in Texas. It is only a summer visitor over the greater portion of its range with us, but, according to Mr. W. E. D. Scott, in "The Auk" (Vol. VI, 1889, p. 252), "Some of these birds are resident on the Gulf coast of Florida, at least as far north as Tarpon Springs, where in winter, in December and January, they are rather rarer than at other seasons of the year." Mr. E. A. Mcllhenny also tells me that they are common residents in southern Louisiana. By far the greater number, however, retire farther south, wintering in the West India Islands, as well as in Central America, and a few even pass the Isthmus of Panama to Colombia, South America. They usually reenter the United States, from their winter homes in the south, early in April, and move leisurely north- ward to their breeding grounds, returning southward again about the beginning of September. The males usually make their appearance on the breeding grounds THE CHUCK- WILL'S WIDOW. 143 a fev/ days before the females. During tlieir migrations they are said to travel singly, or at most in small companies, and not in large flocks, like most other species, and these journeys are performed entirely at night. Chuck-will's-widow is the largest of the CaprimulgidcB found in the United States, and, like the rest of the members of this family, it is crepuscular and nocturnal in its habits, being rarely seen on the wing in the daytime, unless accidentally startled from its hiding place. It spends its days mostly bidden away in dark shady places in woods, among the undergrowth, especially along rocky hillsides, resting either on the ground or in some hollow log, under a ledge of rock, or perched lengthwise on some low limb of a bushy, densely-foliaged tree. Although a tolerably common bird throughout the more southern portions of its range, it is by no means as well known generally as it might be, and only a careful and patient observer can expect to become familiar with its general habits. Its flight is extremely noiseless, the very embodiment of grace and agility combined, and in this respect it resembles our Owls somewhat, now skimming along close to the ground, di'opping down suddenly to pick up some beetle, then dashing upward again, perhaps after a moth; constantly twisting and turning from one course to another, but always on the lookout for any passing insect. As soon as the sun has disappeared behind the horizon, all the Chuck- will's-widows in the neighborhood become alert at once, leave their customary resting places in search of food, and, during the mating season especially, com- mence to utter the peculiar call, "chuck-will's-widow," from which they have derived their name. This strangely doleful-sounding note is occasionally, par- ticularly while under sexual excitement, uttered very rajoidly for two or three minutes or more, the syllables being all rolled into one, until the bird is compelled to take a rest from sheer want of breath. The late Dr. William C. Avery, of Greensboro, Alabama, well known as an excellent observer, wrote me as follows on this subject: "In general cadence the first three syllables are about equal, the syllable *wid' being accented and emjohasized, and the last syllable, 'ow' being only about half the quantity of the first three. Pronounce the syllables just as I have given them here, with the accent on 'wid' and the quantity of the preceding ones equal in length with the intoned syllable, and you have the call note of Antrostomus carolinensis. "When frightened from its nest, or when flying late in the evening, it utters a harsh note at times, and this resembles, to my ear, the syllable 'baw! baw! baw!' These notes, apparently of displeasure or alarm, are low and can not be heard at a great distance, while, during a still night, the 'chuck-will's- widow,' or call note, rapidly repeated, may be heard for a mile or more. These notes, during the mating season at least, are uttered from dusk to about 9 p. m., and while singing they usually sit on the ground, on a log or rock, or occasionally on a fence rail, or on a low limb of a tree, and in such a position they usually sit lengthwise, not crosswise, on the limb. I have known this bird from early boyhood and am j)ositive that it never chants its monotonous song- while on the wing, as has been recently stated. It is also said 'that if either 144 LIFE HISTOEIBS OP NOETH AMERICAN BIRDS. their eggs or young are disturbed they are carried off in the capacious mouths of the birds to some distant part of the forest, in the same manner that a cat transports her kittens.' I must say that I do not believe this assertion. I purposely flushed the parent off the eggs which I sent you three times on May 3, 1890, when I first found the nest, and once on the 4th, altogether four times, before I took the set, and yet the old bird returned each time and con- tinued to sit in the same place as long as her eggs remained there. When I flushed the parent from her nest on the 3d of May she had only one egg, though she was setting; on the 4th she still had but one, and it was only on the 5th, the third day after I found the nest, that she laid the last egg." It is possible that this species removes its eggs to a different locality occa- sionally when disturbed, but this habit does not, by any means, appear to be universal; the young, however, are more frequently hidden in some other place by the parents under similar circumstances. The food of Chuck-will's-widow consists mainly of beetles, winged ants, and other insects, especially the night-flying Lepidoptera — such as the Spingidm (Hawk moths), Saturnoidce (silk moths), and Noctuidce (Owl moths) — and the enormous width of its short bill enables it to swallow the largest of these very readily. It does occasionally aspire to larger game, and it seems to be a well- established fact that small birds form a portion of its regular bill of fare. A well-authenticated instance of its cannibalistic tendencies is published by Dr. F. W. Langdon among his field notes on Louisiana birds, in the "Journal of the Cincinnati Society of Natural History" (Vol. IV, 1881, p. 151), in which he makes the following statement: "The stomach of a female shot on April 14 contained the partially digested body, entire, of a Swamp Sparrow, intermingled with the feathers of which were numerous remains of insects, chiefly small beetles." More recent observations, made by Mr. John I. Northrop on Andi'os Island, one of the Bahamas, between March 14 and July 3, 1890, fully confirms this. He published the following regarding this species: "Three specimens were taken, two of which were disturbed in the woods during the daytime and the other shot at dusk. Upon examining the stomach of the first one shot, I found, among an indistinguishable mass of brownish matter, a small bone, about half an inch long, that looked like the leg of a small bird. The next one examined contained in its stomach the partially digested remains of an entire Humming- bird, enough of which was preserved to identify it beyond a doubt as Sporadinus rkordir ^ Audubon, as well as Dr. John Grundlach, also mentions having found the remains of birds in the stomachs of this species, and it would appear that such a diet formed a not unusual joart of its regular fare. In the southern part of their range nidification begins sometimes by April 10, more often in the latter part of this month and during May, and occasionally eggs are found as late as June 30. I believe, as a rule, only one brood is raised ' The Auk, Vol. VIII, 1891, p. 73. THE CHUCK-WILL'S- WIDOW. 145 in a season; but this last record, which is from Titiisville, Florida, seems to indi- cate that two broods may occasionally be raised under fav(n-able circumstances. The most northern breeding record I have is one from the Washita River, in the Indian Territory, in about latitude 35°, but it undoubtedl}- breeds in suitable localities as far north as latitude 38°. Although fairly abundant throughout the greater part of Texas during the breeding season, it is not found anywhere in the lower Rio Grande Valley or vicinity, and I have no authentic records of its breeding there, -SA'here it appears to be entirely replaced by Merrill's Parauque, Ni/ctkhrjiuHS alhicolUs vierrilli. It appears to be quite common in Putnam County, Florida, and the majority of the eggs in the United States National Museum collection were obtained there by Dr. William L. Ralph, where it mostly nested in oak thickets, under trees whose branches nearly touched the ground, both in swampy and dry situations. Chuck-will's-widow makes no nest; the eggs are usually laid on the dry leaves co^'ering the ground, in deciduous forests, and occasionally on the bare ground, either in flat woods or on brush-covered and rocky hillsides — in fact, such nesting places seem to be preferred by this species to flat, level woods, when obtainable. The two eggs are deposited on alternate days, and incubation commences with the first egg laid. I believe the female performs the duties of incubation almost entirely, but both sexes are very devoted parents. The bird on the nest will try as assiduously to draw the intruder away from its young as the Ruffed Grouse, by feigning injury and fluttering along (in the ground. It usually also emits a hissing noise when disturbed. The eggs of Chuck-will's-widow are among the handsomest found in the United States; the shell is fine-grained, rather thin, and moderately glossy in most cases. They are usually elliptical oval in shape, or about equally rounded on both ends. The ground color of these eggs is of such a subtle tint that it is almost impossible to describe it accurately; it varies from a rich cream, with a faint pinkish suffusion, to a pale cream, and more rarely to a pure white. They are in most cases more or less profusely blotched, marbled, and spotted with different shades of brown, tawny, fawn, and Isabel-color, underlaid and mixed with lighter shades of ecru drab, lavender, pearl gray, and pale heliotrope purple. In an occasional specimen some of the markings take the shape of irregular lines and tracings, like those of the eggs of the Grackles; in others they are fine and minute, obscuring the ground color to some extent. In some specimens the darker shades predominate ; in others, the lighter ; in fact, there is an endless variation in the style of markings, but in the entire series there is not a single specimen which is not perceptibly marked. The eggs are rather large, considering the size of the bird. The average measurement of forty-two specimens in the United States National Museum collection is 35.87 by 25.76 millimetres, or about 1.-41 by 1.01 inches. The largest egg of the series measures 40.13 by 27 43 millimetres, or 1.58 by 1.08 inches; the smallest, 35.30 by 25.15 millimetres, or 1.39 by 0.99 inches. 16896— No. 3 10 146 LIFE HISTORIES OF NOUTH AMERICAN BIRDS. The type specimen, No. 20444 (PL 1, Fig. 8), from a set of two eggs, Bendire collection, was taken in Comal County, Texas, on June 15, 1879, and represents a small but a very handsome egg. No. 24488 (PI. 1, Fig. 9), also from a set of two eggs, from the Ralph collection, was taken by Dr. William L. Ealph, in Putnam County, Florida, on May 1, 1891, and represents one of the bolder-marked types, the specimen being somewhat above the average size. 52. Antrostomus vociferus (Wilson). WHIP-POOR-WILL. Caprimulgus vociferus WiLSON, American Ornithology, V, 1812, 71, PL 41, Figs, l-'.i. Antrostomus vociferus Bonapaetb, Geographical and Comparative List, 1838, 8. (B 112, C 265, R 354, C 397, U 417.) Geographical range: Eastern North America; north to the southern portions of the Dominion of Canada in the provinces of Nova Scotia, Quebec, and northern Ontario, to southwestern Keewatiu and western Manitoba; west in the United States through eastern North and South Dakota, Nebraska, western Kansas, the Indian Territory, and Texas; south in winter through eastern Mexico to Guatemala. Casual to Porto Rico and the West Indies. While the lamiliar call of the Whip-poor-will, from which it receives its name, is almost universally known to every farmer's boy throughout its range, the bird itself is not nearly so often correctly identified, and our common Nighthawk, or Bull-bat, is frequently mistaken for the author of these notes. It is only a summei- victor throughout the greater portion of the United States and the southern parts of the Dominion of Canada, usually arriving from its winter haunts in Guatemala and southern ilexico, along the southern portions of its breeding range in the United States, about the middle of March; and moving leisurely northward, it reaches our middle States about April 15, and the more northern ones from one to three weeks later. Not a few Whip-poor- wills winter regularly in the southern parts of Florida, as well as along the Gulf coast of Louisiana; these are probably birds which breed mainly north of the United States. As far as I have been able to ascertain, this species reaches the extreme northern limits of its range on the north shore of Lake Winnipeg, near Norway House, one of the Hudson Bay Company's Posts, situated in the southwestern part of the Province of Keewatin, in about latitude 54°. It is a common summer resident in suitable localities throughout Manitoba, and a set of eggs is now in the United States National Museum collection taken by Mr. WiUiam MacTavish, near Lake Manitoba, in June, 1862. The western limits of its range extend well into the Great Plains. Mr. A. W. Menke writes me that he has shot this species in Finney County, in southwestern Kansas, where it evidently breeds, but is rare; and it is undoubtedly also a summer resident throughout the greater part of Nebraska, as well as of North and South Dakota. Mr. William Lloyd records it as a summer resident in the eastern portions of C'oncho County, and Mr. H. P. Attwater observed it in Bexar County, Texas. THE WHIP-POOR-WILL. 147 These points furnish probably about the western limits of its Ijreediug range in this State. It is apparently a very rare summer resident in Florida, and in the im^iiediate vicinity of tlie south Atlantic and Grulf coasts in Alabama and Mississippi; it becomes somewhat more generally distributed throughout the hill country of western South Carolina, northern Greorgia, and Alabama, but is still rare here. The late Dr. William C Avery, one of the most reliable ornithologists of the South, met the Whip-poor-will near Anniston, Alabama, in July, and while rather rare, it unquestionably breeds there to a limited extent. Mr. W. J. Myers records it as sometimes breeding in Hillsboro County, Florida, where he found a nest and two eggs on April 5, 1893; and Mr. E. A. iMcIlhenny informs me that he found it nesting on Avery's Island, in southern Louisiana, where it was a rare summer resident, but far more common in fall and winter. He also says: "These birds are very tame, for on two occasions, while sitting still in the twilight to observe the movements of some Owls, I have had them come so close that I could have caught them. On one occasion one lit on my knee, and another on my foot as it was extended before me." The Florida and Louisiana breeding records are the most southern I know of, and it breeds more or less commonly in suitable localities throughout the remainder of its range. Like many other species, it is very much attached to its once chosen haunts, and will return to them from year to year, often nesting in the identical spot, or at most within a few feet of it, if the immediate surroundings have not been changed too much in the meantime. It returns soutli again during the first part of October. Its favorite resorts are dense, shady thickets, bordering on clearings and river valleys; rocky and brush-covered hillsides, and rolling country, interspersed alternately with woods and cultivated tracts, are preferred to the more level prairie regions. In the latter it is only found. along the river bluffs, among the shrubbery, and rarely any distance awaj on the open and nearly treeless plains, unless at dusk and in early hours of the night, while in search of food on the roads leading through these. Its flight is strong, swift, graceful, and entirely noiseless, gliding like a shadow close along the ground in pursuit of night- prowling insects, mainly Lepidoptera and Coleoptera, on which it feeds almost exclusively. In the Western States, which are some- times overrun by swarms of Rocky Mountain Locusts, it also feeds largely on these when abundant. Considered from an economic point of view, the Whip- poor-will is an eminently useful and beneficial bird, deserving the fullest protection. Like Chuck-will's-widow, it is crepuscular and nocturnal in its habits, and is rarely seen in the daytime unless accidentally di-iven from its hiding place. It passes the hours of daylight in shady retreats, either on the ground or on low limbs of trees (on which it always perches lengthwise) on old logs, and on or under rocks well covered by underbrush. It is rarely found at higher altitudes than 3,500 feet. The familiar call note of the Whip-poor-will is well expressed by its name, but it sounds to me more like "Whip-poor- wick," especially when uttered close to the listener. On their first arrival on the breeding grounds this call is especially frequently and rapidly repeated at the 148 LIFE HISTOEIBS OF NORTH AMERICAN BIRT3S. beginning of dusk, and throughout the early part of the night, sometimes for minutes at a time, without any perceptible intermission, and one can then easily decoy these birds by imitating this call. They are said to sing also occasionally during the day, but I never heard one at such a time, even during cloudy weather. As the breeding season advances they become more and more silent, but they sometimes sing as late as September, never with the vim and persistency, however, as on their first arrival, when frequently half a dozen or more of these birds may be heard at the same time, forming a perfect chorus, their notes blending so completeh' into each other that they sound like a continuous "whipper-whipper-whipper," the last syllable being entirely lost in the medley of noise produced; still such vocal concerts are not especially unpleasant to the ear, and rather lull the listener into a sound sleep. About dusk the Whip-poor-will emerges from its hiding place in some neighboring thicket and goes hawking for its evening meal. A considerable portion of its food is picked up from the ground, especialh' on well-traveled roads, uu which it frequently indulges in a dust bath to rid its bodA' of vermin. It will visit some favorite spots regularly, and slightly sandy rijads are preferred t( ) heavier soil. Its movements on the ground are rather a^^'kward, its feet being weak and short; but few of our birds are more graceful on the wing than the Whip-poor-will. I have seen one touch the back of its A^'ings together as it swept by me, arrest its noiseless flight instantly, drop to the ground almost perpendicularly, pick up some insect, and dash away as suddenly as it halted. At such times it occasionally utters a low, purring or grunting noise like "dack-diick," and another sounding like " zue-see, zue-see," which can not be heard unless oiie is close by. While on a collecting trip in Herkimer County, New York, with Dr. WilHam L. Ralph, in June, 1893, I witnessed a most amusing performance, Avhicli one may see perhaps once in a lifetime. I happened to be in -a little out- building, some 20 feet in the rear of the house at which we were stopping, early on the eA-ening of tlie 24th, about half an hour after sundown, Avlien I heard a peculiar, low, clucking noise outside, which was directly followed by the familiar call of "whip-poor-will." A pair of these birds paid us regular visits from the neighboring forest, often perching on the roof of the house, on the garden fence, on the liml)s of a crab^ apple tree near by, or occasionally alighting on the sandy road passing in front of the house, where they would allow themselves to be closel}- approached before taking wing, and treated us to a nightly concert. Directly alongside of the small outbuilding previously referred to, a ban-el of sand and lime hiul been spilled, and from the numerous tracks of these birds, made by them nightly afterwards, it was evident that this spot Avas visited regularl)', and Avas the trysting place of at least one pair. Looking through a small nperture, I saw one of the birds waddling about in a verA' excited manner over the sand-covered space, which was perhaps 2 by 3 feet square, and it was so much interested in its own performance that it did not notice me, THE WHIP-POOR-WILL. 141) althougli I made some noise trying to fight off a swarm of musquitocs wliicli assailed me from all sides. Its head appeared to be all mouth, and its notes were uttered so rapidlv that, close as I was to the bird, they sounded like one long, continuous roll. A few seconds after his first effort (it \\as the male) he was joined by his mate, and she at once commenced to respond with a peculiar, low, buzzing or grunting note, like " gaw-gaw-gaw," undoubtedh' a note of approval or endearment. This evidently cost her considerable effort; her head almost touched the ground while uttering it, her plumage Avas relaxed, and her whole body seemed to be in a violent tremble. The male in the meantime had sidled up to her and touched her bill with his, which made her mo\'e slightlv to one side, but so slowly that he easily kept close alongside of her. These sidling movements were kept up for a minute or more each time; first one would move away, followed Its' the other, and then it was reversed; both were about equally bold and coy at the same time. Their entire love making looked exceedingly human, and the female acted as timid and bashful as many young maidens would when receiving the first declarations of their would-be lovers, while the lowering of her head might easil}^ be interpreted as being done to hide her blushes. Just about the time I thought this courtship would reach its climax, a dog ran out of the house and caused both to take flight. He always showed an unaccountable antipathy for these birds, and iuAariabh' chased them as soon as one would alight near by. I \\atched for them on several subsequent evenings, in the same place, but the}' never returned there so early, but their fresh tracks on the sand showed that the place had been ^•isited later in the night. In the more southern portions of its range the Whij)-poor-will nests usuallv about the first Aveek in May, occasionally only during the last two weeks in April, and in the more northern parts usually not before June ]\Ir. H. W. Flint, of New Haven, Connecticut, has kindlv furnished me with the following iiotes on this species: "This beautiful bird is a great favorite of mine, and I have devoted considerable time to studying its habits. It sho^^■s a strong attachment for certain localities to the neglect of others apparently equallv suited to its tastes, and I ha^-e taken five sets of its eggs within 100 feet of a given point, and even when the first set was taken the female Avill often lav again within a rod or tAvo of the original site. It nests rather earh', jMaA' 20 to 25 being the aA^erage date of my finds. I knoAA" of no more ludicrous sight in bird life than that offered by the female Avhen suddenly surprised with young. She flies or rather flops about the intruder in a circle, often alight- ing to tumble about upon the ground among the leaves, spreading the tail and opening the mouth, at the same time emitting a sound something like the crA' or whine of a very young puppy, and also other guttural, uncouth sounds, Avholh' indescribable, the young themselves, in their scanty dress of dark velloAV fuzz, apparently all mc)uth, adding to the general effect. I once, and once onh-, saAv a female (the male is neAer present at the nest) carry a A^oung bird about a rod, but c;ui not saA' she used her bill, and don't think she did, but I am almost 150 LIFE HISTOEIES OF NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. sure the claws and legs only were used, as the young was hugged close to the body. I have never known the eggs to be removed, though I have left them in two or three different instances. "I found a pair of young one morning and went home after my camera; but upon my return, several hours later, they were gone and the old bird also, and a careful search failed to disclose their retreat. In this case it would appear that the old bird removed them, as they were certainly too young to travel far themselves. The eggs that I have found (with the exception of one set) resemble each other closeh^ and were all taken in moderately open second- growth woodland and on ridges somewhat elevated above the immediate surroundings. No attempt at a nest has been observed; the eggs were placed in slight depressions and usually on one large leaf, never near a log or rock. "The set referred to above as exceptional is quite heavily marked, and one egg has the spots on one side merged into one large blotch. It was taken July 4, 1884, at Deep River, Connecticut, and is the latest date on which I have found eggs, though I believe tliat two broods are reared." The Whip-poor-will, like the other species of the Caprimulgidce found in -the United States, makes no nest, but deposits its eggs usually on a layer of dry leaves of deciduous trees, sometimes on dry pine needles, and occasionally on the bare ground, generally under thick bushes which afford plenty of shade, in some secluded and out-of-the-way corner, near the outskirts of forests, or on brush-covered hillsides, river bluffs, etc., Avhich are not readily accessible and not disturbed much. It is naturally a timid and retiring bird, and does not brook repeated intrusion very gracefully. The nesting site selected is always a well-drained and a dry one; light and sandy soils are preferred to heavier ones, and it rarely, if ever, nests in places that are subject to ovei"flow. The number of eggs to a set is two ; these are deposited on alternate days, and incubation commences with the first egg laid. I believe the female attends to this duty almost exclusively, and she is a most devoted parent, using all the well-known artifices of many ground-building species tf) entice the intrudej away from the vicinity of her treasures. Occasionally she ■\^'ill remove her eggs if the nesting site has been disturbed, and the egg is said to be carried away in her capacious mouth; but this is not a regular habit by any means. The callow young, however, are more frequently carried to a safe locality if too often disturbed. The eggs of the Whip-poor-will are large for the size of the bird, and elliptical oval in shape; the shell is rather frail, close-grained, and somewhat variable in the amount of luster present; some are rather glossy, while others show little or no jjloss. The ground color of these eggs is usually pure white; occasionally a faint cream tint is perceptible, and the markings consist of blotches, spots, and tracings of different shades of brown, tawny and lighter tints of ecru drab, lavender, lilac, and pearl gray. In most specimens the markings are profuse; in some the darlcer, but in the majority the lighter tints predominate, and an occasional egg is almost unspotted. On the whole, they are not nearly as THE WHIP POOIJ-WILL. 151 handsome eggs as those of Chuck-will's-widow, and they are generalh' mucli lighter colored. The a\-erage measurement of thirty-three specimens in the United States National Museum collection is 29.13 by 21.29 millimetres, or about 1.15 b}' 0.84 inches. The largest egg of the series measures 30.48 by 22.86 millimetres, or 1.20 by 0.90 inches; the smallest, 27.68 by 20.57 millimetres, or 1.09 by 0.81 inches. The type specimen, No. 18256 (PI. 1, Fig. 10), from a set of two, was taken by Mr. Robert Ridgway, near Wheatland, Indiana, in May, 1888, and represents one of the better-marked eggs of this species; Xo. 20460 (PL 1, Fig. 11), from the Bendire collection, also from a set of two, was taken on June 9, 1887, at Owings Mills, Baltimore County, Maryland, and shows one of the lighter-marked specimens. 53. Antrostomus vociferus macromystax (Wagler). STEPHENS'S WHIP-POOR-WILL. Gaprimulgtis macromystax Wa&lee, Ibis, 1831, 533. Caprimulgus vociferus macromystax Haetert, Ibis, 1892, 286. (B _, O — , E — , O 881, U 411a.) Gbogeaphicax, range: From Guatemala, Central America, north over the Mexican table-lauds to southwestern Xew Mexico and southern Arizona. Stephens's Whip-poor-will, a somewhat larger subspecies than its eastern relative, was first described by Mr. William Brewster, in the "Bulletin of the Nuttall Ornithological Club" (Vol. VI, 1881, pp. 69-72), from a specimen obtained by Mr. F. Stephens, who first met with it in the Chiricahua Mountains, Arizona, on May 2, 1880. Subsequently he found it also in the Santa Rita Mountains, in 1881, where it was, however, less numerous than in the former range the year previous. In speaking of Stephens's Whip-poor-will, Mr. Brew- ster says, on page 71: "In the Chiricahua Mountains it is apparently not uncommon, to judge from the following notes which accompanied mv specimen: T have heard several of these Whip-poor-wills singing at one time, and am told that they were heard here last year. I hear P. nuttaUi everv evening. They keep high up the mountain side, while this Whip-poor-will afi'ects the lower part of the canyons.' * * * "In a recent letter Mr. Stephens adds: 'I heard the first Whip-poor-will about the middle of !May. By June 1 they were as common as I ever knew them to be in the East; sometimes I could hear three or four whistling at once; they were very restless and rather shy, so I got only the specimen I sent vou, and a female shot in the daytime. The latter flew off her nest, which, as usual, was only a very slight depression in the ground, but in this case was overhung by a rock. The single egg (now before me) is plain white, with very faint brownish spots, so faint that one would hardly notice them. She would have laid no more; this was on July 4, 1880.'" 152 LIFE HISTORIES OF NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. In tlie same bulletin (Vol. VII, 1882, p. 212) Mr. Brewster describes tins egg as follows: "The egg is white, with a dull gloss. At first sight it appears to be immaculate, but a closer inspection reveals a few faint blotches of the palest possible purple, so faint, indeed, that they might pass for superficial stains were it not for the fact that they underlie the external polish The absence of well-defined markings may probably be explained by the assumption that the bird had laid one or more clutches earlier in the season, thus exhausting her supply of coloring pigment. The specimen measures 1.17 *by 0.87 inches (or 29.72 by 22.10 milHmetres)." Mr. F. Stephens, in his notes on this subspecies sent to me, says: "The locality where I found the egg was a gulch near the summit of the Chiricahua Mountains, in a thick forest of yellow pine. The nest, if it can be called so, was a slight depression scratched in the ground, under the edge of a bowlder. Incubation was advanced. I do not agree with Mr. Brewster (to whom I pre- sented the egg) in thinking that it was a second brood. My opinion is that this species is a late breeder, as it is also a late migrant." Dr. A. K. Fisher met with Stephens's Whip-poor-will during the month of June, 1894, and has given me the following notes: "The Whip-poor-will's note was not heard at Fort Bowie, Arizona, during the last three weeks of May, 1894. When we made camp at tlie mouth of Rucker Canyon, some forty miles south of the Post, in the Chiricahua Mountains, on the last day of the month, we heard a few, and a couple of days later found the species abundant higher up in the same canyon, among the pines (P. ponderosa). Here at early dusk and at dawn their notes were heard almost continuously, and numbers of birds were seen. On June 5 Mr. Fred. Hall Fowler found a nest, if the slight depression in the ground can be so designated, on a steep side hill about 50 feet above the stream. It was situated under an overhanging bush at the edge of a flat rock, and con- tained two }'Oung, recently hatched, and the fragments of egg shells from which they had emerged. "At Fly Park (altitude about 10,000 feet) the species was very much less common, though a few were heard every night. While feeding they often alight on a prominent rock or dead stub, from which they launch out after passing insects and return to wait for other prey." .Its call note, although resembling that of the common Whip-poor-will, is said to be harsher and louder. Lieut. H. C. Benson, Fourth Cavalry, United States Army, also met with it near Fort Huachuca, and shot a female there on May 18, 1887, which is now in the United States National Museum collection. Mr. W. W. Price writes me: "I distinctly heard the note of Stephens's Whip-poor-will in the Graham Mountains, Arizona, at about 7,000 feet elevation, on July 19, 1894. I also have good reasons to believe the testimony of a Gov- ernment packer, who says he has heard its cry in the White Mountains, north of Fort Apache, in about latitude 34°." It appears to be pretty generally distributed throughout the higher moun- tain ranges of southern Arizona, and undoubtedly breeds wherever found; its STEPHENS'S WHIP-POOR-WILL. 153 favorite resorts seem to be the rocky sides of canyons. The remu;ints of tlie eggshells found by Mr. Fowler (the lower lialf), which he kindly sent me for examination, are uniformly pale cream colored and apj^arently unspotted ; and tin; egg of this species is evidently but slightly marked. He writes me: "The egys were deposited on a bed of oak leaves by the side of a large rock; there was no nest excepting the bare leaves, which had been hollowed out slightly; both parents and the two young ones were taken and they are now in in}- col- lection; the latter were covered with light brown down, and were not more than IJ inches long." There are no eggs of Stephens's Whip-poor-will in the United States National Museum collection, and no specimens are figured. 54. Phalaenoptilus nuttalli (Audubon). POOR-WILL. Gaprimulgus nuttalli Atjdubon, Birds of America, VII, 1843, 350, PI. 495. Phalcenoptilus nuttalli Eiduway, Proceedings U. S. National Museum, III, 1880, 5. (B 113, 266, E 355, C 398, U 418.) Geographical range: Western United States, from tlie Sierra Nevada and the Cascade mountains eastward to southeastern Soutli Dakota, eastern Nebraska, Kansas, the Indian Territory, and eastern Texas; north to eastern Washington, Idaho, Jloutana, and southern North Dakota; south in winter through eastern Mexico to Guatemala, Cen- tral America. Casual east to Iowa and Missouri. The Poor-will or Nuttall's Poor-will, a somewhat smaller species than our eastern Whip-poor-will, is distributed over quite an extensive range, its habitat being mainly confined to the interior, from the eastern borders of the Plains and the Grreat Basin regions to the Sierra Nevada and Cascade mountains on the West. As far as yet known it does not appear to be found north of our border, but it will not surprise me to see it yet recorded from the southern portions of western Assiniboia and Alberta, in the Dominion of Canada, especially as it is known to occur in Montana, the type coming from the upper Missouri River, in that State. Its breeding range is coextensive with its distribution in the United States, where it is chiefly a summer resident; the majority of these birds migrate to the table-lands of eastern Mexico, and many go still farther south to Guatemala. A few, however, winter along our southern border, in the Colorado Desert in southeastern California, as well as in similar localities in southern Arizona, New Mexico, and southwestern Texas. I heard the unmistakable notes of this species early in December, 1872, in the vicinity of my camp on Rillito Creek, near Tucson, Arizona, and again about the middle of February, 1873. In some of its habits it differs considerably from the preceding species of this family which are almost entirely confined to the denser woodlands; the Poor-will, however, although frequently found in similar localities, is apparently equally as much at home on the open prairie and the almost barren and ariil regions of the interior, which are covered only here and there with stunted 154 LIFE HISTORIES OF IJfOETH AMEEIGAN BIKDS. patches oT sage (^Artemisia) and other desert plants. The climate does not seem to affect it much, as it inhabits some of the hottest regions of the continent, like Death Valley, in southeastern California, as well as the slopes of the Rocky and Blue mountains, in Oregon, where it reaches altitudes of from 6,000 to 8,000 feet. I have heard the Poor -will in Bear Valley, Oregon, in a locality ^\'here frost could be found every month in the year. In the eastern parts of its range it overlaps that of the Whip-poor-will for some distance, and it appears to be quite common in portions of eastern Kansas, notably so about Manhattan, where Prof D. E. Lantz has repeatedly found it breeding. In a letter dated October 4, 1892, speaking of Nuttall's as well as of the more recently described Frosted Poor-will, he says: "The Frosted Poor- will is not uncommon in this locality. I have noticed more specimens at the time of their spring migration than later. Indeed, at that time it seems about as common as the other form, Phalcenoptilus nuttalli. But in the breeding season nearly all the birds seem to be of the latter kind. However, my own observations lead me to regard the 'frosted' as a mere color phrase of Phalcenoptilus nuttalli. I have met with both birds together in migration, and once found a pair of fledglings near where they were hatched, one of the birds showing a decided hoary or frosted coloring on the wing and tail feathers, the other being without these markings. Oidy the female parent Avas seen. She was a typical Nuttalli. The' young birds were caught and handled. The frosted one was not so well developed as the other. So far as I have observed, there is no difference in the habits or in the eggs of the two birds. "I have found a number of sets of the older variety, some of them before I knew that there was a frosted form; since then I have always been careful to positively identify the parents before taking the eggs. The birds can easily be secured by the use of a butterfly net, or even by dropping a hat over them as they sit in the sun; but the precaution to secure them is unnecessary to the practical eye, for one can always have leisure to study them before they take to flight. With one exception the eggs taken were laid upon bare patches of gravel or on low, flat rocks, and placed usually near a bunch of weeds or a tuft of grass. The exception was a set found on the bare ground in an alley in Manhattan City. This alley was in constant use and it was strange that the eggs remained for so long a time undisturbed, for when taken incubation had begun in both eggs. The Poor-wills usually keep to the vicinity of steep hills and old dead grass. They seem to return to the same locality from year to year to breed." The food of the Poor- will consists mainly of the smaller night-flying moths, beetles, locusts, etc., of which a considerable portion are gathered from the ground. Its flight is swift, easy, and perfectly noiseless as it skims along close to the ground in search of suitable morsels, and of these the more indigestible parts, such as wing coverts of beetles, etc., are ejected in the form of pellets, in the same manner as in the Raptores and other birds. As far as I have been able \o observe, it does not utter its well-known and mournful-sounding note of "puih-whee-ee" while on the wing, and the last syllable is uttered so low that THE POOR- WILL. 155 unless one is close to the bird it can not bci reaxlily detLK-.ted. I liavu licard tlie unmistakable song of this species in many phu-es in the West, l)ut ahhougli fairly common over a great extent of country, it is much more frequently heard than seen. I have also spent considerable time in vain!)- looking for tlie eggs of this species, and only succeeded in obtaining a single set. Its lugu- brious calls are most often heard shortly after dusk, along the sides of rocky canyons in the foothills, and less often on the level plains and the mountain summits; its call note is also occasionally uttered in the daytime, but not often. Mr. Fred. W. Koch writes me on this subject as follows: "On the morning of May 5, 1891, in the vicinity of Matarango Spring, in the Coso Valley, California, while walking along a sheep trail on the hillside above the spring, I was surprised to hear a Poor-will call from the opposite hill several yards away. Thinking it singular for this bird to utter its note in the daytime, I stopped to hear it repeated and to make sure of its identit}^ Just then its mate flew up about 10 feet away, and on examination I found a single fresh egg laid on the ground in a little bare spot a few feet in diameter; next day there were two eggs, which were taken. The bird probably uttered the call to warn its mate." This set is now in the United States National Museum collection. This species was fairly common near Camp Harney, Oregon, along the slopes of Rattlesnake Canyon, in which the Post was built. It usually an-ived here about April 15, and any fine evening after sundown several of these birds would "tune up" and commence calling from different directions along the sides of the canyon, and keep up their concert for an hour or more. On the evening of May 20, 1877, while returning to my quarters, I noticed a pair of these birds hopping along the main road directly in front of the officers' quarters, evidently feeding, and subsequently I saw sometimes half a dozen, within a distance of 300 yards, similarly engaged. They were quite tame, and would scarcely move out of my way. I more than once approached within two feet of one before it took flight, and then it flew only a few feet before settling down again. A very low, grunting sound, like "pweek pweek," and another caused by the snapping together of the mandibles, were the only noises made while so engaged; they never uttered their ordinary call on this road. On June 4, 1877, a short distance above the Post, I flushed one of these birds on a small plateau, over which numerous bowlders were scattered; the scant patches of soil being covered with sage and other bushes. This bird fluttered and tumbled around me in a circle, which made me suspect that its nest was close by; but the most careful search failed to reveal it. I am positive a pair nested there, as I could hear their calls in about the same place every night. TheJ?*oor-will sits so close and its plumage harmonizes so perfectly with the ordinary surroundings that its eggs or young are only discovered by accident. The only set of eggs obtained by me was found on the dry, barren plains south of my camp on Rillito Creek, near Tucson, Arizona, on August 2, 1872 ; they were fresh and laid on the bare ground under a small grease-wood bush (^Obione) and were fully exposed to the sun. The male was shot. From the late date on which these eggs were found I believe 150 LIFE niSTOEIES OF NORTH AMEEICAN BIRDS. this species raises two broods a year, at least throughout the southern portions of its range. It did not appear to be common on these plains, but in the foot- hills its calls were much more frequently heard. The eggs of Nuttall's Poor-will were first discovered by Dr. Gr. Suckley, on July 17, 1859, on the North Fork of the Platte River, in western Nebraska, and an egg of this set is at present in the United States National Museum collection. I find that it had been correctly entered, but its existence had evidently been overlooked, as no mention of it is made in the "History of North American Birds, 1874," by Baird, Brewer, and Ridgway. There are also specimens from Nevada, California, Utah, Colorado, and Arizona in the collec- tion. Like the balance of the species belonging to this family, Nuttall's Poor-will is crepuscular and nocturnal in its habits, and is rarely met with in the daytime tinless accidentally flushed; but as it is very tame, and will scarcely move unless in danger of being stepped on, it is very seldom seen during the day which it spends in repose under some bunch of grass or a low bush, beside a rock or sometimes on one, and although it may often be sitting in plain view and within a few feet of one, it is not readily detected. I think it rarely perches on low limbs of trees. Although common enough in suitable localities throughout its range, genuine eggs of Nuttall's Poor-will are still rare in oological collections. Nidification begins rather late; the earliest breeding record I have is May 5, from southeastern California; the majority mention the months of June and July, and a single one names the beginning of August. Two eggs are laid to a set on alternate days ; I believe both sexes assist in incubation and in the care of the young, and both are devoted parents ; they will let you almost touch them before they forsake their treasures. The eggs lay usually on the bare ground, close to some little bush, to shelter them somewhat from the rays of the sun. They vary from oval to blunt elliptical oval in shape ; the shell is rather thin, close grained, and moderately glossy. Their color is usually stated to be white, but on close inspection it can readily be seen that it is a delicate cream, with a faint pinkish tint which does not perceptibly fade. Eggs in the collection taken more than twenty years ago still plainly show this peculiar tint. The eggs are unspotted as a rule, but an occasional specimen shows a few faint, darker shell markings around one end, whicli are barely perceptible to the naked eye, and which fade considerably in time. The average measurement of thirteen specimens in the United States National Museum collection is 25.15 by 19.05 millimetres, or 0.99 by 0.75 inch. The largest egg measures 26.67 by 20.32 millimetres, or 1.05 by 0.80 inches; the smallest, 22.35 by 19.30 millimetres, or 0.88 by 0.76 inch. The type specimen. No. 24454 (PL 1, Fig. 23), from a set of two eggs, Ralph collection, was taken in Estes Park, Colorado, on June 19, 1891, and represents about an average-sized specimen of this species. THE FROSTED TOOK- WILL. 157 55. Phalaenoptilus nuttalli nitidus Brewster. FROSTED POOR-WILL. rhalanoptilun nuttalli nitidus Brewster, Auk, IV, April, 1887, 147. (B 113, part; C 2G6, part; E 355, part; G 398, part; U 418a.) Geographical range : Apparently similar to that of the Poor- will. The Frosted Poor-will, a lighter-colored and grayer bird than Nuttall'.s Poc)r- will is likely to prove only a color phase of the latter, especially as the known range of the two appears to be practically identical, was first desci'iljed l)y Mr. William Brewster in "The Auk" (Vol. IV, 1887, p. 147), from specimens taken on the Nueces River, Texas, February 27, 1886. It has since then Ijeen met with in southeastern California, Arizona, southern New Mexico, Colorado, and Kansas. Its general habits appear to be entirely similar to those of the preced- ing species, but there is as yet not sufficient material available to enable one to come to any positive conclusions about the proper status of this pale form. The late Col. N. S. Goss, in his work on the "Birds of Kansas, 1891" (p. 346), makes the following pertinent remarks on this subspecies: "This bird does not appear to differ in habits, actions, or size from P. nidtalli, and I am impressed with the thought that it may possibly prove to be a dichromatic phase, like that of the Screech Owl (Megascops asio), rather than a subspecies, as now entered." The very fact that it can not be considered as having a range of its own where the typical Poor-will is not also found seems to confirm this view. One of the lightest-colored specimens of this pale fonn which I have seen (an adult female) was secured in Death Valle}', California, on January 28, 1891, and is now in the ornithological collection of the United States Department of Agriculture, in this city. Other specimens from the same region are typical Phalmioptilus nuttalli, and both phases winter to some extent in these desert regions. A set of eggs of this race, taken with the parent, in Riley Countv, Kansas, on June 26, 1889, by Mr. Eben M. Blachly, are now in the Goss collection in the Public Museum at Milwaukee, Wisconsin. They were laid upon the bare ground, under a bunch of grass upon the prairie, near the edge of a cornfield; they measure 1.05 by 0.79 and 1.03 by 0.78 inches; or 26.67 by 20.07 and 26.16, by 19.81 millimetres. There are no absolutely identified eggs of this sub- species in the United States National Museum collection, and they are indistinguishable from those of the Poor-will. 158 LIFE HISTOKIES OF XOETH AMERICAN BIRDS. 56. Phalsenoptilus nuttalli californicus Ridgway. DUSKY POOR-WILL. PhalcenoptUus nuttalli californicus Eidgwat, Manual of North American Birds, 1887, 588, footnote. (B 113, part; 266, part; E 355, part; 398, part; U 418 6.) Geogeaphioal range : Paciflc coast regions, from California north to Washing- ton (?), south to northern Lower California. The range of the Dusky, also known as the "California," Poor- will is confined to the moist coast districts of California, and probablj to similar localities in Oregon and Washington. Messrs. Lyman Belding and A. W. Anthony likewise rejiort it from Tia Juana and the San Pedro Martir Mountains, in northern Lower California. The most typical examples of this dusky race come from localities west of the coast range in California, while the birds of the interior and the western slopes of the Sierra Nevadas are, more or less, intermediate between this and the common Poor- will. Its breeding range is coextensive with its distribution in the United States. Mr. F. Stephens writes me: "The Dusky Poor- will is frequently heard in the spring and fall, and a few winter in sheltered valleys near the coast in San Diego County, but it is apparently a rare summer resident in southern California, and I have never taken its eggs." Mr. Charles A. Allen, of Nicasio, California, considers it a common summer resident in Marin County, where it arrives about the first week in March and remains during the breeding season. Mr. R. H. Lawrence writes me from Monrovia, Los Angeles County, Cali- fornia, as follows: "The California Poor- will is pretty common here. I first heard its notes on May 3. According to my hearing, the words 'Pearl-rab-it' give a fair idea of its call in letters. There is a kind of chuck or catch- breath after the first two syllables which really makes the call have three. It is clearly given, and the first two syllables can be heard at a considerable distance; when excited more than commonly this call note is reiterated with animation for a short time, but it is generally given with slight pauses after each call, then a longer interval of silence follows as the bird moves to another place. While flying in sight I have never heard it give any sound. On August 1, while walking along the road to Duarte, about 10.30 p. m. on a moonlight night, I flushed one; it flew just ahead of me till I had passed its nesting place, when it wheeled around and alighted there again, seeming to nestle down to the ground, which was packed hard just there. On approaching it again, it flew off a little farther along the road; when startled it gave quickly, two or three times in succession, a low, soft note, like 'pweek, pweek, pweek,' which could only be heard a few yards away. "On May 6, 1893, while hurrying to catch a train, along a road following the edge of a wash, a boy stopped me to show me a nest of the California Poor- will; we flushed the bird after nearly treading on her, looking about our feet THK DUSKY POOE-WILL. 159 for the right s[)Ot, when she Abav a fcAv yards and ahghted. A single egg la}' there in a slight depression on the clean and somewhat coarse gruA'cl, which was rather smooth for a few feet about. Around was the usual brush}' chaparral cf the wash. The egg was Ijrought to me by the bo-s' in the evening, with the bird, and a slightly smaller one had been taken the day jjrevious from the same nest." Mr. Lawrence kindly presented these eggs to the United States National Museum collection, as well as the parent. This is not quite a typical Plialrmop- tihtfi nuttaUi caUfonilcus, but it approaches this subspecies closer than the true P. nuftalli. The fact that the female returned to lay her .second egg in the same spot from which the first had been taken the da}' before shows how tenacious these birds are to a locality once chosen for a nesting site. To fiu'thcr confirm this, Mr. Rolla H. Beck writes me that he shot two of these Poor-'wills in June, 1894, in Monterey County, within a few feet of the spot where lie tried to kill one with a fishing pole two years previously. ^Ir. Walter E. Bryant, in his "Catalogue of the Birds of Lower California," makes the following remarks about this subspecies: "Noted at several jilaces betA\'een Tia Juana and San Pedro Martir by ]Mr. Belding. Mr. Anthony has met ^^dth it up to 8,000 feet altitude, and says it winters in the low hills near the coast. Poor-wills were heard every evening on the steep hillsides at Comondu and at various localities. The only specimen secured, a male, was taken at Pozo Grande, March 19, 1889. I followed the bird some time before getting a shot, and each time that it was frightened it flew about 100 }-ards and alighted on cactus about 3 feet high. The Mexicans call them 'Tapa-camino' when they see them in the trail at dusk; but they also call the Night-ha^\'ks by the same name. At Comondu they were known as 'Cow-day,' from the almost perfect resemblance of their note to those words. In upper California the birds, which I have frequently heard, utter the notes rapidly, and sounding 'poor- will' clearly; in Lower California the sounds are given quite slowly, and resemble the words 'cow-day' rather than 'poor- will.'" ^ The only set of eggs of this subspecies in the United States National Museum collection is the one already referred to, presented by Mr. R. H. Lawrence. These two eggs are indistinguishable from those of the common Poor-will. Their ground color shows the same pale creamy tint, with a faint pinkish tinge, and their shape is also similar. They measure 26.42 by 19.30 and 25.15 by 19.30 millimetres, respectively, or 1.04 by 0.76 and 0.99 by 0.76 inches. The type specimen, No. 25937 (not figured), fi-om a set of two, taken near Monrovia, California, on Ma}^ 4, 1893, was presented b}' Mr. R. H. Lawrence, as already stated. ■ Proceedings of the California Academy of Sciences, 2d series, Vol. U, 1889, pp. 287, 288. 160 LIFE HISTORIES OF NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. 57. Nyctidromus albicoUis merrilli Sennett MEREILL'S PARAUQUE. Nyctidromm albicoUis merrilli Sennett, Auk, V, Jan., 1888, 44. (B _; — ; R 356, part; (J 395, part; IT 419.) Geographical kangb: Southern Texas; south through northeastern Mexico to the Isthmus of Tehuantepec. The range of Merrill's Parauque within the United States is a rather restricted one, being mainly confined, as far as known, to the lower Rio Grande Valley and southern Texas. The most eastern point from which it has yet been reported is Aransas County, where Mr. H. P. Attwater recently shot a specimen near Rockport. It is known to be fairly common in the vicinity of Corpus Christi. Mr. D. B. Burrows also met with it on the Nueces River, and these points probably mark the eastern limits of its range. We are indebted to Dr. James C. Merrill, United States Army, for the discovery of this handsome subspecies within our borders, who took the first specimen within the limits of Fort Brown, Texas, on April 1, 1876, and on May 2 he also obtained the eggs. Since then it has been found to be a common summer visitor in the lower Rio Grrande Valley, and a number winter there as well; but the majority pass south into eastern Mexico, usually returning again to their breeding grounds early in March. In speaking of the habits of this subspecies. Dr. Merrill says: "It frequents shady thickets and copses (where these can be found), and, when flushed, dodges rapidly and silently among the bushes, but soon alights, only to repeat the short flight when again approached. The eggs are deposited in such a situation, usually at the foot of a bush. The parent, when startled from her eggs, makes no attempt to decoy one away, but, flying a few yards, alights to watch the intruder, frequently raising herself on her legs and nodding in a curious manner, uttering at the same time a low, whining sound. Their notes are among the most characteristic night sounds of the lower Rio Grande, and are constantly heard at evening during the summer months. They consist of a repeated whistle resembling the syllables 'whew-whew-whew-whew-whe-e-e-e-e-w,' much stress being laid upon the last, which is prolonged. The whole is soft and mellow, yet can be heard at a great distance. The preliminary 'whews' vary somewhat in number, and late in the season are often omitted altogether." * * * "On the 15th of May, 1876, I found a set of eggs near camp, at Hidalgo, and on returning in about fifteen minutes to secure the parent, who had disap- peared among the thickets, I found that she had removed the eggs, although they had not been touched." ^ Mr. D. B. Burrows has also kindly furnished me with the following notes on Merrill's Parauque: "While in the lower Rio Grande country, in Starr County, Texas, during the fall of 1890, 1 first met with this bird. It seems to be a resident species, for I met with it during the ^^' inter months as well as during the spring ' Proceedings U. S. National Museum, Vol. 1, 1878, p. 145. MEEEILL'S PAEAUQUE. 161 and summer. When the nesting season is over the birds reinaiu quiet, and their peculiar whistling- note is not heard with regularity, ami }'et, on very warm nights during each of the winter months, I have occasionally heard them. During the winter the birds may be flushed from the dense thickets in the bottom lands, but as the nesting season approaches they leave these close retreats and seek more open ground. During the daytime the birds were cijmmonly found on the ground at the foot of a growth of bushes or among fallen branches, and I have occasionally found them perched, nighthawk-fashion, upon a low branch not more than a foot from the ground. When closely approached, they dart quickly forward in a zigzag coiu'se, dropping as suddenly to the ground. This flight is short, usually not more than 50 or 60 feet, and when settled they commonly remain perfectly quiet until again flushed. They have a peculiar Avay of turning or facing about as they strike the ground, so that they can better watch the approaching danger. They lie so close that it is with great difficulty that they can be detected, unless the spot is carefully marked. In a number of instances, where the bird seemed to feel that it was ob'served, I have had them go through a peculiar bowing movement, resembling that of the Burrowing Owl, except that the body is raised from its completely prostrate position. Often Avhen flushed they will utter a peculiar note, sounding like the syllable 'kop,' uttered with an explosive efi"ect. On several occasions, in the fall of the year, when returning from a hunt, I have been startled by a peculiar 'put, put,' which caused me to stoj) short and grasp my gun a little tighter, feeling sure that I had disturbed a wild turkey and that this was his warning, note. Cautiously approaching the spot, I have found that it was made by a Parauque, which was usually perched upon the extremity of a low, dead limb, or on the top of a bush. At these times I found that the bird was watching for food, and at intervals would leave the perch, dart off a short distance as if in pursuit of an insect, and as quickly return, in very much the same manner that the Whip-poor-will is accustomed to do. I believe that these birds are strictly insectivorous; but I have never made an examination of the stomach except in one instance. The stomach of this bird, killed in January, showed parts of the feet and wings of small beetles and other insects. "At the approach of the breeding season and as early as the middle of March the peculiar whistle of the Parauque becomes general, and along the lower Rio Grande, where they are common, it may be heard on all sides. This species is strictly nocturnal. When flushed in the daytime they avoid striking against bushes with wonderful skill, but they are quite sensitive to a strong light. The. birds begin to call as the dusk of the evening comes on. The commonest call is a long-drawn 'ko, whe-e-e-e-e-w,' much prolonged, and raised to a high pitch toward the last. This is repeated often and with great energy, and on a still night may be heard at a long distance. At other times the first sA'lhible is omitted. Agahi it is varied by a repetition of the first syllable, as 'ko, ko, ko, ko-whe-e-e,' the first syllables repeated deliberately, and the last not so long drawn and suddenly cut short. 16896— No. 3 11 162 LIFE HISTOEIES OP NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. "I have never found the Parauque nesting in the dense thickets, where they hide during the winter. They seek the more open ground, the high, level spots near the river, or up some arroya, among scattering bushes and pear cactus, but never on the rocky hills, where the Texan Nighthawk is frequently found. In one instance a nest was found at the edge of a cultivated field. The eggs are placed on the bare ground, with no attempt at nest building, and usually at the foot of a clump of bushes. The bird, when flushed from the nest, quietly darts off and drops to the ground but a short distance away. "During the winter and spring (1894) I found the Parauque to be fairly common along' the lower course of the Nueces River, but I do not think that it is to be found mtLcli farther east, and I know that a little farther north its place is taken by the Chuck-will's-widow. Here, as on the Rio Grande, I found it resident throughout the year, and although it breeds tliere, I was not successful in finding any nests." The food of Merrill's Parauque, like that of the rest of the faprimulgidce, consists mainly of night-flying insects, such as moths, beetles, etc. The crop of a specimen shot by Mr. H. P. Attwater, near Rockport, Texas, was filled with fireflies, Photinus purulisf. In the lower Rio Grande Valley fresh eggs are occasionally taken in the second week in April, but the breeding season is not at its height before May and lasts well into June. The earliest breeding record I ha-se is Ai)ril 14; the latest, June 27; in both cases the eggs were fresh. It is probable that two broods are, at least occasionally, raised in a season. The eggs of Merrill's Parauque ap^jroach an elliptical ovate more than an elliptical oval, one end being always more perceptibly pointed than the other. The shell is close-grained, rather thin, and either without gloss or only moder- ately glossy. Their ground color varies from cream and vinaceous buff to a rich salmon buff, and this is more or less abundantly spotted and splashed with buffy pink, ecru drab, pale lavender, and more rarely with deeper shades of cinnamon rufous. In an occasional specimen the markings are mainly confined to the larger end, but in the majority they are pretty evenly scattered over the entire surface of the egg. A few are but slightly marked, and unless carefully examined might pass for immaculate. They are handsome eggs, and do not resemble any others of the Caprimulgidce found in the United States. The average measurement of forty-one specimens in the United States National Museum collection, mostly from the Ralph collection, is 31.24 by 22.66 millimetres, or about 1.23 by 0.89 inches. The largest Qgg of the series measures 33.27 by 24.13 millimetres, or 1.31 by 0.95 inches; the smallest, 27.18 by 20.57 millimetres, or 1.07 by 0.81 inches. Of the type specimens. No. 25289 (PI. 2, Fig. 1), from a set of two eggs, Ralph collection, taken on May 16, 1892, represents one of the better marked examples, while No. 26335 (PL 2, Fig. 2), also from a set of two and from the same collection, taken on April 16, 1893, represents one of the lighter-marked types of this species. Both were obtained in Cameron County, Texas. THE NIGHTHAWK. 163 58. Chordeiles virginianus (Gtmelin). NIGHTHAWK. Gaprimulgus virginianus Gmelin, Systema Naturje, I, ii, 1788, 1028, Chordeiles virginianus Swainson, Fauna Boreali Americana, II, 1831, 496. (B 114, 267, E 357, 399, U 420.) Gbographioal KANaE: Eastern North America; north in the Dominion of Canada to Nova Scotia, 'New Brunswick, Quebec, northern Ontario (Moose Factory), and Keewatin (Fort Churchhill), in latitude 59°, and thence in a northwesterly direction to the Mackenzie Eiver Valley, in the vicinity of Fort Good Hope, to about latitude 65°; west in the United States to the eastern border of the Great Plains and, sporadically only, along the southern boundary of the Dominion of Canada and the northern border of the United States, in the wooded districts, to southern British Columbia, Washington, Oregon, and northern Cali- fornia; south in winter to the Bahama Islands, Central America, and the greater part of South America. The range of the Nighthawk, also known as "Bull-bat," "Mosquito Hawk," "Will o' the Wisp," "Pisk," "Piramidig," and sometimes erroneously as "Whip- poor-will" (being frequently mistaken for this species), is quite an extended one. It is only a summer visitor throughout the United States and the Dominion of Canada, generally arriving from its winter haunts in the Bahamas, Central and South America in the latter half of April, reaching the more northern parts about a month later, and leaving the latter again in lai-ge straggling flocks about the end of August, moving leisurely southward and disappearing gradually along our southern border about the latter part of October. Its migrations are very extended and cover the greater part of the American continent. Its breeding range in the United States and the Dominion of Canada is coextensive with its geographical distribution. On the Atlantic Seaboard it reaches the northern limits of its range in about latitude 51'^, in the Province of Quebec; and although it has been recorded from Labrador, I fail to find any positive evidence of its occurrence there. Several specimens have been taken at Moose Factory, northern Ontario ; and among a collection of skins from Fort Churchill, on the west shore of Hudson Bay, in about latitude 59°, now in the Edinburgh Museum, is an adult female taken by Dr. Grillespie, jr., while stationed there as an officer of the Hudson Bay Company, previous to 1845. Thence it probably ranges in a northwestern direction to the Mackenzie River Valley, north of Fort Simpson. Mr. James Lockhart sent a skin to the United States National Museum, obtained near Fort Grood Hope, Northwest Territory, in about latitude 66°, which is the northermnost record I have been able to find. The western limits of the Nighthawk are not so easily defined. In this direc- tion it reaches the eastern borders of the Grreat Plains, and it is also found sporadically throughout the better-timbered parts along the southern boundary of the Dominion of Canada and the northern border of the United States, west to southern British Columbia, Washington, Oregon, and northern California (Mount Shasta), where it is replaced in the more open portions of these regions by the lighter-colored western representative, Chordeiles virginianus henryi. I was quite 164 LIFE HISTOEIES OF NOETH AMERICAN BIEDS. surprised to find that skins taken by me in the vicinity of Fort Klamath, Oregon, and now in the United States National Museum collection, are almost indistin- guishable from typical specimens from the eastern United States; they certainly approach the eastern bird far more closely than the lighter-colored western subspecies. The same remarks apply to specimens from southern British Columbia, Washington, and northern California. Along the respective borders of their ranges the two forms overlap sometimes for considerable distances, the present species occupying the outskirts of the better-timbered tracts, while the western race is principally restricted to the more open prairie country. The Nighthawk is generally a common summer resident throughout the eastern United States north of latitude 35°, while south of this it is more irreg- ularly distributed, but breeds, to some extent at least, in all of our Southern States, excepting perhaps Florida and the immediate vicinity of the Gulf coast. Its common name is somewhat of a misnomer; it is by no means nocturnal in its habits ; in fact, it is diurnal and crepuscular, and it is not at all unusual to see numbers of these birds on the wing on bright sunny days; but it does most of its hunting in cloudy weather and in the early mornings and evenings, retiring to rest soon after it becomes dark; but during bright moonlight nights it keeps up its flight somewhat later and I have heard its calls as late as eleven o'clock. It is one of our most graceful birds on the wing and its aerial evolutions are truly wonderful ; one moment it may be seen soaring through space without any apparent movement of its pinions, and again its swift flight is accompanied by a good deal of rapid flapping of the wings, like that of our Falcons, and this is constantly more or less varied by numerous twistings and tui-nings. While suddenly darting here and there in pursuit of its prey I have seen one of these birds shoot almost perpendicularly upward with the swiftness of an aiTow in pursuit of some insect. Its tail appears to assist it greatly in these sudden zigzag changes, being partly expanded during most of its complicated movements. I know of no more interesting sight than to watch a number of Nighthawks while engaged in feeding, skimming close to the ground or over the waters of some pond or lake, gliding swiftly along in all kinds of serpentine gyrations with the utmost grace and ease, and no matter how limited the space may be and hoAv numerous the birds, none will ever get in the way of each other; all their movements seem to be accomplished in the most harmonious manner. The Nighthawk is a social bird while on the wing, and I have seen fully a hundred at one time hawking over a small mountain meadow or a pond, and they certainly seemed to enjoy each other's company. While on the wing their querulous and squeaky call note, sounding like "seh-eek, seh-eek" or "speek- speek," is repeated at different intervals. Mr. W. E. Grover describes this note as a sharp, mowing "mueike," and it is also said to resemble the word "beard," uttered in a whisper. When disturbed while sitting on its eggs it usually utters a low, purring or chuckling sound; and during early spring the male frequently THE 2s"IGHTHAWK. 165 descends rajiidlv from high above, the vibration caused by the air passino- through the primaries producing a peculiar booming sound which has been compared to tliat made by blowing tlu'ough the bunghole of an enipt-\- barrel; this comes perhaps as near to it as it can be described. It is amazing to see what perfect control these birds have over themselves during this peculiar performance ; descending as they do almost with the ra^^idity of a lightning flash, one would think they could not possibly aiTest their downward course in time to prevent being dashed to the ground; but at the proper moment, bv a single reverse movement of their wings, they rise in a gi'adual cm-ve, to resume their flight or repeat the same performance. This aerial plav seems to be principally contined to the mating and breecHng season. I have never oljserved it later in the year. On the ground, however, the Xighthawk does not show to such good advan- tage and its movements here are slow, unsteady, and evidenth- more or less laborious. Its food consists mainly of insects, such as flies and mosquitoes, small beetles, grasshoppers, crickets, and the smaller night-flying motlis, and I believe that all are caught on the wing. It must be considered as an eminenth- useful and beneficial bird and deserves the fullest protection. Unfortunatelv, however, the xsighthawk is considered as a legitimate game bird in certain sections, and many are killed yearly for food, as well as for sport, simply to show the gunner's skill in marksmanship; and the good they do through the destruction of millions of troublesome insects is entirely lost sight of. Its f\ivorite haunts are the edges of forests and clearings, burnt tracts, meadow lands along river bottoms, and cultivated fields, as well as the flat mansard roofs in many of otir larger cities, to which it is undoubtedly attracted by the large amount of food readily obtainable in such localities, especially about electric lights, and also the convenient and secure nesting sites afforded on the gravel-covered smfaces of the roofs, which may be found everywhere in abundance. Dui-ing the heat of the day the Xighthawk may be found resting on horizontal limbs of trees, on fence rails, the flat surface of some lichen-covered rock, on stone walls, old logs, chimney tops, and on railroad tracks. When f)erclied on the limb of a tree, a log, or a fence rail, it always sits lengthwise, and excepting during the mating and breeding season I have rarely seen one on the ground. Stricth" speaking, the Xighthawk is not a forest bird, as it onlv frequents their outskirts, or extensive clearings and burnt tracts, while it avoids the denser and heavier growth of timber. It does not object to sunshine like the Whip- poor-will and the Chuck- will's- widow, and apparently is not affected by the light in the way they are. In New England and most of the other Northern States nidification rarelv commences before the first week in June (more often during the second), and continues well into July. The earliest date I know of on which its eggs have been taken is May 27 in southern i\Iichigan; the latest, July 19 in southern Pennsylvania. In the more southern parts of its range it usuallv nests in the first half of ]\Iay, and young are occasionally found bv the end of this month. Like the rest of the CajjrimuJgidce, the Xighthawk makes no nest, but deposits its 166 LIFE HISTOEIES OF NOETH AMEEIOAN BIEDS. two eggs on the bare ground, frequently in very exposed situations, sometimes on some little elevation, or in slight depressions on flat rocks, between the rows in corn or potato fields, in pastures, on gravel bars, and cinder piles near fur- naces, and within recent years they also nest more and more frequently on the flat, gravel-covered roofs of houses in our larger cities. They undoubtedly find such nesting sites very convenient and secure, but the intense heat to which the eggs and young are necessarily exposed during the day must be something fearful, and I have no doubt that some of the latter perish, and that not a few of the eggs become addled, from this cause. In favorite localities the Night- hawk breeds occasionally in small colonies, and several pairs may be found breeding in close proximity to each other. I believe, as a rule, only a single brood is raised in a season, but if the first set of eggs is taken, a second one will be laid about a week after, which consists occasionally of only a single egg. The Nighthawk was quite common along the borders of the open pine forests near Fort Klamath, Oregon, and all the nests found here were placed close to the edge of the perpendicular rim rock which skirts Klamath Valley toward the east. The eggs were invariably laid within a foot of the edge, and I presume such places were selected for protective purposes to lessen the danger of their being stepped on by cattle or horses. These birds always pick out a dry and well-drained spot in which to lay their eggs, and if discovered on the nest, the parent attempts by all the well-known tactics of ground-breeding birds to draw the intruder away from the spot, fluttering in front of him, just out of reach, uttering at times low cries of distress, etc. Occasionally the eggs or young are removed quite a little distance by the parent, but this habit is by no means universal. A nest examined by me on June 14, 1893, in Herkimer County, New York, was found in a slight natural depression on a well-drained fem-covered side hill, in an old clearing, close to a small lake. The eggs laid on the bare ground about an inch or more apart, which seems to be their usual position, the ends pointing in the same direction; when covered, each rests against opposite sides of the breast of the parent and is held in place by the wings. I purposely flushed this bird several times to note her actions. It allowed me to approach her within a couple of feet each time before flying off", and then it only retired a short distance, ahghting on a prostrate old log close by, remaining perfectly silent. About five minutes after I left, it returned and settled again on the eggs while I was still in plain view. I flushed her again shortly afterwards, and she repeated the same performance; but the third time she uttered a low, purring noise as she flew, probably a note of protest. I was in hopes that she might try to remove her eggs and I would have a chance to observe how this was done, but she failed to gratify my wishes. The male did not put in an appearance during the two hours spent in watching the nest. As nearly as I can ascertain, incubation lasts about sixteen days, and both sexes assist in this duty. The young are fairly well covered with gray down when first hatched; they grow rapidly, and while small one of the parents is always close by. THE NIGHTHAWK. 167 Only two eggs are laid to a set (on alternate tlays) and incubation begins with the first one deposited. The shell is strong, close-grained, and generall}- moderately glossy; in shape the}' vary from elliptical ovate to elliptical oval, the former prevailing in the majority, one end being a triife smaller than the otlier. Their gromid color is quite variable, and ranges from a j)ale ere;imy white through different shades of cream, olive buff, and oli>'e gray, and the}' are pro- fusely blotched and speckled with different shades of slate black, drab, smoke and lilac gray, and tawny olive, mixed with lighter shades of pearl gray, lav- ender, and plumbeous. In some specimens the markings are fine and uniform in size, almost obscuring the ground color; in others they are less numerous, but large and prominent. There is an endless variation in their markings. Scarcely any two sets resemble each other closely, and I consider the egg of the Nighthawk one of the most difficult ones known to me to describe satisfactorily. The average measurement of eighty-one specimens in the United States National Museum collection is 29.97 by 21.84 milUmetres, or 1.18 by 0.86 inches. The largest egg of this series measures 33.53 by 22.86 millimetres, or 1.32 by 0.90 inches; the smallest, 27.68 by 20.57 millimetres, or 1.09 by 0.81 inches. The type specimen, No. 9813 (PI. 3, Fig. 1), from a set of two taken near Dubuque, Iowa, on May 28, 1865, by the Messrs. Blackburn, represents one of the larger and heavier marked specimens. No. 24968 (PI. 3, Fig. 2), Ralph collection, from a set of two taken by Dr. William L. Ralj^h in Herkimer County, New York, on June 24, 1891, represents a small specimen with an olive-gray ground color and rather dark markings; while No. 20457 (PL 3, Fig. 3), like- wise from a set of two, Bendu-e collection, was taken by the Avriter near Fort Klamath Oregon, on July 6, 1882, and represents one of the lighter-colored types. 59- Chordeiles virginianus henryi (Cassin). WESTERN NIGHTHAWK. Chordeiles henryi Oassin, Illustrations of the Birds of Galiforiiia, Texas, etc., I, 1855, 233. Chordeiles virginianus var. henryi OouBS, Key, 1872, 181. (B 115, 267a, E 357a, C 400, U 420a.) Geographical range: Western North America; north to central British Columbia to about latitude 55° and through the prairie districts of southern Alberta, Assiniboia, and western Manitoba; east in the United States to western Minnesota, Iowa, northern and central Illinois, Kansas, the Indian Territory, western and southern Texas; south over the table-lands of Mexico, and in winter through Central America, over the greater part of South America to Patagonia. The Western Nighthawk, a lighter-colored subspecies than the preceding, is a common summer resident throughout a considerable portion of western North America, but its range is likewise a rather irregular one. On the whole, it is more of a prairie bird than the former, but it is by no means confined to the plains alone; it appears to be equally at home on the more open, barren 168 LIFE HISTOEIEg OP NOKTH AMERICAN BIRDS. mountain ranges throughout the West, where it is found as a summer resident up to altitudes of 10,000 feet. None of these birds appear to winter within the limits of the United States. It usually makes its appearance along our southern border about April 1, and returns to its winter haunts again late in September. Occasionally a few stragglers may arrive somewhat earlier in the spring, as Mr. H. P. Lawrence writes me: "I am sure I heard the cry of a Nighthawk at Olympia, Washington, on March 29, 1890. Tliey are common here in the summer. I have often seen them take dust baths in the evening in the paths near an adjacent cottage." Mr. R. MacFarlane reports this subspecies as a common summer resident in the vicinity of Forts St. James and St. Greorge, in the interior of British Columbia, in about latitude 55°, and he sent two sets of eggs and a skin from there to the United States National Museum collection in 1889. These points mark, as far as known, the northern limits of its range. I know it to be common throughout the sagebrush plains and the prairie regions of northern Washington, Idaho, and Montana, and there is no doubt that it also occurs in similar regions throughout eastern Alberta, Assiniboia, and western Manitoba; it is likely to be found farther north as well. The eastern limits of its range extend well into Minnesota, Iowa, northern and central Illinois, where it is the prevailing form found throughout the prairie regions of these States. It is also common throughout the middle and western portions of Kansas, the Indian Territory, and southwestern Texas. Along our southern border it appears to be rather rare, and I observed but very few of these birds in the lower valleys and desert regions in southern Arizona. Here they appear to be mainly con- fined to the barren mountain ranges, and only breed sparingly at the lower altitudes. Dr. Edgar A. Mearns reports it, however, to be the common form of Nighthawk in the Animas Valley, near the international boundary line, in southwestern New Mexico, and he took a set of eggs here on July 3, 1892, which are now in the United States National Museum collection. In his inter- esting paper, "Observations on the Avifauna of portions of Arizona," the Doctor makes the following remarks on this subspecies : "I have never known this species to infringe on the territory of the Texan Nighthawk during the breeding season ; each keeps to its own ground, the latter being confined to the region below the pines, and the former residing in the pines and spruces, breeding in great numbers in these limited areas. A single migrant was taken at Fort Verde on May 9, 1885. Two fresh eggs were taken at Flagstaff on June 18, 1887, in a level place, bestrewn with volcanic scoria, beneath the pines. In our summer camp, near the summit of the MogoUon Mountains, a small beetle was annoyingly abundant, flying into our tents in great numbers during the day and swarming around our log fires at night. As the twilight gathered, hundreds of these Nighthawks appeared upon the scene, preying upon the troublesome insects. Careless of our presence at the fires and of the noisy hilarity of camp, they flitted through the smoke with astonish- ing freedom from difiidence, capturing myriads of the hated beetles as they passed and repassed above, between, and around us, until their flickering forms THE WESTERN NIGnTHAWK. 169 were as familiar as the stirring of tlie pine Ixmglis overhead, and th(; fanning of their wings almost as little heeded. A couple of young, recently hatched, Avere found near the camp on July 27, 1887, showing that two broods are reared the same year, or that its season of reproduction is quite protracted. The voice of this species is quite unlike that of Chordeilcs texensw."^ In southern California it is a somewhat rare summer resident, but in the middle and northern portions of this State it is not uncommon. In the lower Rio Grande Valley, throughout western Texas, the* Plains, and the Great Basin regions it seems to be generally distributed, and appears to be equally at home in the hottest desert districts — like Death Valley, for instance, l)elow sea level — as on the higher mountain summits in the Sierra Nevadas and tlie Rocky moun- tains. I found the Western Nighthawk fairly common in the vicinity of all the military Posts where I have been stationed in the West, and I have not observed the slightest difference in its general habits, call notes, etc. from those of its eastern relatives. In the lower Rio Grande Valley, in Texas, nidification commences occa- sionally in the last week in April and lasts well into July, and here two broods are undoubtedly raised in a season, while in the more northern portions I believe one is the rule, and here eggs are rarely found before the middle of June, and frequently not before the first week in July. Its nesting habits are also similar; it breeds in corresponding situations, excepting, as far as I know, the flat roofs of houses. I have not yet heard of their breeding on housetops in any part of their range. A set of eggs of this subspecies was found by me on July 3, 1875, in the foothills of the Blue Mountains, some 6 miles northeast of Camp Harney, Oregon, laid among some pebbles on the bare ground under a little sage bush. The sitting bird allowed me almost to touch it, and was very reluctant to abandon its eggs, which were but slightly incubated. On my approach, it ruffled its feathers and emitted a hissing sound, resembling somewhat the spitting of a cat when mad. Their favorite nesting places in that vicinity were the crests of gravelly ridges, always selecting a well-drained spot, where the rains could not chill the young or eggs. Bare, rocky table-lands are also frequently resorted to for similar purposes, and less often the flat tops of bowlders. Extensive bru-nt tracts also furnish favorite abiding places for them in the more northern portions of their range ; in fact, in such localities they are fully as abundant as on the more open sagebrush plains. They are very devoted parents. Mr. W. G. Smith, of Loveland, Colorado, writes me: "I had one swoop down several times at a dog that used to accompany me, finally driving it away. I think the bird had a nest close by and resorted to this means to protect its young or sitting mate." The eggs of the Western Nighthawk, both in shape and markings, are scarcely distinguishable from those of the eastern bu-d, and the same description will answer for both; on the whole, however, the lighter-colored types seem to predominate over the darker ones. The eggs figured of the preceding species will also answer for this, and the single Qgg figured of this subspecies can like- wise be matched among the series of the former. ' The Auk, Vol. VII, 1890, pp. 254, 255. 170 LIFE HISTOEIES OF NOETH AMERICAN BIRDS. The average measurement of a series of sixty-three eggs in the United States National Museum collection is also practically the same, being 29.97 by 21.61 millimetres, or 1.18 by 0.85 inches. The largest egg of the series meas- ures 32.51 by 22.86 miUimetres, or 1.28 by 0.90 inches; the smallest, 27.43 by 20.83 millimetres, or 1.08 by 0.82 inches. The tyiDe specimen selected. No. 26125 (PI. 3, Fig. 4), from a set of two eggs, was taken by Dr. Edgar A. Mearns, United States Army, in the Animas Valley, near San Luis Springs, New Mexico, on July 3, 1892, and represents a very finely and profusely marked specimen, in which the ground color is not very readily perceptible. 6o. Chordeiles virginianus chapmani (Sennett). FLORIDA NIGHTHAWK. {Chordeiles popetm) chapmani (Sennett MS.) Goues, Auk, V, January, 1888, 37. Ch jrdeiles virginianus chapmani Soott, Auk, V, April, 1888, 186. (B _; — ; E 3576, C 401, U 4206.) GBOGRAPHicAii RANGE: Florida and the Gulf coast; west to southern Texas; in winter south to the Bahama Islands and through eastern Mexico to Central America. Casually north to North Carolina (Macon). The range of the Florida Nighthawk, also commonly called "Bull-bat" or simply "Bat," a somewhat smaller and darker-colored bird than the common Nighthawk, is confined, as far as known, to Florida and the Gulf coast west- ward to southern Texas. I have no positive breeding records from outside of Florida, but it is more than likely that it breeds along the entire Grulf coast as far west at least as Aransas County, Texas. Mr. H. P. Attwater kindly sent me several skins taken near Rockport, in the above county (fall specimens), which are undoubtedly referable to this subspecies. There is also a skin in the United States National Museum collection taken by Dr. Elliott Coues near Fort Macon, North Carolina, on June 10, 1869, and I have no doubt that it will yet be found as a regular summer visitor along the south Atlantic coast of Georgia and South Carolina. There is not sufficient material available, excepting from Florida, to enable me to define its breeding range more defiuitely outside of this State. The Florida Nighthawk is only a summer resident of the United States, usually arriving from its winter haunts in the south about the middle of April and returning again late in October. Mr. Attwater informs me that this Night- hawk remains later in the fall in the vicinity of Rockport than the Western Nighthawk, and that its favorite haunts there are the oak openings, while the latter more often frequents the open prairie. Its general habits, call notes, food, etc., seem to be similar to the two preceding species in almost every respect. Mr. W. E. D. Scott describes a young bird, apparently five or six days old, as follows: "The down is dirty white beneath, and on all other parts is the same dirty white, mixed with spots THE FLOEIDA NIGHTHAWK. 171 of black, giving the bird an appearance above not unlike the young of Tl'lfila- litis wilsonia, save that the down is longer."^ Mr. Frank M. Chapman, in his "List of Birds Observed at Gaines^'ille, Florida," speaking of this subspecies, states: "Bull-bat or (as it is more com- monly termed) 'Bat' shooting is here a popular pastime, great numbers being killed for food, and in August, when the birds have gathered in' flocks, favorite fields may be occupied at nightfall by as many as a dozen gunners."^ Dr. William L. Ralph has taken several nests and eggs, with the parents, in Putnam County, Florida, which are now in the United States National Museum collection. Here, during the breeding season at least, the Florida Nighthawk frequents mainly low, flat pine woods, especially such as have recently been burnt over, the eggs generally lying on the bare ground. Sandy soil seems to be prefeiTcd for nesting places. One set of eggs was found by him under a small orange tree in an orange grove on the side of a sandy hill; three others were taken in flat pine woods, and in one instance the eggs laid on a few frag- ments of charcoal left where a fallen tree had been partly burnt, between the remaining part of the tree and the stump, about 3 feet from each. Nidification appears to be at its height in Putnam County, Florida, during May, and prob- ably two broods are raised in a season. The eggs of the Florida Nighthawk resemble those of the two preceding species closely, both in shape and in their ground color; but the markings, as a rule, are much darker and bolder, and the eggs are also somewhat smaller. The diiference between them and those of their near relative, Chordeiles virginiavus minor, is still greater, the latter being on the whole much lighter colored than those of the Western Nighthawk, resembling the eggs of Chordeiles texensis far more in this respect. The average measurement of fifteen specimens in the United States National Museum collection, all from Florida, is 29.03 by 20.89 millimetres, or about 1.14 by 0.82 inches. The largest egg measures 30.94 by 20.57 millimetres, or 1.22 by 0.81 inches; the smallest, 27.43 by 20.32 millimetres, or 1.08 by 0.80 inches. Of the type specimens, both from the Ralph collection. No. 24969 (PL 3, Fig. 5), from a set of two eggs taken near San Mateo, Florida, on May 9, 1885, represents one of the finer-marked examples, while No. 25823 (PI. 3, Fig. 6), also from a set of two taken near Tomoka, Florida, on May 8, 1892, shows one of the darker-colored patterns. ' The Auk, Vol. V, 1888, p. 186. ^ xua., p. 272. 172 LIFE HISTORIES OF NOETH AMERICAN BIRDS. 6i. Chordeiles acutipennis texensis Lawrence. TEXAN NIGHTHAWK. Chordeiles acutipennis var. texensis Baird, Brewer, and Eidgway, History of North American Birds, II, 1874, 406. (Of. Hartert, Catalogue Birds British Museum, XVI, 192, 616.) (B 116, C 268, E 358, C 402, U 421.) GeographicaIj RANGE: Southwestern United States, from southern and western Texas, southern New Mexico, and Arizona; north to latitude 38o in California (to San Joaquin and Stanislaus counties), southern Nevada, and southern Utah; east (casually ?) to southwestern Louisiana; south to Lower California and over the table- lands of north- ern Mexico; in winter to Costa Eica and Veragua, Central America. Within the last few years the range of the Texan Nighthawk in the United States has been greatly extended. In California it is now known to occur as far north as San Joaquin and Stanislaus counties, in about latitude 38°, Mr. L. Belding having observed about a dozen of these birds on June 6, 1891, at Knight's Ferry, in the latter county, and one of these was secured by him. East of the Sierra Nevadas this species was met with by Dr. C. Hart Merriam and other members of his exploring party as far north as Bishop, in Inyo County, California, as well as at several points in southern Nevada and in the lower Santa Clara Valley, in Utah. In the latter valley Dr. Merriam found it breeding near St. George, securing a set of fresh eggs on May 13, 1891. It appears to be generally distributed throughout the arid desert regions of Arizona, and it is common in suitable localities throughout this Territory as well as through the southern portions of New Mexico, and it is also an abundant summer resident in the southern and western portions of Texas. Mr. E. A. Mcllhenny has taken it in southwestern Louisiana, where it probably occurs only as a straggler. It also appears to be generally distributed throughout the greater part of Lower California. Some of the habits of the Texan Nighthawk, the smallest representative of this genus found within the United States, are very similar to those of its some- what larger relative, the Western Nighthawk. Like the last-named species, it is a very sociable bird at times; in suitable localities, for instance on the bottom lauds bordering some of the larger streams within its range, it is very abundant, and I never saw so many Nighthawks anywhere as I did of this species one evening while camped near a slough close to the Grila River, while in route from Fort Yuma to old Fort McDowell, southwestern Arizona, in July, 1871. There were certainly several hundred making their evening meal on the numerous insects which abounded in that vicinity. Its flight is equally as graceful as that of the other Nighthawks, but it rarely soars as high as the former, and generally skims just over the tops of the bushes or close to the surface of the water. In fact, I have repeatedly seen them touch the surface, as if drinking or THE TEXAN NIGHTHAWK. 173 catching insects, probably the latter. The ordinary call note uttered by it while on the wing, however, is quite diiFereut; it is still more squeaky than that of the Nighthawk, not so loud, and reminds me somewhat of the sounds made by a very young kitten in distress. It apparently does not indulge in the peculiar aerial performances, causing the booming sounds made by the other members of this genus so frequently heard during the mating and breeding season; and it is also more crepuscular, and unless accidentally flushed is rarely seen flying about in the daytime. Dr. James C. Merrill, United States xVrmy, in his "List of Birds Observed in the Vicinity of Fort Brown, Texas," writes of this species as follows: " Common summer visitor, arriving early in April. While Chordeiles vir- ginkmus henry I is usually found about prairies at some distance from houses, the present species is most plentiful just outside of Brownsville, and I have found several sets of eggs within the fort. These are usually deposited in exposed situations, among sparse chaparral, on ground baked almost as hard as brick by the intense heat of the sun. One set of eggs was placed on a small piece of tin, within a foot or two of a frequented path. The female sits close, and when flushed flies a few feet and speedily returns to its eggs. They make no attempt to decoy an intruder away. I have ridden up to within five feet of a female on her eggs, dismounted, tied my horse, and put my hand on the bird before she would move. This species is inore strictly crepuscular than Chordeiles virgin- ianus liennji or Chordeiles virglnlmms, and is very seldom seen on tlie wing during the day. The notes are a mewing call, and a very curious call that is with difficulty described. It is somewhat like the distant and very rapid tap- ping of a large Woodpecker, accompanied by a humming sound, and it is almost impossible to tell in what direction or at what distance the bird is that makes the noise. Both these notes are littered on the wing or on the ground, and by both sexes." ^ In some respects its habits resemble those of the Poor-will more than the Nighthawks. I have more than once seen several of these birds alight on the bare ground in front of my camj) on Rillito Creek, near Tucson, Arizona, after sundown, and watched them hopping after insects or dusting themselves. They were very tame, often allowing me to walk to within four feet of them, when they would only fly a few yards and resume their feeding again. The Texan Nighthawk usually anives along the southern border of its range in the United States about the first week in April, and returns south again in the latter part of October. Throughout the more southern portions of its habitat it undoubtedly raises two broods in a season. The earliest breeding records I have (April 27 and 28) are from the lower Rio Grande Valley, in Texas; the latest (one of my own) is August 6, 1872, when I found a strongly incubated set of eggs near Tucson, Arizona. Like the other members of the Caprimulgidce, the Texan Nighthawk makes no nest, but deposits its two eggs on the bare ground, where they are fully 'Proceedings United States National Museum, Vol. 1, 1878, p. 146. 174 LIFE HISTOEIES OF NOETH AMEEICAN BIEDS. exposed to the rays of the sun, or near the base of some desert shrub, which at best furnishes but Httle protection from the intense heat, and I have found its eggs on the parched gravelly mesas of southern Arizona, miles from the nearest water. Their favorite breeding resorts here are the dry, barren table-lands, the sides of canyons, and the crests of rocky hills. Although not absolutely certain, I believe the two eggs are deposited on alternate days, and incubation begins with the first egg laid. They are exceedingly difficult to detect on account of their similarity in color to their general surroundings, which usually harmonize very closely. The shell is strong, close grained, and rather glossy, while in shape the eggs are more variable than those of our other Nighthawks, ranging from oval to elliptical oval, and again to elliptical ovate. The ground color varies from pale gray (a sort of clay color) to pale creamy white, with a faint pinkish tint. This latter phase of coloration is rather unusual however. The whole surface is minutely marbled, speckled, or rather peppered, with fine, dots of different shades of grays, lilac, and a few darker and coarser markings of fawn color, slate, and drab. Occasionally a specimen is found which, to the naked eye, appears entirely unmarked; but on more careful examination a few dark spots, mere pin points, can readily be noticed. They are much lighter colored than the average eggs of our other Nighthawks, and readily distinguished from these on this account, as well as from their smaller size. The average measiu-ement of fifty-five specimens in the United States National Museum collection is 26.84 by 19.61 millimetres, or about 1.06 by 0.77 inches. The largest egg of this series measures 29.72 by 21.08 millimetres, or 1.17 by 0.83 inches; the smallest, 23.11 by 18.03 millimetres, or 0.91 by 0.71 inch. Of the type specimens (all selected from sets of two) No. 24210 (PI. 3, Fig. 7), taken by Dr. C. Hart Merriam, on May 13, 1891, near St. Greorge, Utah, represents an egg with a light ground color, and a peculiar and rare style of markings. No. 24312 (PL 3, Fig. 8), collected near Brownsville, Texas, on May 8, 1891, shows one of the darker and heavier marked styles. No. 25299 (PL 3, Fig. 9), from the same locality, taken May 16, 1892, represents a very uniform and evenly colored specimen, while No. 26361 (PL 3, Fig. 10), likewise from the same locality, taken May 8, 1 892, represents about an average-colored egg of this species. The last three types are from the Ralph collection. THE BLACK SWIFT. 175 Family MICR0P0DIDJ2. Swifts. 62. Cypseloides niger (Gmelin). BLACK SWIFT. Hirundo nigra Gmelin, Systema Naturte, I, ii, 1788, 1025. Cypseloides niger Sclatee, Proceedings Zoological Society, June 27, 1865, 615. (B 108, O 270, R 350, 404, U 422.) Geographical range : Mountains of western North America, mainly on the Pacific coat>t; north to British Columbia; east to eastern Washington, Nevada, and Colorado; south to California; and in winter, through Lower California and Mexico to Costa Rica, Central America (and the West India Islands?).^ The range of the Black Swift, also known as "Cloud Swift," is still rather imperfectly defined. As far as yet known it has only been observed in the Rocky Mountain region in Colorado, where it seems to be mainly confined to San Juan County, in the southwestern part of the State. Mr. A. W. Anthony writes me: "Here I found the Black Swift very abundant in the summer of 1883, nesting in all of the highest crags, but never in places accessible to any- thing not provided with wings. About Silverton, Colorado, a large colony had taken possession of a very high cliff, making their appearance abovit June 20; during most of the day they could be seen cruising about over the ^-alley at a height of from 1,000 to 2,000 feet, but toward evening or at the approach of a shower they descended frequently to within 100 feet of the ground. At such times an occasional shot was to be had at some unwary straggler, and a series of about twenty was taken between June 25 and July 10. Females shot between July 5 and 10 contained ova nearly ready to deposit." Dr. A. K. Fisher tells me that he saw a number of these birds about the cliffs near Trinidad, in Las Animas County, Colorado, about the middle of July, 1892. Mr. Robert Ridgway met with it in Nevada, where several hundred were observed one morning hovering over the Carson River, below Fort Churchill, and he also found the remains of one on the Truckee River, near Pyramid Lake.^ The Black Swift undoubtedly occurs also in suitable localities in the inter- vening regions, the mountains of Utah, for instance. Throughout the Sierra Nevadas, the Cascade Mountains, and the coast ranges of California, Oregon, Washington, and British Columbia, it appears to be more generally distributed than in the more eastern portions of its range, and wherever high perpendicular cliffs are found one may reasonably hope to meet with flocks of this large Swift. They are extremely social birds, and are rarely seen singly even during the ' Although the West Indian Swift, the type of Cypseloides niger, is, according to the American Ornithol- ogists' Union check list, considered identical with our bird, I believe the larger size of the latter, especially the marked difference in the length of the wing and its somewhat paler coloration, is sufiacient reason for separating the two, as had been done by Dr. Elliott Coues, and more recently by Mr. Ernest Hartert, in vol. 16, pp. 494,495, Catalogue of Birds in the British Museum. I find the average wing measurements of the nine West Indian specimens to which I had access to be 6.09 inches, while that of fifteen North Amer- ican skins is 6.55 inches, and I consider it well entitled to subspeoific rank. 2 History of North American Birds, Vol. II, 1874, p. 430. 176 LIFE HISTORIES OP NOETH AMBEIOAF BIRDS. breeding season. They usually arrive from their winter homes in Central Amer- ica during the latter part of April or the beginning of May, and return south again in September. They breed throughout their summer range, and probably only a single brood is raised in a season, as they nest rather late. The only locality where I have observed this species was on the upper Columbia River, opposite Lake Chelan, Washington, in July, 1879. Here quite a colony nested in a high perpendicular cliff on the south side of and about a mile back from the river, and numbers of them flew to and from the valley below, where they were feeding. The day was a cloudy one, and a slow, drizzling rain was falling nearly the entire time I was there; this caused the birds to fly low, and they were easily identified. They evidently had young, and the twitterings of the latter could readily be heard as soon as a bird entered one of the numerous crevices in the cliff above. This was utterly inaccessible, being fully 300 feet high and almost perpendicular; and without suitable ropes to lower one from above it was both useless and impracticable to make an attempt to reach the nests. These were evidently placed well back in the fissures, as nothing bearing a resemblance to one was visible from either above or below. In this locality I believe fresh eggs may be looked for about June 25. Dr. C. Hart Merriam's exploring parties found the Black Swift fairly com- mon in various localities in Inyo County, California, during June, 1891, and a number of specimens were secured there. Dr. A. K. Fisher, in his Report on the Ornithology of the Death Valley Expedition of 1891, makes the following remarks on this species: "The Black Swift was first observed at Owens Lake, near Keeler, California, where a number were seen flying back and forth over the salt meadows on May 31. On June 2 twenty or more were seen feeding over the same meadows, and five specimens were collected. From the condi- tion of the ovaries of the female secured it was evident that the eggs had been laid. When the flock left the marsh it rose high in the air, and went in the direction of the cliffs in the Inyo Mountains, near Cerro Grordo, where a colony evidently was breeding." ^ Mr. F. Stephens writes me: "Mr. R. B. Herron has taken this species in the San Bernardino Mountains, California, where they appeared to be breeding. They were flying in behind a waterfall that poured over a perpendicular cliff, and he found one drowned in the basin at the foot of the fall." Mr. S. F. Rathbun, of Seattle, Washington, informs me that the Black Swift is quite abundant at Lake Samisli, three miles east of the north end of Lake Washington. The shores of the lake are well settled, but the birds evidently find Samish a good feeding ground. His earliest record of the arrival of this species there is May 15. . Mr. RoUo H. Beck, while hunting near the rocky coast of Monterey County, California, in the summer of 1894, shot a female Black Swift on June 29, containing a nearly developed egg in the oviduct, which he thinks would liave been laid next day and would probably have com- pleted a set, as the remaining eggs were very small. The shell was not formed ' North American Fauna, No. 7, 1893, p. 54, THE BLACK SWIFT. 177 yet, and he had no means of measuring it at hand. It resembled the egg of a Chimney Swift in shape, but was somewhat larger. The food of the Black Swift consists entirely of insects, which are caught on the wing, and its flight is, if possible, still more graceful and rapid than that of the Chimney Swift. It is a rather silent bird, and seldom utters any call notes while on the wing or when feeding. I believe it rarely, if ever, lights on the ground. As yet there is nothing positively known about the construction of the nest of this species, and the eggs still remain unknown. I am aware that an account of the finding of the supposed nest and eggs has been published in "The Auk" (Vol. V, 1888, pp. 424, 425), but I am quite positive that this is a case of misidentification. I visited the same region in May, 1894, and found the Western Martin, Progne subis hesperia, not uncommon in that very locality, and the nest and eggs described as those of the Black Swift are unquestionably referable to this subspecies. 63. Chaetura pelagica (Linn^us). CHIMNEY SWIFT. Hirundo ])elagica Linn^us, Systema Naturse, ed. 10, 1, 1758, 192. Chcetura pelasgia Stephens, General Zoology, XIII, part ii, 1825, 76. (B 109, C 271, E 351, C 405, U 423.) Geographical ean&b: Eastern North America; north in the southern portions of the Dominion of Canada to about latitude 50° ; in the interior, in northwestern Manitoba to about latitude 52° 30' and probably still farther; west in the United States to eastern North and South Dakota, eastern Nebraska and Kansas, the Indian Territory, and Texas; south in winter to Jalapa, Vera Cruz, Cozumel Island, and Yucatan, Mexico, and probably still farther. The breeding range of the Chimney Swift, also known as "Chimney Swallow" and " Chimney Sweep," is coextensive with its distribution in the Dominion of Canada and the United States, it being only a summer visitor, spending the winter in a milder climate. It usually re-enters the United States from the south in the latter part of March or early in April, and its return migration from its more northern breeding grounds begins early in September, while in our Middle States it lingers sometimes well into October. The north- ernmost record for this species which I have been able to find is Swan Lake, in northwestern Manitoba, where Prof. J. Macoun met with it on July 8, 1881. Its western range appears to be gradually extending, and at present includes about the eastern half of the States of North and South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, the Indian Territory, and Texas. It is an eminently social bird, and with the settlement of the country has changed its nesting habits very mate- rially. Formerly the Chimney Swift nested exclusively in hollow tree trunks; now it generally uses chimneys for such purposes, and less often the interior of barns and other outbuildings, attaching its nest to the rough, unplaned boards inside, on the gable end and near the peak of the roof. 16896— No. 3 12 178 LIFB HISTOEIBS OP IfOETH AMEETOAF BIEDS. In a letter from Dr. William L. Ralph, dated San Mateo, Florida, May 19, 1895, he says: "One of my men brought me the eggs of a Chimney Swift that he said he took from a nest attached to the sides of a well, 4 feet below the sur- face of the ground. He says they often nest in such places in this vicinity." I consider this as a very unusual nesting site for this species. The Chimney Swift is both diurnal and crepuscular in its habits, and spends a good deal of time on the wing. In appearance while flying it resembles a bat more than a bird, and its long, attenuated, saber-shaped wings look entirely out of proportion to its short, stubby body. During the mating season the Chimney Swift is particularly active, and small parties may be seen chasing each other throughout the day, and even after the birds are paired they are nearly always seen in parties of three or more, pursuing each other in a good- natured way, uttering at the same time almost continuously their twittering and sharp-sounding call notes of ''zig-zig," or "tzig-tzig," rapidly repeated for minutes at a time. Few birds appear to be more sociable and more devoted to each other than the Chimney Swift, and as they consume an immense number of insect pests, and do absolutely no harm, they deserve our fullest protection. Their food consists entirely of insects, such as small beetles, flies, mosquitoes, etc. Mr. Otto Widmann, of Old Orchard, Missouri, who is well known as one of our most painstaking and reliable ornithologists and a close observer, has kindly furnished me with the following observations on the nesting habits of this species. He writes: "On the flat roof of my tower I set up a wooden shaft, 18 inches square and 6 feet high, for Swifts. It was ready for occupancy April 18, 1891, and was entered by a Swift the next day. I had the pleasure of seeing one pair build a nest and raise a brood in the shaft in. 1891 and again in 1892. My experience, thus restricted to two seasons, is too limited to be of much value, but some points are so much at variance with current statements that I consider them worthy of your notice. "It is stated that the Swift makes two broods south of Pennsylvania. This is very improbable, since the successful rearing of a brood of Swifts takes not less than two months, which is much longer than the authors who make the statement allow for the process. "Although the first Swifts appear in our latitude (38° 40') as early as the beginning of April, and are seen to pair and select a chimney soon after their arrival, the species is too much dependent on continuously warm weather for a regular food supply to begin nest building before the second week in May. "Nest building, too, takes more time than is generally supposed. Many birds can build in rainy weather; some even choose such times, and one reason for the preference of the early morning hours for building is certainly the cir- cumstance that most of the material used has the necessary pliability only when in a moist state With our Swift it is quite different; he can not proceed with his structure while the atmosphere remains saturated with moisture; his secre- THE CHIMNEY aWlFT. 179 tion is not a cement, but a glue, which hardens by di-ying, and our warm days in early summer are generally accompanied by more or less rain. "It took my Swifts two days to lay the foundation; that is, to besmear the wall and fasten thereto the first few sticks. On the tenth day, when the first egg was laid, the nest was only half done, 2 inches wide, 2 J long, and only one- half inch deep. This was May 24. In the evening the egg was lying under the nest, on the bottom of the shaft. On the next day a second egg was lying on the bottom. Then came a cold, rainy day and no egg was laid. After this they went on building and laying until May 30, when four eggs were in the nest and its dimensions were now 3 by 3J inches and 1 inch deep. Incubation lasted until June 18, when one egg was hatched in the forenoon and the other three in the afternoon. "The young remained in the shaft until July 17, after which they were brought back by the parents several nights, and then roosted elsewhere in the neighborhood. During the first week the blind and almost naked young were placed so that the four heads came together in the center of the nest and the anal regions were near to its rim; this arrangement is important for the cleanli- ness of the home, since the parents do not seem to trouble themselves with removing the excrement. The second week, when the young were fast outgrow- ing the little home, a different arrangement was necessary; all fom- heads were now lying flat against the shaft, the anterior part of the body covering and pro- tecting the base of the nest and the posterior part protruding over its rim. At the beginning of the third week I was greatly astonished to find my young Swifts gone; the nest was empty and no Swift to be seen in the shaft. I was still wondering what had become of them when the parent came to feed. Young Swifts are very noisy when fed, and I was glad to hear that they were still inside; all four were huddling side by side, hanging on the wall immediately below the nest and entirely hidden from view above. At the beginning of the fourth week I was still more surprised when, bending my head over the shaft, the youngsters jumped right against my face with a strong, hissing noise, which I believe must be a very eff'ective means of frightening unsuspecting ^dsitors. The fourth week was spent entirely inside the shaft, hanging against its sides, but not higher up than the nest, that is, 3 J feet from the mouth; so the clamber- ing up to the top of the chimney does not seem to be the style any more. "Last year's experience was essentially the same, with the following varia- tions: May being rainy throughout, they did not begin to build until the first week of June. They attached the nest to the same spot where the nest of the previous year had been washed off, and deposited five eggs, all of which were hatched and all five young brought up. Tliree left the shaft for the first time on August 1, and the others the next day. The whole process occupied eight weeks and two days, which is six days less than in 1891, in consequence of the more favorable weather while building. The family roosted in the shaft until October 14, when the last left. "Taking all together, my observations may, in brief, be set forth as follows: In spite of preceding favorable weather, the Swift of St. Louis County, Missouri, 180 LIFE HISTOEIES OP NOETH AMEEIOAN BIEDS. does not begin nest building before the second week of May, and unfavorable weather may delay it until the 1st of June. Only a small quantity of glue is secreted daily, and therefore the completion of the entire structure requires about eighteen days. After two-fifths of the nest is completed (the work of one week) the laying of eggs begins. The process of construction may be retarded by cool weather (lack of food) and by continued rains (softening of glue). The bird can control the laying of eggs ; can discontinue for one or more days, if she thinks necessary. Incubation begins before the last egg is laid and lasts eighteen days. The setting parent shields the structure by habitually covering its base with the breast and pressing the head against the wall above. After the young are eight days old they arrange themselves in the same manner. When the sitting bird is disturbed, it at first seeks to frighten the intruder by fluttering and then hides below the nest. The young, when a fortnight old, also hide under the nest, where they can not be seen from above. When three weeks old, they flutter and try to frighten the intruder with a hissing noise, and always remain 2 to 3 feet below the mouth of the chimney (shaft), where they are fed by the parents. The young do not leave the chimney before they are four weeks old. Under the most favorable conditions a late brood can not be brought to a suc- cessful end in less than fifty-eight (five eggs) to sixty (six eggs) days, while an early brood (begun the middle of May) may consume from sixty-five to seventy days." In a subsequent letter, dated August 20, 1894, Mr. Widmann writes me as follows : "Another season confirmed my former statements in regard to the breeding habits of the Swifts. The pair began building and laying at the regular time; but after the second egg was laid, on May 23, some misfortune happened, and next day the eggs were found on the floor below, and no more were laid until June 10, when laying began anew. Within eight days (June 10 to 17, inclusive) five eggs were laid. On the 14th, after the third egg had been laid, the bird began to set. On the 24th one egg had rolled out, leaving four in the nest. July 1, on the eighteenth day of incubation, the eggs began to hatch, but the last of the four young did not leave the shell until July 3. This bird remained much behind in development, while one of the three others always kept a little in advance. The latter left the shaft for the first time July 26, but the youngest did not get ready to go out until August 7, a difference of eleven days. "The event of a young Swift leaving the chimney for the first time is made known all over the neighborhood by great excitement and noise. While the species for some weeks before have been quiet and inconspicuous, great activity and noise is suddenly noticed, and numbers are seen chasing through the air. This indicates the event, and it occurred for the first time again on July 1 7 being the first young raised in the neighborhood. It was particularly noticed that the young Swift is entirely naked when it leaves the shell, and not only the eyes but also the ears are, or appear to be, closed for the first few days. The eyes open by degrees. The best developed specimen of the four had the eyes open for occasional brief THE CHIMNEY SWIFT. 181 periods on July 11, while two others had them partly open, and the eyes of the smallest remained entirely closed until about the 15th. In the case of the young- est bird, which was a very weak creature at first and could not swallow all the parent put in its throat, I saw minute winged insects crawl out of its mouth. This shows that some of the insects are still alive when brought, and accounts for the peculiar mouth-cleaning motions after feeding. What the misfortune was that befell the first eggs, and why they made a pause of seventeen days before laying again, I do not know. It was not the weather, but it may possibly have been the Red-headed Woodpeckers and Flickers, which did a great deal of drumming and playing about the shaft in those days." While at Wilmurt, New York, in June, 1892, I found a nest of the Chim- ney Swift attached to a board in a hayloft, about 2 feet from the peak of the roof One of the birds was setting on the nest, which was a very small one, while its mate hung against the side of one of the boards, about a foot below and a little to the right of the nest. The male assists in incubation. I saw one of these birds, at a subsequent visit, fly in the loft while I was there, hook himself to the board below the nest, and shortly afterwards he uttered a low twitter; the one on the nest left at once on hearing the note, and flew out, while the newcomer perched on the rim of the nest and rearranged the eggs first before covering them. It changed its position twice before it seemed suited; at least one-half of its length projected outside of the nest, and it is certainly puzzling to know how they manage to rear a family of four or five young in so small a space. Their semicircular, half-saucer-shaped nest is a most interesting structure, and varies considerably in size and depth, as well as in the manner in which it is attached to the wall or board to which it is glued. Some are exceedingly shallow, barely one-fourth inch in depth, while others are nearly an inch deep, and also much more roomy. An average nest is about. 3 inches in outer diameter by 2 inches in width. One of the handsomest specimens I have ever seen was taken by Mr. C. J. Pennock, at Kennett Square, Pennsylvania, on June 16, 1887, and presented to me. This measures 4 J inches in outer diameter by 3 inches in width, and the outer edges, where attached to the wall, are canied completely around on the top, so that it can be hung upon a peg, like a wall pocket; this naturally gave it much more strength, by increasing the surface which is glued to the wall, and lessened the chances of its becoming detached. The nests are entirely built up of small dry twigs, averaging from one-tenth to one-sixteenth inch in diameter and from 1 to 2J inches in length. One or two somewhat longer twigs project usually from the side, possibly to be used as a perch while the young are being fed. The amount of saliva used to glue them together also varies greatly in different specimens; in some this is very plainly perceptible, and occasionally forms a thin coating on the inside of the nest; in others hardly a trace can be seen, but nevertheless the twigs hold well together. There is no inner lining of any kind used, the eggs lying on the bare twigs. The latter are gathered on 182 LIFE HISTOEIBS OF KOETH AMERICAN BIEDS. the wing, the bird breaking them oflP with its beak while flying past. Before the country was well settled the Chimney Swift built in hollow trees, attaching its nest to the inside walls, and in sparsely settled regions it does so still to some extent; but now, wherever they can avail themselves of an unused chimney, no matter of what material it is constructed, they do so, both for nesting and roosting purposes. It seems to me that they are gradually changing again more and more from the chimney to the inside of barns and outhouses, attaching their nests to the sides of rough, unplaned boards, near the roof. Such sites are more protected from storms, and certainly much cleaner, and the birds appear to have found this out, and act accordingly. Several pairs frequently nest in company, and it is amusing to see them, after circling over the top of the chimney, suddenly drop down perpendicu- larly, often from considerable heights, and disappear within. Hundreds are known to roost in the taller chimneys of some abandoned factories in many of our large cities. I have also seen it stated that this species occasionally nests in chimneys which are in use, but no such instance has come under my own observations. Throughout the more northern portions of its range the Chim- ney Swift rarely commences laying before the second week in June; four or five eggs are generally laid to a set (rarely six) and usually an egg is deposited each day. In chimneys the nests are ordinarily glued to the sides, from 5 to 12 feet below the top. Few birds are more devoted to their young than the Chimney Swift, and instances have been recorded where the parent was seen to enter chimneys in burning houses, even after the entire roof was a mass of flames, preferring to perish with its offspring rather than to forsake them. I have recently seen in "Forest and Stream" (September 15, 1894, p. 224), another most remarkable proof of affection for its young; want of space prevents me from quoting it entire. The writer states that fully a month after the Chimney Swifts had departed on their southern migration he heard a familiar twitter in the chimney, and taking out the old-fashioned fireboard found a full-grown bird lying upon the hearth. Looking more closely, he discovered that it was fastened by a horsehair wrapped around its leg to the nest, which had fallen down with it. He says: "His anxious mother, who had cast in her lot with him, to remain and to die with him, for the time of insects was about gone, came into the chimney and actually waited beside me while I snipped the strong hair and released him. It was an hour or more before he gained the use of his legs and learned what his mother was teaching him by flying up and down in the chimney, and then they both started on their lonesome flight to the far south." This instance certainly shows a tender side of bird nature, and such instances are far more common than they appear to be, if we could only see them. The young are fed by regurgitation. The eggs of the Chimney Swift are pure white in color and unspotted; they are cylindrical ovate in shape; the shell is fine grained, rather thin, and moderately glossy. THE CHIMNEY SWIFT. 183 The average measurement of fifty-six eggs in the United States Nationul Museum collection is 20.09 by 13.22 millimetres, or 0.79 by 0.52 inch. The larg- est egg of the series measures 21.34 by 13.72 miUimetres, or 0.84 by 0.54 inch; the smallest, 17.53 by 13.72 milHmetres, or 0.69 by 0.54 inch. The type specimen. No. 24019 (PI. 1, Fig. 25), from a set of four eggs, was taken by Mr. J. C. Pennock, near Kennett Square, Pennsylvania, on June 16, 1887, and represents about an average egg of this species. 64. Chaetura vauxii (Townsend). VAtJX'S SWIFT. Gypselus vauxii Townsend, Journal Academy Natural Sciences, Phila., VIII, 1839, 148. Ghcetura vauxii De Kay, Zoology of New York, II, 1844, 36. (B 110, C 272, R 352, 406, F 424.) Geographical eange: Western Nortli America; chiefly west of the Sierra Nevada and Cascade mountains; north in British Columbia to about latitude 52° and probably farther; east to western Montana and southern Arizona; south to northern Lower Cali- fornia, and in winter through Mexico to Honduras, Central America. Vaux's, or the "Oregon" Swift, a somewhat smaller and paler-colored bird than the preceding, is principally confined to the Pacific Coast regions, and appears to be much rarer and more sporadically distributed in the interior, east of the Sierra Nevadas, and in the Cascade mountains of California, Oregon, Washington, and British Columbia. The most northern record I have been able to find is one by Mr. Samuel N. Rhoads, published in the "Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia, 1893" (p. 44), where he reports seeing this species near Lac la Hache, British Columbia, on July 1, 1892. He also met with it at Goldstream, on Vancouver Island, on May 13. It reaches the eastern limits of its range, as far as it at present known, in western Montana, where Mr. C. P. Streator took a specimen at Silver, in Missoula County, on June 25, 1891. Mr. W. P]. D. Scott met with it early in October, 1884, on the San Pedro slope of the Santa Catalina Mountains, in southern Arizona, at an altitude of from 3,000 to 4,000 feet.^ These birds were probably migrating. Mr. F. Stephens observed it daily, and secured a specimen at Olancha, California, on the eastern slopes of the Sierra Nevadas, in the latter part of May, 1891. He believes they were migrating.^ The limits of its breeding range are not well defined as yet. Mr. F. Stephens considers it only a migrant in southern California. The only breeding records I have are both from Santa Cruz County, in this State, in about lati- tude 37°, and it appears reasonable to suppose that it breeds from there north- ward. But very few nests and eggs of Vaux's Swift have, as far as I am aware, found their way into collections. It possibly breeds also in the more moun- iThe Auk, Vol. Ill, 1886, p. 429. ''Birds of the Death Valley Expedition, North American Fauna, No. 7, 1893, p. 55. 184 LIFE HISTOEIBS OF NOETH AMERIOAK BIEDS. tainous parts of northern Lower California. In all of my travels through our Northwestern States I have failed to see this species excepting at Fort Klamath, Oregon, where it was fairly common near Upper Klamath Lake. Dr. James C. Merrill, United States Army, who also met with this species at the same Post, and with whose observations I fully agree, says: "While the flight of Vaux's Swift is usually higher than that of the eastern species and it is generally more difficult to obtain, yet if then- habits are closely studied it will be observed that there are times and places where they may be shot without especial difficulty. The height at which they fly depending on that of the insects upon which they feed, they may be most readily secured soon after sunrise; as the day grows warmer and the insects fly higher, they follow them and are soon out of gunshot range for the rest of the day, unless a change in the weather should occur. Had I made a specialty of collecting these Swifts, I could readily have shot several dozen during the season. As observed at Fort Klamath, this bird is not at all crepuscular. The notes differ somewhat from those of Chcetura pelagica, though of the same character, and are less frequently uttered." ' Vaux's Swift usually reenters the United States from its winter home in Central America about the middle of April, and goes south again during October. Although portions of California where this Swift is known to be a summer resident have been well settled for some time, it does not appear that it has changed its breeding habits to any extent, Hke the Chimney Swift has in the East, as it still seems to nest entirely in hollow trees, and it is principally due to this reason that so few of the nests and eggs have yet been taken. Mr. A. "W. Anthony, in his paper on "Birds of Washington County, Oregon," writes of Vaux's Swift as follows: "Common summer resident; hunts in flocks of fifteen to twenty. A pair were found nesting in a very large stub late in May; the nest, however, was inaccessible. The birds would circle about, fully 200 feet above the stub, until directly over the opening; then, darting down like a flash, would disappear with a sharp twitter." ^ A letter received from Mr. Chase Littlejohn, of Redwood City, California, dated August 8, 1893, says: "I took a pair of Swifts in town, birds I had never seen here until last fall, and from their very strong, smoky odor, there can be little doubt that they were living in some chimney, something they are not known to do." Mr. Littlejohn has since then sent me one of the skins for examination, which proved to be Vaux's Swift, as he surmised, and it is possible that this species is just beginning to resort to chimneys for nesting purposes. Dr. C. T. Cooke writes me from Salem, Oregon, that on May 29, 1891, he discovered one of their roosting and probably also breeding trees in the Wil- lamette Valley — a large, inaccessible, dead, and hollow Cottonwood, which also contained a Wood-duck's nest lower down, but likewise inaccessible. The only eggs of Vaux's Swift I have seen were taken in June, 1874, near Santa Cruz, 1 The Auk, Vol. V, 1888, pp. 256, 257. ^ The Auk, Vol. Ill, 1886, pp. 165, 166. VAUX'S SWIFT. 185 California. The nest is described as composed of small twigs, glued together with the saliva of the bird, and fastened to the side of a burned-out and hollow sycamore tree. It was not lined, and evidently was quite similar to the nest of the Cliimney Swift. I have never seen a specimen, and therefore can not give measurements. From three to five eggs are deposited to a set, and only one brood appears to be raised in a season. The eggs resemble those of the Chim- ney Swifts both in shape and color, but they are considerably smaller. The only specimens in the United States National Museum collection measure 18.29 by 12.19, 17.78 by 12.70, and 17.53 by 12.45 millimetres, or 0.72 by 0.48, 0.70 by 0.50, and 0.69 by 0.49 inch, respectively. The type specimen, No. 21005 (PI. 1, Fig. 26, a single egg), was taken near Santa Cruz, California, in June, 1874, and presented to the collection by Dr. James C. Merrill, United States Army. 65. Aeronautes melanoleucus (Baird). WHITE-THEOATED SWIFT. Gypselus melanoleucus Baied, Proceedings Academy Natural Sciences, Phila. June, 1854, 118. Aeronautes melanoleucus Haetert, Catalogue Birds in British Museum, XVI, 1892, 459. (B 107, C 269, E 349, 403, U 425.) Geogeaphical eanGtE: Mountain regions of the western United States; north to Montana; east to western South Dakota (Black Hills), western Nebraska, and Colorado; south through Arizona, New Mexico, western Texas, and Lower California to Guatemala, Central America. The range of the White-throated or "Rock" Swift does not appear to extend nearly as far north in the mountains of the Pacific Coast districts as it does in the Rocky Mountain region, where it is generally distributed, throughout suit- able localities, from southern Arizona and New Mexico northward through Colo- rado and Wyoming to Montana, which, as far as known, marks the northern limits of its range. Here Mr. R. S. Williams found this species breeding in small numbers in holes in a limestone cliif on Belt River, about the middle of July, 1881. He says: "A small opening in the rock, which a bird of this species was seen to enter and reappear from several times, I approached near enough to hear a vigorous twittering at each visit of the parent bird, from which I presume the young were well advanced."^ On the Pacific coast in California I have not been able to trace it north of Alameda, Contra Costa, and Mariposa counties, in about latitude 38°, and somewhat farther north in Nevada, where Mr. Robert Ridgway found this species extremely numerous in the Ruby Mountains, about the high limestone cliffs, as well as in the East Humboldt range, in about latitude 40°, and less abundantly in the Wasatch Mountains in Utah. I have been unable to find a single record of its capture in either Oregon or Washington, and this is the more ' Bulletin of the Nuttall Ornithological Club, vol. 7, 1882, p. 123. 186 LIFE HISTOEIES OF IfOETH AMEEICAN BIRDS. strange as these States abound in suitable cliiFs, and the White-throated Swift appears to be the hardiest member of this family found in the United States and winters to some extent within our borders. Throughout the more northern por- tions of its range it is only a summer visitor, but in southern California and Ai'izona it is found throughout the year. Mr. F. Stephens writes me: "The White-throated Swift is a rather common resident in southern Cali- fornia. In winter it is somewhat less common, and disappears in stormy weather. In the Colorado Desert, however, it is usually common all winter. It breeds in small colonies in cliffs, usually in the lower parts of the mountains, during May and June. On March 28, 1890, at Boregas Spring, on the border of the Colorado Desert, I saw several White-throated Swifts flying in and out of crevices of a sandstone cliff. I succeeded in climbing to one of these crevices, and chopped away a part of the soft sandstone or indurated clay and found two birds, evidently a pair, in the extreme back end of a narrow crevice. They were sitting on a small bunch of short twigs and weed stems, glued together into a nearly solid mass, evidently an old nest. The female, on dissection, proved to be not nearly ready for laying, as the ovaries were in the normal winter condition." There are numerous records of the occurrence of the White-throated Swift in Arizona, New Mexico, and Colorado. I have seen hundreds of these birds near Tucson, Arizona, some throughout nearly every month in the year, and they evidently breed in the vicinity, in the numerous cliffs in the Catalina and Rincon mountains. Mr. W. Gr. Smith and Mr. A. W. Anthony met with it in Colorado, where it was quite common in suitable localities. The latter writes me: "A few nest in the high cliffs above Silverton, Colorado, with Cypseloides niger. A female was shot by Mr. F. M. Drew on June 20, at an elevation of about 13,000 feet, and upon skinning her an egg was found ready for extrusion, but it was unfortunately broken. A flock of these Swifts were apparently trying to winter at Hatchita, New Mexico, as I saw them constantly as late as Decem- ber 15. At San Diego, California, they winter in abundance, and are frequently seen feeding along the beach north of Point Loma. A colony was also found by me nesting on Coronado Island on May 20, but the nests were inaccessible; they were placed behind loose slabs of rock that had become partly detached from the face of the cliff, and from 20 to 30 feet above the water level. At Gruadalupe Island this Swift was very abundant; the ragged, precipitous sides of the island, composed of lava and perforated with thousands of holes and crevices, furnish an abundance of nesting sites, and it is quite probable that this species is resident there throughout the year. At the time of my visit, in May, I found White-throated Swifts everywhere, from the top of the island, at 4,000 feet elevation, to the beach, and birds were constantly seen to enter holes in the crags; but in every case the nests were as inaccessible as it is possible for a nest to be. On May 18 a Swift was seen to enter a hole in the face of a bluff, within 8 feet of its base; even this proved to be as safe as any of the rest, as the nest was found to be out of sight and several feet back, in a narrow crack in the lava. I THE WHITE-THEOATBD SWIFT. 187 also found it nesting at San Fernando, Lower California, nearly at sea level, and on top of San Pedro Martir, at 10,000 feet elevation, in May." Messrs. Vernon Bailey and J. A. Loring, while collecting for the United States Department of Agriculture, met with the White-throated Swift in the Wind River and Sweet Water mountains, Wyoming, during August and Sep- tember, 1893, and Mr. J. B. White has taken it at Harrison, Nebraska, which marks the eastern limits of its known range. Its general habits, food, etc., do not aiffer much from those of the other members of this family found within the United States, and, like them, it usually flies high during clear, sunny weather, while on cloudy days, as well as in the early mornings and again about sundown, it himts lower down, and is then more readily obtained. In its mode of nidification it differs from both the Chinmey and Vaux's Swift, while the Black Swift probably nests in a similar manner. Mr. F. Stephens's description of its nesting habits are fully con- firmed by more recent observations made by Mr. W. B. Judson in Los Angeles County, California, who found a nest of this species during the summer of 1894. He writes me: "It was situated about 80 feet from the top of a large cliff and about 125 feet from the ground, in a cave about 7 feet high, 10 feet wide, and extending some 7 feet in the face of the cliff. The nest was placed in a small hole in the roof of the cave, almost too small to get my hand in without enlarging it, and extended about a foot up in the rock, and then there was a small cleft in which it was placed. It was so firmly glued to the rock that it could not be pulled off without tearing it to pieces. The materials of which it was constructed felt soft and spongy; there were apparently no sticks or twigs in it, and it was lined with a few feathers." White-throated Swifts were seen to enter this cave in May, but Mr. Judson did not visit the locality again until late in summer, by which time the birds had reared their young and left the vicinity. Since the above was written, Mr. Judson has kindly obtained this nest for me, and I am able, therefore, to give a fuller description, as well as measurements of it. Evidently it has been in use during more than one season, as the vege- table matter composing the base of the nest is quite disintegrated; while a number of good-sized feathers, including some of the California and Turkey Vulture, Red-shafted Flicker, and other species, which are mixed throughout the walls of the structure, are in a somewhat better state of preservation. It measures 5 inches in outer diameter by 2 inches in depth. The inner cup is shallow and appears not to have been over three-fourths of an inch deep. Mixed throughout the nesting material are small pieces of the wing coverts of beetles. The skeleton of a young Swift was also found in the nest. The inner lining consists of fine bark fiber and a few feathers, and apparently no twigs enter into its composition; the shafts of the feathers used, evidently took the place of the ordinary small twigs and weed stems. The call notes of this species are rather louder and shriller than those of the Chimney Swift, but otherwise resemble the rattling twitter of the latter. In speaking of their song 188 LIFE HISTOEIES OP NOETH AMERICAN BIEDS. Dr. Fisher says: "The males uttered at short intervals a series of notes which, when a number joined in the performance, produced a not unpleasant impression." The eggs of this species still remain among the special desiderata in oological collections. I have never seen any, and there are none in the United States National Museum. Mr. Walter E. Bryant gives the following description of them: "More than a dozen years ago an imperfect set of five fresh, unblown eggs of the White-throated Swift were presented to me by a young man in Contra Costa County, California. They were taken from a nest in a crevice in the back of a tutmel-shaped cave in the side of a cliff, about 20 feet above the base. In color the eggs are pure white, nan-owly elliptical in form, but rather smaller at one end. They measured 0.87 by 0.53, 0.88 by 0.53, 0.88 by 0.52, and 0.86 by 0.50 inch (or 22.10 by 13.46, 22.35 by 13.46, 22.35 by 13.21, and 21.84 by 12.70 millimetres); the fifth was too much damaged to measure accurately. The eggs were collected on June 6, 1876."^ From four to five eggs appear to be laid to a set, and probably only a single brood is reared in a season. Family TROCHILID^. Hummingbieds. 66. Eugenes fulgens (Swainson). KIVOLI HUMMINGBIRD. TrocMlus fulgens Swainson, Philosophical Magazine, 1827, 441. Eugenes fulgens Gould, Monograph of the Troehilidae, Part XII, 1856, PL 7, and Vol. II, 1861, PI. 59. (B — , 274 Us, R 334, C 408, U 426.) Geographical range: Mountains of southeastern Arizona, southwestern New Mexico, and over the table-lands of Mexico ; south to Nicaragua, Central America. ' The Rivoli Hummingbird, also known as "Refulgent Hummingbird," one of the largest as well as one of the handsomest members of this family found within the limits of the United. States, is a moderately common summer resi- dent in suitable localities, but has as yet been obtained only in the mountains near the Mexican border, in southeastern Arizona, and in the extreme south- westei'n corner of New Mexico, in the San Luis range. It was first added to our fauna by Mr. H. W. Henshaw, who took a single specimen in the vicinity of Camp Grant, Arizona, on September 24, 1873; he also met with others in the following year. Since then it has been ascertained to be a summer resident throughout all the higher pine-clad mountains in southeastern. Arizona. Mr. F. Stephens met with it in the Santa Rita and Sauta Catalina mountains. Dr. A. K. Fisher, Messrs. F. H. Fowler, W. W. Price, and others took specimens in the Chiricahua and Huachuca ranges, while Dr. Edgar A. Mearns obtained it in the 1 The Nidiologist, Vol. II, Sept. 1894, pp. 7, 8. THE EIVOLI HUMMINGBIRD. 189 San Luis Mountains, New Mexico. I believe Mr. Henshaw's record from near Fort Grrant still remains the most northern one, and it is not likely that it will be found much beyond latitude 33°. Its range seems to be restricted to the mountain regions between altitudes of from 5,000 to 10,000 feet, audit breeds throughout its summer range in the United States. Dr. A. K. Fisher has kindly furnished me with the following notes on this handsome Hummingbird: "The Rivoli Hummer was not met with by us in the Chiricahua Mountains until we made camp in the upper part of Ruckers Canyon, among the yellow pines {Pinus ponderosd). On the morning of June 5, 1894, an adult male dashed through the camp, paused a moment over a flower spike of a scarlet Pentstemon, and then disappeared up the canyon as rapidly as it had come. No more were seen until we reached the high mountains at Fly Park. On the evening of June 7, Mr. Fred. H. Fowler killed an adult male, and on the fol- lowing day the writer secured a female and two males, and subsequently others were taken. They were usually found in the more open parts of the forest where fire had killed a portion of the evergreens, and a deciduous undergrowth of aspens and shrubs thrived aboitt the cool springs and little rivulets. A boreal honeysuckle (Lotticera involucratd) was abundant and just coming into bloom. All the Hummers iu the vicinity, the Rivoli Hummer among them, delighted to glean from the flowers and to sit half concealed among the large leaves of this shrub. If the large Hummer was startled from one of the clumps, it would fly to the lower branches of a neighboring evergreen and settle on a dead twig and remain motionless. They were not very shy and could be approached within 20 feet. "It is the opinion of the writer that all the birds seen were migrants, for after the first few days the species became quite rare, and during the three or four days subsequent to June 15 none were seen. Moreover, the testes of all the males secured were still undeveloped. It is probable that they spent a few days after their migration in feeding, and then separated and retired to the more secluded forest to hunt up nesting places. No note was heard." They are said to be especially fond of hovering about the blossoms of the mescal {Agave americana) ; these are generally infested by numerous small insects, on which they feed, and, like all om- Hummingbirds, they are exceedingly greedy and quarrelsome, chasing each other constantly from one flower stalk to another. Comparatively little is still known about the breeding habits of this species. Mr. O. C. Poling published an account of its supposed nest and eggs in "The Auk" (Vol. VII, 1890, pp. 402 and 403), but the measurements of the latter, as given by him, show clearly that they can not belong to this bird, and are much more likely to be those of one of the smaller Hummers breeding in the same locality. The Rivoli Hummer is fully as large as the succeeding species, whose eggs are known, and these are considerably larger than the measurements given by Mr. Poling, and there are absolutely identified eggs of the Ruby- throated Hummingbird now in the United States National Museum collection 190 LIFE HISTOEIES OP NORTH AMEEIOAK BIRDS, which are larger than the supposed eggs of this species. The great difference in the size of these two birds proves conclusively that there must be a mistake either in identification or in the measurements of the eggs as described by him. I am indebted to Mr. W. W. Price for a couple of nests of this species and a broken egg, which, however, is so badly crushed that it is impossible to restore it and give accurate measurements. Both of these nests were taken in the Huachuca Mountains, in southern Arizona. The best preserved one of the two measures 2| inches in outer diameter by 2 inches in depth; its inner diam- eter is 1 J by IJ inches in depth. It is composed of soft, silky plant fibers, and is thickly coated exteriorly with small pieces of lichen, and lined with fine down and one or two soft, fluffy feathers, apparently those of a species of Tit- mouse. It resembles the nest of the Ruby-throated Hummingbird very closely in its general make up, but is naturally considerably larger. It was found by Mr. L. Miller on June 22, 1894, at an elevation of about 7,000 feet, saddled on a walnut branch about 10 feet from the ground, and contained one young nearly able to fly. The other, which is not quite so well preserved, was found by Mr. Price in the same mountains on June 4, 1893, placed on a slender branch of a maple over running water, in a deep, narrow canyon, at about 6,000 feet eleva- tion. The male was seen a short distance away from the nest; the female hovered about while the branch was being cut off, and was secured. The single fresh egg the nest contained was accidentally broken. Mr. Price writes me: ^' Eugenes fulgens is found all through the pine regions of southern Arizona. It was not rare in the Huachuca and Chiricahua moun- tains, but I have never seen it below 6,500 feet elevation, and I have found it above 9,500 feet. During the flowering season it feeds extensively in the flowers of the Agave parryi in the Huachuca Mountains. In the Chiricahuas I have found it early in the mornings in open glades, feeding on the flowers of an iris. It delights in open woods more than in damp ones, as is the habit of the Blue-throat, Cceligena demenciceP There are no eggs of the Rivoli Hummingbird in the Unites States National Museum collection. 67. Cceligena clemenciae Lesson BLUE-THKOATED HUMMINGBIRD. Ornisyma clemencice Lesson, Oiseaux Mouches, 1829, 216, PI. 80. Ooeligena clemencice Lesson, Index General et Synoptique des Oiseaux du Genre Trochilus, 1832, p. XVIII. (B _, ~, E — , C — , U 427.) Geographical range: Mountains of southeastern Arizona, southwestern New Mexico, and the table-lands of Mexico; south to Guerrero and Oaxaca. The geograpliical range of the Blue-throated Hummingbird, also sometimes called "Blue-throated Casique," a shghtly larger species than the preceding, is very similar, and, like the Rivoli Hummer, it is only a summer resident in the THE BLUE-THEOATED HUMMIlfGBIED. 191 United States, and breeds wherever found. As far as known it arrives within our borders early in May, and returns south again about the beginning of October. This large and rather dull-colored Hummer was first added to our fauna by Mr. F. Stephens, who secui*ed an adult male in the Santa Catalina Mountains on May 14, 1884. Since then it has been taken by Mr. E. W. Nelson in the Santa Rita Mountains; by Dr. A. K. Fisher, Messrs. W. W. Price, F. H. Fowler, and others, in both the Chiricahua and Huachuca mountains, in south- eastern Arizona, and by Dr. Edgar A. Mearns, United States Army, in the San Luis Mountains, in southwestern New Mexico. Like the preceding, it is a mountain-loving species, frequenting similar regions; and, judging from the number of specimens that have been taken within our borders, it appears to be more common than the Rivoli Hummer. Dr. A. K. Fisher has kindly furnished me with the following notes : "The Blue-throated Hummingbird was common in the higher Chiricahua Mountains, where it was observed at Fly Park during the early part of June, 1894. Like the Rivoli Hummer, it was very partial to the flowers of the shrubby honeysuckle {Lonicera involucrata), among which six were secured June 8 and three on June 10. It is probable the flowers attract large numbers of insects, which in their turn attract the birds, for the gullets of the Hummers secured were filled with them. On several occasions the male was heard to utter a simple little song, consisting of three or four syllables, which were repeated at short intervals. While delivering this song the bird sat upright, with head more or less thrown back. No signs of mating were observed, and the genitalia of the specimens secured were undeveloped. From June 10 to June 15 the species became gradually rarer, and it is probable they had dispersed among the wilder parts of the mountains, preparatory to nesting." I am also indebted to Mr. E. W. Nelson for the little we know relating to the nesting habits of the Blue-throated Hununingbird. He writes me as follows: " Codigena clemencice is a sparingly distributed summer resident of all the mountain regions of south central Mexico, between 7,500 and 12,000 feet. They are rather quiet birds, often found perched on the tips of large maguey leaves In the forests of pines of the higher slopes they are not often seen except as they dash by among the trees. On the 9th of September, 1893, a nest contain- ing two eggs was found at an altitude of 11,500 feet on the north slope of the volcano of Toluca, in the State of Mexico. At this time the nights had already become quite frosty here. The nest was built in the fork of a small shrub, growing out of the face of a cliff about 30 feet above its base, on the side of a canyon, in the pine and fir forest. The nest was discovered by seeing the parent approach its vicinity. She flew quietly close up to the nest, and then, turning so that she faced out from the cliff and away from the nest, she moved backward several inches and settled lightly on the eggs. She was easily alarmed, darting away through the forest, and was not seen again. The nest was nearly inaccessible, and one egg was thrown out and broken in securing it." This nest, No. 26332, United States National Museum collection, now before me, is a handsome and rather bulky structure, which is apparently composed 192 LIFE HISTORIES OF NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. entirely of fine mosses, the whole evenly quilted together into a smooth, homo- geneous mass, and bound firmly together with silk from cocoons and spiders' webs. It is saddled in a tripronged fork of a small twig, the three stems being incorporated in the walls of the nest, holding it firmly in position, the main stem being only one-twelfth of an inch in diameter. It measures 2| inches in outer diameter by 3 inches in depth; the inner cup is IJ inches in diameter by three- fourths of an inch deep. The walls of the nest are three-fourths of an inch thick, and the inner cup appears very small for the large size of the nest. It looks like a warm and cozy structure, and it needs to be so. As the eggs were only slightly incubated when found, the young would probably have hatched by September 20, and would scarcely have been large enough to leave the nest before October 12, by which time one might reasonably look for snowstorms at such an altitude. There is but very little inner lining, not enough to hide the moss, which looks to me like the down from willow catkins. Two eggs are laid to a set, and probably two broods are raised in a season. The single egg before me is elliptical oval in shape, dull white in color. The shell is close-grained and shows no luster. It measures 16.26 by 9.91 millimetres, or 0.64 by 0.39 inch. As there is but a trifling difference in the size of most of our Hummingbirds' eggs, and apparently none in their shape and color, I have, therefore, only figured the egg of a single species. The type specimen. No. 26332 (not figured), was taken by Mr. E. W. Nelson on September 9, 1893, as aheady described. 68. Trochilus colubris Linn^us. EUBY-THROATED HUMMINGBIRD. Trochilus colubris Linn^us, Systema Naturae, ed. 10, I, 1758, 120. (B 101, 275, R 335, 409, U 428.) Geogeaphical kangb : Eastern North America ; north in the more southern parts of the Dominion of Canada to about latitude 52°, in the interior in the Northwest Territory to about latitude 57° and probably still farther; west in the United States to eastern North and South Dakota, eastern Nebraska and Kansas, the Indian Territory and Texas; south in winter to the West India Islands and through eastern Mexico to Veragua, Central America. Casually to Labrador. The Ruby-throated or Northern Hummingbird, the sole representative of this family in eastern North America, is only a summer visitor in the Dominion of Canada and throughout the greater part of its range in the United States, except- ing the southern portions of the Florida peninsula, where it winters to some extent. By far the greater number of these birds, however, migrate farther south, spending the winter in some of the West India Islands, while others pass through eastern Mexico into Central America, as far south as Veragua. It usually arrives along our southern border in the latter part of March, and moves leisurely northward, rarely reaching the more northern States before the middle of May, or about the time the early and hardier flowers begin to THE EUBY-THEOATED HUMMINGBIRD. 193 blossom, and it usually goes south again about the latter part of September, the males preceding the females, I believe, in both migrations. Its breeding range is coextensi^'e with its geographical distribution. Along tlie Atlantic coast it has been met with by Mr. Lucion M. Turner as f;u- north iis Davis Inlet, Labrador, in latitude 55° 37', but this may have been only a casual straggler, as few birds of this species appear to breed north of latitude 52°. In the interior, in the so-called fur countries, it reaches farther north, however. Sir John Richardson met it here up to the fifty-seventh parallel, which appears to be the northernmost known limits of its range; but it is quite possible that it reaches still higher latitudes. None of the numerous gentlemen connected with the Hudson Bay Compan}', interested in ornithological investigations in the far north, appear to have met with it in the lower Mackenzie basin or along the shores of Great Slave Lake. Westward its range extends well into the eastern borders of the Grreat Plains; it is a fairly common summer resident here in suitable localities, in eastern Saskatchewan, and in Manitoba, as well as throughout the eastern parts of North and South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, the Indian Territory, and about the eastern half of Texas. In many parts of Florida it seems to be a rather rare breeder, but north of this State it is mostly a common summer resident. The Ruby-throated Hummingbird prefers rather open and cultivated country, interspersed here and there with mixed or deciduotis woods overrun with flowering masses of vines and creepers, extensive orchards, etc., and it is not at all adverse to taking up its home in flower gardens, in close proximity to man. Its flight is extremely swift, and the rapid motions of its wings in passing back and forth from one cluster of flowers to another causes a humming or buzzing sound, from which the numerous members of this family derive their name of Hummingbirds. Notwithstanding the very small size of most of our Hummers, they are all extremely pugnacious, especially the males, and are constantly quar- reling and chasing each other, as well as other birds, some of which are many times larger than themselves. Mr. Manly Hardy writes me that he once saw a male Ruby-throat chasing a Robin out of his garden and following it up imtil lost to sight. There appears to be considerable difference of opinion among various observers regarding the nature of their food, some contending that this consists principally of nectar sipped from flowers, as well as the sweet sap of certain trees, to which they help themselves at the drinking places of the Yellow-belhed Sapsucker, Sphyrapicus varius, while others, myself included, believe that they subsist mainly on minute insects and small spiders, the latter forming quite an important article of food with them. Mr. Edwin H. Eames, of Bridgeport, Con- necticut, mentions finding sixteen young spiders of uniform size in the throat of a young Hummingbird which was about two days old.^ 'The Auk, Vol. VII, 1890, pp. 286-288. I also refer the reader to Mr. Frederick A. Lucas's Interest- ing paper in the same periodical (Vol. X, 1893, pp. 311-315), and to another by the same author, "On the structure of the tongue in Humminghirds," iu the "Proceedings of the United States National Museum" (Vol. XIV, 1891, pp. 169-172), all of which bear on thissubjeot, but want of space prevents rue from quoting them. 16896— No. 3 13 194 LIFE HISTOEIES OF NORTH AMEEIOAN BIRDS. That our Hummingbirds live to some extent on the sap of certain trees is undoubtedly true, but that they could exist for any length of time on such food alone is very questionable, to say the least. They are particularly fond of the sap of the sugar maple, and only slightly less so of that of different species of oak, birch, poplar, sycamore, and willow, as well as of the nectar secreted in the flowers of the lilac, honeysuckle, jasmine, begonia, horse chestnut, and many others Mr. E. A. Mcllhenny writes me from Avery, Louisiana: "It is quite a com- mon occurrence here for the Ruby-throated Hummer to get drunk on the nectar of the flowers of the china tree (Melia azedarach). It sometimes imbibes so much of the nectar that it becomes stupefied and falls from the tree, when it can be readily taken in the hand, and off'ers no resistance. I have also taken them by putting a little brandy and honey in honeysuckle and jasmine blossoms; they readily take this, and become so intoxicated that they are easily caught." While stationed at the former cavalry depot at St. Louis, Missouri, in 1873-74, I occupied a set of quarters that were completely overmn with large trumpet vines (Tecoma radicans), and when these were in bloom the place fairly swarmed with Ruby-throats. They were exceedingly inquisitive, and often poised themselves before an open window and looked in my rooms full of curiosity, their bright little eyes sparkling like black beads. I have caught several, while busily engaged sipping nectar in these large, showy flowers, by simply placing my hand over them, and while so imprisoned they never moved, and feigned death, but as soon as I opened my hand they were off' like a flash. They seem to be especially partial to anything red. Mr. Manly Hardy writes: "I was once camping on one of the many islands along the coast of Maine during a dense fog, which had held us prisoners for several days, as it was so thick that we could not find our way. We had been living on lobsters, and lots of their red shells lay near the fire in front of our tent, when suddenly a Hummer came out of the fog and darted down at the shells, moving from one to another, seemingly loath to leave them." Mr. W. N. Clute, of Binghamton, New York, writes: "The swamp thistle (Cirsium muticum), which blooms in August, seems to have great attractions for the Ruby-throated Hummingbirds. I have seen more than a hundred birds about these plants in the course of an hour. Since it has been stated that the bee gets pollen but not honey from the thistle, it would appear that these birds visit these flowers for insects. There is scarcely a flower that contains so many minute insects as a thistle head. Examine one with a lens and it will be found to contain many insects that can hardly be seen with the unaided eye, and if the Ruby-throat eats insects at all, these are the ones it would take; and because the larger ones remained the observer might conclude that none were eaten. The jewel weed (Impatiens) also receives much of their attention, and nowhere do I find these birds so abundant as about these two flowers." I could quote considerable more testimony showing that the Hummingbirds live to a great extent on minute spiders and insects, but consider it unnecessary. Hummingbirds are readily tamed and make interesting pets, but do not seem to THE EUBY-THEOATED HUMMINGBIKD. 195 live long in captivity. Something seems to be lacking, prol:)ably the required quantity of insects which they are able to obtain in a wild state, and sirup alone does not appear to enable them to survive such changed conditions for any length of time. All of our Hummingbirds are very fond of bathing, and I have seen one fly repeatedly through the spray of a fountain in one of the numerous parks in Washington, District of Columbia. Mr. Otto Widmann, of Old Orchard, Missouri, has kindly furnished me with the following notes on this species: "While in the St. Francis region, Missouri, I was not a little surprised to meet, on the forenoon of May 10, a great number of Ruby-throats in the garb of the female, but with beautiful red throats, in shape exactly like the patch of the male, but the color a plain solferino, without any metallic or golden hue. At first I did not know what to make of it, until I found out that the pollen of ^sculus pavia, the red shrub buckeye, is of the identical color and stains the fingers with solferino at the touch. These Ruby-throats were a wandering army of females; among the large number of birds present only a few (one or two, I think) males were seen, and they were probably summer sojourners in these woods. Next day I visited the same forest again at the same hour, but all the female Hummers were gone. "The first Hummers appear in St. Louis County about the last week in April, but in southeast Missouri (Pemiscot County) I found them already present on April 11, 1893. Male Hummers do not become numerous in St. Louis County before May 6, and females about May 12. Fresh eggs are to be looked for about the 1st of June. Southward migration is well under way by the middle of September, when Hummers are very plentiful. After the 1st of Octo- ber they are less frequently seen, but the last ones do not leave us before October 11 or 12. Migration in this species has much in common with that of the Swift, from which fact I conclude that their insect food may be somewhat similar, and that both species may feed on nearly related insects. A peculiarity of the Ruby-throat, which I have only once seen mentioned in print, is the pendu- lum play of the male Hummer. In time it coincides with the period of sexual excitement; it begins here about May 12, with the arrival of the bulk of the females, and lasts until incubation has commenced. In this play the bird is swinging to and fro, as if suspended from a fixed point; it describes one-fourth of a circle, and travels about a rod. This pendulum movement is continued about a dozen times, the bird emitting chirps all the time." Shortly after their arrival in the spring they are continually chasing each other about; considerable of this is undoubtedly done in play, but occasionally they act like perfect little furies, and try to injure each other as much as pos- sible. At such times they utter rather shrill, squealing sounds, like ' ' chic-we- we-a," which are frequently and rapidly repeated; at other times they utter low, chippering sounds that can only be heard when close by, intermixed now and then with a somewhat louder chirp. After one has driven its rival away it generally returns to one of its favorite perches, some little dry twig of a shrub or tree, from where it commands a good outlook, and commences at once to 196 LIFE HISTORIES OF NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. rearrange and smooth out its plumage, usually beginning with the primaries, which are dexterously passed through its bill by raising and extending the wing on a level with the head. It is rarely seen entirely at rest for any length of time, and, when not busy preening its feathers, it darts about from one place to another. Although such a small, tiny creature, it is full of energy, and never seems to tire. During the mating season the male is very devoted to his mate, following her constantly about, and fiercely attacks any rival that may approach too near her. In our Southern States nidification begins usually about the first week in May, occasionally a httle earlier or later, according to the season, and corre- spondingly later in the more northern portions of its range. A suitable nesting site having been selected (and this appears to be an easy task), preparations for building are soon begun. During this time the male may frequently be noticed indulging in the pendulum play already described, and both sexes will frequently dart straight up into the air for some 50 feet, and as quickly drop down again in the vicinity of the chosen nesting site. The nest is generally saddled on a horizontal or a somewhat drooping limb of a tree, about half an inch or a little more in thickness, or it may be placed at the junction of a little fork where one side of the nest is supported by one of the branches, and less often in bushes or vines, varying from 6 to 50 feet high, usually from 10 to 20 feet from the ground. Its favorite breeding resorts are second-growth timber along river bluffs, hillsides, the borders of forests, in shade trees along country roads, orchards, gardens, etc. I believe the different species of oak, where they are found, are preferred for nesting sites to all other trees, while hickory, tulip, poplar, maple, horse-chestnut, beech, sycamore, dogwood, black gum, buckeye, birch, apple, pear, orange, pine, red cedar, and other trees, rose bushes, and creeping vines are also more or less used. In the Adirondacks, in New York, I believe birch trees are the favorites. I have seen one of its nests saddled on the top of and between two old pine cones, on a slender, dry limb, which I consider a rather unusual nesting site for this species. The nest of our Ruby-throated Hummingbird is one of the most exquisite pieces of bird architecture to be found anywhere. The circular foundation is composed of bits of lichens, mixed with fine vegetable fibers, which are appar- ently firmly glued to the twig on which the nest is saddled, presumably with saliva secreted by the bird for this purpose, and the structure is built upon this, the inner portions of it being composed of soft, downy plant fibers, such as the silky down of different species of willows and poplars, that found on the young and unexpanded leaves of the oaks and various kinds of ferns (Filices), especially that from the young stalks of the common brake (Pteris aquilina), the silky down of the milkweed (Asclepias), and similar materials from other sources. After these have been well worked together in a sort of vegetable felt, the outer walls of the nest are profusely covered with a coating of bits of lichens obtained from the trunks and limbs of trees in the vicinity, and then are firmly fastened in place with spider webs, giving the nest the appearance of a small, lichen- covered knot, which for this reason is rather difficult to detect. In nearly every THE EDBYTHllOATED HUMMINGiilED. 197 iustance the nest is placed so that its contents are protected from above 1)y the leaves of the tree or a limb directly over it, and it is rare to find one in a per- fectly open and unsheltered situation. The location of the beautiful little structure certainly shows considerable intelligence on the part of the builder. The nests vary somewhat in size and bulk, according to the thickness of the limb or twig on which they are saddled. An average-sized specimen measures about 1 J inches in outer diameter by 1 ^ inches in depth. The iimer cup is about an inch in width by five-eighths of an inch in depth. I belie^•e that the female performs about all the labor required in the construction of the nest, the male simply following her around while she is gathering the necessary materials and protecting her, although he may occasionally assist to some extent. As nearly as I can judge, it takes about ten days to complete the structure. Mr. H. W. Flint, of New Haven, Connecticut, sends me the following interesting note on this subject: "On May 30, 1890, I noticed an interesting fact in connection with this species. I was watching a Downy Woodpecker excavating a home in the top of a lofty maple on the edge of heavy timber, when suddenly a male Hummer, closely followed by his mate, darted toward the trunk of a large oak, at the height of at least 35 feet from the ground, and were immediately attacked by some kind of beetle, which attempted to drive them from the tree. The birds would, after an apparent struggle with the beetle, cling to the trunk of the tree a moment, pull off a bit of lichen, and then suddenly leave the spot like a flash. I watched this pair over two hours before I succeeded in locating the nest, which was at least 10 rods distant, and each time they returned to the tree the beetle met them and fought them off, frequently driving them from the trunk after they had succeeded in alighting. The male showed great anger, and his sharp, rapid chirping was almost incessant while in the vicinity of the tree. The beetle did not attempt to follow the birds, but tried to prevent their alighting upon or approaching the tree. I was very much interested, and can not now understand what was the cause of the antagonism existing between them. The nest, which I afterwards secured, was beautifully decorated, and the eggs somewhat incu- bated, usually the case where the nest is well covered, as much of the exterior decoration is done after the eggs are laid, and even after the young are hatched." In the Southern States fresh eggs may be looked for during the first two weeks in May, in the vicinity of Washington, District of Columbia, about June 10, and in New England and our Northern States in the latter part of tliis month or during the first half of July. Two eggs are laid to a set, one every other day, and these are frequently deposited before the nest is more than half completed, the female finishing it gradually after incubation has commenced, and sometimes adding additional lichens on the outside, even after the young have been hatched. Incubation lasts about fourteen days, and the female not only attends to this duty alone, but also appears to care for the young exclusively, which are large enough to leave the nest in about sixteen days. They are born blind, and do not open their eyes until they are about a week old. As soon as incubation commences the male appears to lose all interest in his spouse for the time being. 198 WFE HISTOEIBS OF NORTH AMERICAlSr BIRDS. and lets her attend to her family duties alone, leading an easy, careless life in the meantime. Although I have watched several nests of Hummingbirds containing young for hours - at a time, I have never yet seen a male feeding them. They gi'ow amazingly fast, and when about ten days old they are about as large as the parents. Their bills, however, grow proportionally much slower than their bodies. The young are fed by regurgitation. I have satisfied myself fully on this point, and have seen the female insert her bill almost for its full length in the throat of the nestlings, and watched her, with the aid of a strong glass, doing so repeatedly. When not in search of food she broods the young or sits on the rim of the nest preening her feathers. I believe two broods are frequently raised in a season, occasionally three perhaps, as fresh eggs have been found as late as August 7. An old nest is sometimes occupied for several seasons and remodeled each year; and should the nest and eggs be taken or destroyed, a second and occasionally even a third and fourth attempt at nesting is made within about a week, and sometimes these subsequent nests are built in the same tree again, or in others close by. The birds become very much attached to a locality once chosen for a home, and will return to it from year to year, not infrequently building a new nest on the top of the last year's one, or alongside of it. The female is very devoted to her young, and will occasionally resent an intruder's presence by darting at his face. The eggs of the Ruby-throated Hummingbird are pure white in color; the shell is close-grained, rather frail, and without luster. They are mostly elliptical oval in shape, but occasionally a specimen approaches an elliptical ovate, one end being somewhat smaller than the other. The average measurement of twenty-nine specimens in the United States National Museum collection is 12.95 by 8.50 millimetres, or about 0.51 by 0.33 inch. The largest egg of this series measures 14.48 by 9.14 millimetres, or 0.57 by 0.36 inch; the smallest, 12.19 by 8.38 millimetres, or 0.48 by 0.33 inch. The type specimen. No. 26914 (PI. 1, Fig. 27), from a set of two eggs, was taken by Dr. William L. Ralph, near Holland Patent, New York, on June 21, 1888, and represents an average egg of this species. 6g. Trochilus alexandri Bouecier and Mulsant. BIACK-CHINNED HUMMINGBIRD. Trochilus alexandri BoTJEOiER and Mulsant, Annales Societe d' Agriculture de Lyon, IX, 1846, 330. (B 102, 276, R 336, C 410, U 429.) Geographical range: Western North America; from the Pacific coast to the Rocky Mountains; north to southern British Columbia, on both sides of the Cascades and southern Alberta ?; east to western Montana, western Colorado, New Mexico, and western Texas; south through California and Arizona into northern Mexico; in winter to Lower California, the valley of Mexico, and the State of Guerrero, Mexico. The Black-chinned Hummingbird, also known as the "Purple-throated" and "Alexandre's" Hummingbird, is rather irregularly distributed throughout the western United States, and, while exceedingly abundant in some localities, in THE BLAGK-GHINNED HUMMINGBIED. 199 others, apparently equally well suited, it is comparatively rare. It has not yet been recorded, so far as I am aware, from any point west of the Cascade Moun- tains in Oregon and Washington, and, in fact, it must be considered as rather rare throughout the eastern portion of these States and Idaho. Mr. John Fannin, curator of the Provincial Museum at Victoria, British Columbia, in his "Check List of British Columbia Birds," says: "Confined to the mainland; both slopes of the Cascades." Mr. R. S. Williams took a single specimen at Columbia Falls, Montana, on May 27, 1893, and a few others were seen subsequently. He writes me: "In this State they do not appear to breed east of the Rocky Mountains." Mr. Frank M. Drew records it from Colorado, where it has been observed up to 6,000 feet, and Mr. C. F. Morrison, in a list of birds of La Plata County, in the same State, reports it as common and breeding, saying: "A nest shown me contained three eggs."^ There are specimens in the United States National Museum collection from New Mexico, Arizona, Cahfornia, Nevada, Utah, and Texas. In the latter State Mr. H. P. Attwater has found it nesting at San Antonio, and Mr. William Lloyd in Tom Green and Concho counties, which places mark about the eastern limits of its breeding range. It is only a summer visitor in the United States and British Columbia, and breeds wherever found. Throughout the greatei portions of Arizona, southern Utah, and southern and southeastern California it breeds abundantly, and is apparently as much at home in the hot valleys bordering the Colorado Desert as in the higher Sierra Nevadas, where Lieut. H. C. Benson, Fourth Cavalry, United States Army, took fom' of its nests and eggs on May 29, 1892, in the Sequoia National Park, at an altitude of over 9,000 feet; while in semitropical San Diego County, California, judging from the number of breed- ing records I have, it is, if anything, still more common. Mr. F. Stephens writes me: "I have taken the nest and eggs of the Black- chinned Hummingbird near Fort Bayard, New Mexico, in 1876, where this species is rather common, and it is an abundant summer resident of southern California, below the pine zone. I have also found a set of eggs of this species near San Bernardino, California, laid in a nest of the House Finch, Carpodacus mexicanus frontalis. No lining had been added, or an}- other changes made ; the bird evidently was in haste to lay, her nest, perhaps, having been suddenly destroyed." The general habits of the Black-chinned Hummingbird are very similar to those of the eastern Ruby-throat. Ordinarily it makes its appearance along our southern border early in March, returning south about the 1st of October. Its call notes and actions during the mating season resemble those of the former, and, like it, the bulk of its food consists of minute insects. Mr. R. H. Lawrence writes me: "On June 18 and 19, 1894, in Los Angeles County, California, the Black-chinned as well as Anna's and Costa's Humming- birds were very common in a little tract of wild tobacco, Nicotiana glaiica, of • The Ornithologist aud Oologist, Vol. XXII, 1888, p. 107. 200 LIFE HISTORIES OF NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. about 2 J acres in extent, situated at the southern slope of a swale or draw on Angelano Heights. These trees bear clusters of slender, yellow, tube- shaped flowers, and are from 12 to 20 feet in height; the tract is known as 'Hummer's Patch.' I saw from seventy to eighty Hummingbirds here in less than two hours, during the hottest part of the day. Many are killed by the boys with spring and air guns in pure wantonness. No nests were found, and males appeared to be more abundant than females. I also found these three species very common in the dry wash of Saw-Pit River, in the same county. Here they were attracted by a bright red flower (Delphinium cardinalis) growing on a clean, slender, juicy stalk, from 2 to 6 feet high This plant was abundantly scattered among the low bushes of a level tract of a few acres, and appeared to be a favorite feeding place for different species." In the vicinity of Tucson, Arizona, where this species is common, I have frequently seen it feeding in the flowers of the mescal {Agave americana), as well as in those of several species of yuccas, undoubtedly attracted by the numerous small insects harbored by them. Two nests, with young, probably three or four days old, were found by me saddled on willow branches, on the banks of RiUito Creek, on May 30, 1872, one 4, the other 7 feet from the ground. In southern California nidification commences ordinarily about the latter part of April or the beginning of May, but I have seen it stated that a set of eggs has been found near Los Angeles, California, as early as February 6, possibly a misidentification, the nest really belonging to Calypte anna, which is well known to occasionally breed this early. Throughout the greater part of their range, however, it rarely begins laying before May 1, and the season is at its height through this month, while second or possibly third sets are found up to the latter part of July, and occasionally still later. The nest is readily distinguishable from that of the Ruby-throated Hummingbird by not being covered on the outside with lichens. It is composed of plant down, varying in color from white to buff; the latter is obtained from the under side of the young leaves of the sycamore, the former probably from willows, milkweed, or thistles. These materials are well worked together, and the outside of the nest is thickly coated with spider web. In an occasional specimen a small leaf or two, or a few flower blossoms of the oak are worked in the outer walls. In a specimen from Marfa, Texas, the outside is well covered with small flower spikes, the male aments of a species of oak, hiding the inner lining completely. A beautiful nest now before me, taken by Mr. F. Stephens, near Owens Lake, Inyo County, California, No. 24329, United States National Museum collection, is mainly composed of white willow down, mixed on the outside with a few small leaves and the scales from the willow buds ; these are firmly held in place by an abundance of spider web, with which it is also seciu-ely attached to the little fork in which it is saddled. The outer diameter of this nest is about 1| inches by 1 inch in depth; the inner cup is 1 inch in diameter by five- eighths of an inch deep; and while some specimens before me are a trifle larger, others are considerably smaller. Nests taken in the Sequoia National Park, in THE BLACK-CHINNED HUMMINGBIEI). 201 Tulare County, California, have perceptibly thicker walls than those from the warmer lowlands, and are also correspondingly larger. The nests are either saddled on a small, drooping branch or on a fork, one or two of the smaller twigs composing this usually being incorporated in the walls and holding it securely in place. Many of the nests resemble small, fine sponges, and are equally elastic, readily regaining their shape after being squeezed together. They are generally placed from 4 to 8 feet from the ground, mostly in the shrubbery found near small creeks or springs, and frequently their nests overhang the water or the dry creek bed. Alders, cottonwoods, oak, sycamore, laurel, and willows are most often selected for nesting sites, as well as young orchards, especiall}' apple and orange trees, where they are available. Tn the more southern portions of the range of the Black-chinned Hum- mingbird fresh eggs are occasionally found by May 1, and as late as the beginning of August. Although most of our Hummingbirds invariably lay but two eggs to a set, nests of this species now and then contain three, all evidently laid by the same female, and such instances do not appear to be especially rare. Three sucli cases have come to my knowledge within the last few years. Dr. C Hart Merriam found a set of three in the lower Santa Clara Valle}', Utah, in May, 1891. Mr. F. Stephens took another at Olancha, Inyo County, California, on May 16, 1891, which is now in the United States National Museum collec- tion, and Mr. Fred. H. Fowler obtained still another near Fort Bowie, Arizona, in the spring of 1893. The eggs of the Black-chinned Hummingbird resemble those of the Ruby- throat in shape and color, but average a trifle smaller. The average measurement of fifty-three specimens in the United States National Museum collection is 12.67 by 8.31 millimetres, or about 0.60 by 0.33 inch. The largest egg of the series measures 13.72 by 8.64 millimetres, or 0.54 by 0.34 inch; the smallest, 11.94 by 8.13 millimetres, or 0.47 by 0.32 inch. The type specimen. No. 24257 (not figured), from a set of three eggs, was taken by Mr. F. Stephens, on May 16, 1891, near Olancha, Inyo Count)-, Cali- fornia, the nest being saddled on a small twig of an apple tree in a young orchard, about 7 feet from the ground. 70. Trochilus violajugulum Jeffries. VIOLET-THROATED HUMMINGBIRD. Trochilus violajugulum Jeffries, Auk, V, April, 1888, 168. (B — , — , E — , — , U 429.1. ) Geographical range: Southeru California (Santa Barbara County). The Violet-throated Hummingbird was first described by the late J. Amory Jeffries in "The Auk" (Vol. V, 1888, pp. 168, 169), from a specimen, a male, shot near Santa Barbara, California, on April 5, 1883, and the type, I believe, still remains unique. Nothing whatever is known regarding its habits or the extent of its range. It appears to be a perfectly good species, and was probably a straggler from the south. 202 LIFE HISTOEIBS OF KORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. 71. Calypte costae (Bourcier). COSTA'S HUMMINGBIRD. Ornismya costce Bourcier, Revue Zoologique, ii, 1839, 294. Calypte costce Gould, Monograph of the Trochilidse, Part XI, 1856, and Vol. Ill, 1861, PI. 134. (B 106, C 280, R 337, 415, U 430.) Geographical range: Western North America; north to southern California, southern Nevada, and southwestern Utah; east to western and through southern Arizona to southwestern New Mexico; south to Lower California and northwestern Mexico to Mazatlan, Sinaloa, Mexico. The northern limits of the range of Costa's Hummingbird have recently been considerably extended, and it is now known to be a common summer resident in southeastern California, at least as far north as Owens Valley, Inyo County, in about latitude 36° 20'; it reaches a slightly higher latitude in southern Nevada, while the northernmost point of its range, as far as known, is to be found in the extreme southwestern corner of Utah, on the eastern slopes of the Beaverdam Mountains, where Dr. C. Hart Merriam found it common among the junipers, somewhat north of the thirty-seventh parallel.^ On the west coast of California it has as yet only been taken as far north as Ventura County, and it is evidently rare there. In Arizona it seems to be distributed over the vs^estern half of the territory, as well as over most of the southern sections. Its breeding range is coextensive with its geographical dis- tribution in the United States. The majority of Costa's Hummingbirds appear to be only summer residents within the United States. Mr. W. W. Price, a careful and reliable observer, states, however, that it winters in limited numbers in southern California; and the fact that he found a nest of this Hummingbird containing young as early as January 28, 1887, near Riverside, in San Bernardino Couaty, seems to confirm this, and I have no doubt that other species also winter in suitable localities in the Colorado Desert, in the vicinity of the few springs and water holes found there. Dr. Edgar A. Meams, United States Army, found this Hummer quite common at Tinachas, in southwestern Arizona, near the head of the Gulf of California, between February 16 and 21, 1894, and collected a number of specimens there. Its general habits do not differ much from those of the other members of this family found within our borders, excepting that it is somewhat more of a desert-loving species, and it seems to show a special preference for the few water holes and springs in the barren mountain ranges in southeastern California east of the Sierra Nevadas. In such localities it appears to be far more common than in the better v,ratered and more fertile portions of the southwestern parts of the State. Dr. A. K. Fisher says: "Costa's Hummingbird is the common species of the desert valleys and mountains of southern California and Nevada. * * * In the Argus Range, California, the species was very common at Maturango ' North American Fauna, No. 7, 1893, pp. 56-58. COSTA'S HUMMINGBIRD. 203 Spring, and in Shepherd Canyon, where several nests were found in low bushes along the edges of the canyon. * * * At Coso the species was also very abundant, and several of its nests were found. Various kinds of plants were used as nesting sites, though the branching cactus (Opuntia echinocarpa) was most commonly chosen. Usually the structure was placed on the top of a lower branch, a foot or so from the ground, and under an overhanging mass of thick, spiny branches, which formed a protection for the parent bird from the sun and weather as well as its enemies. At Coso one of these Hummers wiis seen on a bright moonlight evening hovering about a bunch of flowers, and was heard again later in the same night. * * * Just at daylight, on the morning of June 25, before the shadow had risen out of Wild Rose Canyon, a Costa's Hummingbird came and hovered within a foot of our camp fire, prob- ably mistaking it, from the distance, for a bunch of bright-colored flowers. It was observed on several occasions that any bright-colored object placed in a conspicuous position attracted this bird."^ Mr. F. Stephens writes me regarding Costa's Hummer as follows: "I have found this species breeding in a gulch at the edge of the river bottom near the Grila River, New Mexico, a few miles below old Fort West. In this case I saw the male assisting in building the nest. I distinctly saw him fly to a spider web and gather it in or on his bill while on the wing. He appeared to be winding it about his bill, but I can not be certain of this. When no more of the web was left in sight, he flew a few yards across the gulch, and I saw he was busy at the nest, which I had not seen before. The date was about the end of May, 1876. In southern California this species breeds on the desert side as early as February, but on the coast side not until May. They range and nest up into the pines, but are most common in the foothills. They prefer certain canyons for nesting, and I know at least one canyon where I could be reasonably certain of getting half a dozen or more sets in two hours' search in the latter part of May. The nests of this species are not as compactly built as those of Trochilus alexandri." Mr. R. H. Lawrence writes me from Los Angeles, California, as follows: "On May 21, 1893, 1 fi>und a half-finished nest of what I took to be Calypte costcB, with the female working on it. On the 25th, at 9 a. m., it contained one egg, and on May 26, at dusk, it held two. On June 9 the eggs were still unhatched; the young hatched on the 11th. On June 23, 1894, in the mouth of Saw- Pit Canyon, I found a nest of this Hummer on the end of the lower branch of a sycamore. It was about 4 feet from the ground and near running water, well hidden under a thick canopy of sycamore leaves, which came down to within 2 inches of it, so close as to several times give the female some trouble to perch upon the nest. The nest was placed on the forks of a branch, and made of the down of sycamore leaves and of cobwebs. It held two very young birds. On June 25 I again visited it, and waited to see the mother feed the young ones. I finally found I could stand within 4 feet of the nest, and removed several of the leaves of the canopy for a better view. It was then ' North American Fauna, No. 7, 1893, pp. 56-58. 204 LIFE HISTORIES OF NOETH AMERICAN BIRDS. about 12.45 p. m.; the day was warm. The parent's trips were not frequent. She fed the young by touching the poin t of her bill to the tips and sides of the bills of her youngsters, as if to urge or invite them to stir and open their mouths, not inserting her bill over one-fifth or one-fourth of its length. Once she thrust it down half its length into the throat of one nestling, who then clung to it to the very last moment of its withdrawal, apparently reluctant to let the very smallest particle of the regurgitated food miss its way or remain on the parent's bill. The performance was rather ludicrous, as both old and young, especially the youngsters, went through many wriggling and squirming motions. The parent certainly once, upon returning to the nest, brooded the young ones for a little while, and then fed one before leaving the nest. It was interesting to watch the female raise her crown feathers when settled into a more comfort- able position in the nest, and then, upon being alarmed by me, flatten the feathers down, her eyes sparkling with fright. If I winked an eye she was startled, as I stood so near. Once, upon her return, settling down to brood the youngsters, she kept up for some moments a kind of paddling motion, as if she were giving them a little massage treatment. Her respiration was very rapid after this exertion. Life with these atoms of sensitiveness must be at white heat always. The young were lying side by side, but headed in opposite dii'ec- tions. Both had voided excrement in one case, but the parent did not remove either deposit while I was there. Except for this and a piece of eggshell, the nest appeared clean. The young had a narrow strip of long hairs down the center of their backs. Their skins were a dark, dirty brown; bills were verj short, tipped with a point, and light colored; eyes were shut. No male parent was seen. The nest and contents were left undisturbed for future observations, if it is possible to visit it soon again." Mr. A. "W. Anthony found Costa's Hummingbird common in Lower Califor- nia, and writes me: "Just before I left the higher benches of the San Pedi-o Martir Mountains, on May 29, 1893, Calypte anna became rather common, and Calypte costce still more so; both showed signs of early breeding. Valley birds had raised one or more broods by that time. Could it be that these had bred in lower altitudes before coming here?" Mr. Anthony's surmise that these birds might have already reared one or even two broods in the lower and hotter valley regions is undoubtedly correct, as Mr. Walter E. Bryant, in his paper on the "Birds of Lower California," mentions finding a nest of this species on Santa Margarita Island, on January 17, 1888. This was placed on an almost leafless branch, 3 feet high, far from the water, and contained large young. Mr. B. T. Gault, in a recent letter says: "It may be a peculiarity of Hummers in general, but I found these birds to be exceedingly tame; indeed, it was almost impossible to keep them off their nests after they had been frightened from them; the female would persist in alighting on the nest even when an attempt was being made to sever the twig on which it was placed from the larger branch. Their extreme disregard for the presence of man was a little ahead of anything I had expected to see."^ ' For a more detailed account of the nesting habits of Costa's Hummer I refer the reader to Mr. Gault's article in The Auk, Vol. II, 1885, pp. 309-311. COSTA'S HUMMINGBIKD. 205 111 Inyo Couut}', California, Costa's Hummer seems to be very commonly found about the flowers of the squa^v cabbage, a species of Stanleya, also about wild rose, plum, or cherry bushes (Prunus) growing in the canyons, as well as about other shrubs and plants found in these desert regions. Nidification com- mences sometimes early in January; several of its nests and eggs have been taken in Los Angeles County, California, in February; throughout the greater portion of its range, however, it is at its height during April and May, and at least two broods are regularly raised in a season. Considering the small size of most of our Hummingbirds, sixteen days, or even fourteen only, appears to be an unusually long time to be required to hatch such a small egg, and it seems to be entirely out of proportion when compared with many larger birds, and in this respect this family shows its close relationship to the Swifts (Cypseli), Avhere incubation lasts still longer. The nests of Costa's Hummingbird do not compare favorably in architec- tural beauty with those of the preceding species; the materials used are not so thoroughly felted or quilted together, and the inner cup has ordinarily a rather slovenly appearance. It is externally composed of plant down or fine shreds of plant fiber ; the outer walls are thatched more or less profusely, in different specimens before me, with bits of gray lichens, fine shreds of bark, and small dry leaves, and these are securely fastened in place by spider web and silk obtained from cocoons. The inside is lined with plant down, and occasionally with finely shredded plant fibers and small, fluffy feathers. In some examples feathers are very prominent among the inner lining. An average specimen measures If inches in outer diameter by 1 inch in depth. The inner cup is about seven-eighths of an inch in diameter by one-half inch in depth. They are usually placed in low situations, from 1 to 6 feet from the ground, rarely higher, although Mr. W. E. D. Scott records one taken on May 5, 1882, near Riverside, in southern Arizona, from the extremity of a cottonwood branch 35 feet from the ground. In the desert regions of southeastern California various cacti, the different species of sage (Artemisici) and greasewood bushes (^Larrea), while in the canyons ash, sycamore, scrub oak, palo verde, cottonwoods, and willows, furnish their favorite nesting sites. The eggs resemble those of the preceding species in shape and color, but they are somewhat smaller. The average measurement of twenty-three specimens in the United States National Museum collection is 12.19 by 7.87 millimetres, or 0.48 by 0.31 inch. The largest egg measures 12.95 by 8.13 millimetres, or 0.51 by 0.32 inch; the smallest, 11.68 by 7.62 millimetres, or 0.46 by 0.30 inch. The type specimen, No. 24250 (not figured), from a set of two eggs, was taken by Dr. A. K. Fisher in Shepherd Canyon, in the Argus Mountains, California, on May 7, 1891, and the nest from which these eggs were obtained was placed on a little fork of a greasewood bush, 2 feet from the ground, very poorly built, and probably an old one from the previous year. 206 LIFE HISTOEIES OF NORTH AMBEICAN BIEDS. 72. Calypte anna (Lesson) ANNA'S HUMMINGBIRD. Ornismya anna Lesson, Supplement des Oiseaux Mouches, 1831, 115, PI. 7. Calypte anna Gould, Monograph of the Trochilidae, Pt. il, 1856, PL 5; and Vol. Ill, 1861, PI. 135. (B 105, C 279, E 338, C 415, U 431.) GrEOGEAPHiCAL KANGE : Western Forth America; north through southern and middle California to about latitude 41°; east to the Sierra Nevada; south to northern Lower California and Cerros Island, and through southern Arizona; in winter to northern Mexico. Casually? to Guadalupe Island, Mexico. The breeding range of Anna's Hummingbird, one of the handsomest species foimd in the United States, appears to be a rather restricted one, and, as far as known at present, seems to be confined to those regions of CaHfomia situated between the coast and the Sierra Nevadas, and to the northern half of Lower CaK- fornia. Quite a number of these birds winter regularly in southern California, while others pass, during their fall migration, through southern Arizona, and likely also tlirough southwestern New Mexico, en route to their winter haunts in north- ern Mexico. Mr. H. W. Henshaw met with Anna's Hummingbird in the vicinity of Camp Grrant, Arizona, during the last week of September, 1873, while they were evidently migrating, and Mr. W. E. D. Scott obtained a single specimen in the Santa Catalina Mountains, in the same territory, on October 1, 1883. If it should prove to be a summer resident in Arizona, its nests and eggs must be looked for in the canyons of the mountains at altitudes of from 5,000 to 7,000 feet. It usually returns to its breeduig grounds very early in the spring. Its general habits, food, etc., resemble those of the other species already rather fully described, and the breeding season begins occasionally in February and lasts into July, during which time two, if not three broods are raised. Mr. Charles A. Allen, of Nicasio, California, writes me: "The male Anna's Hummingbird has a very nice little song; it may often be seen perched on some prominent twig or a telegraph wire singing away for dear life. Its simple little lay sounds like 'te-uit, te-uit, te-wieu, wieu, wieu,' repeated over and over again, and when angry it utters a very harsh, rasping screech. In this vicinity it is migratory, usually arriving about the second week in February." Mr. F. Stephens sent me the following notes on this species: "When I first came to California I confused the females of this species with those of Trochilus alexandri, and thought that Calypte anna was a summer resident in tlie valleys. Others appear to have made the same mistake. My present belief is that Calypte anna seldom or never breeds below the pine region of the mountains of southern California, except possibly immediately along the coast, and of this I have no certain knowledge. I do know the species is found, though rather rarely, in the pines in May and June. It is an abundant winter resident in the valleys. ANNA'S HUMMINGBIED. 207 Lately (September 27, 1892, at San Diego) I heard the song of this species. It was harshe]' tlian the song of Trochilus alexandri or Cahjpte costcB and could be heard further." Mr. RolloH. Beck, of Berryessa, California, says: "Anna's Hummingbird is a common summer resident here, and a few remain through the winter. I often notice these birds hunting for spiders among the evergreen trees near my home ; they frequently visit the flowers about the houses in the valleys, and they also have an abundance of wild ones to select from in the hills, from the time they arrive in the spring until they leave in the fall. In March, when the Australian or blue gum trees begin to blossom, this Hummer and the Rufus are very numer- ous, chasing each other from tree to tree all day long ; all the time uttering their notes of defiance or hatred. Although somewhat larger in size than the Rufus, I believe the latter generally gets the best of it." Mr. A. W. Anthony has kindly sent me the following notes on Calypte anna: "A nest of this species was found at San Quentin, Lower California, in a cholla cactus growing within a few feet of the bay. A piece of cotton was pushed down over the eggs to prevent their rolling out, and nest and all trans- ferred to a box in my game bag. Upon arriving at my tent, an hoiir later, I was somewhat disgusted to find one of the eggs pipped, and realizing the difficulty of making a presentable specimen of it, was on the point of throwing it away, when a movement on the part of the tiny creature within the shell suggested to my mind that I hatch the e^g and find out for myself how baby Hummingbirds come into the world. So far there was but a pin point broken, the rest of the shell being intact; and it was several minutes before the warmth of my hand, aided by my breath, produced another movement upon the part of the prospective Hummer; first a feeble struggle, followed by an interval of rest; another squirm, and the point of the bill came in view and was withdrawn; after a moment's rest a new system was adopted, which consisted of turning around in the shell from right to left, and cutting a clean, smooth opening with the sharp, horny tip on the upper mandible; this operation was evidently hard work, and required all the strength of the little mite, and frequent rests were necessary to recruit. Sometimes an interval of twisting seemed to accomplish nothing, and it would look as if all its struggles would be in vain, and I wondered whether the parent would not render a little much-needed assistance at this stage; but after an interval of rest the work would be continued with renewed vigor and another millimetre cut toward the outer world. The cutting was all done in the same direction, a.nd after about ten minutes I was obliged to turn the Qg^ over in my hand in order to watch the proceedings, as by that time the opening had been cut about half way around, bringing the chick's bill nearly underneath and in the palm of my hand. When the shell had been cut four-fifths aroimd, the chick succeeded in getting one claw hooked over the edge of the break, and by one or two vigorous pushes broke the remaining shell, leaving in my hand two nearly equal parts of what had been a Hummingbird's egg, and a squirming something that bore no semblance whatever to one of the peerless members of 208 LIFE HISTORIES OP NORTH AMERICAN RIBDS. the genus Calypte. The entire operation of hatching, from the time I discovered that the agg was pipped, consumed about fifteen minutes. " In Lower Cahfornia the nesting season extended from January to June, and perhaps longer. One of the nests found by me near my camp at Valladares, Lower California, was built within 8 feet of a blacksmith's forge, where the smoke constantly obscured nest, bird, and all; but the structure was finished and the eggs laid in spite of "the noise and confusion." Besides spiders, small insects, etc., and the nectar of difi'erent kinds of flow- ers, Anna's Hummingbird is said to be extremely fond of the sap of the willow {Salix lariolepis), and it has also been observed hovering about the punctures made by the Red-breasted Sapsucker (Sphyrapicus ruber) in fruit orchards. Nidification, as already stated, begins very early in California, occasionally in January, but more often in February, and, as a rule, but few of the first nests are found. The second sets find their way into collections more frequently, however, and the season for these is at its height in April or the first half of May. At this time they retire farther into the foothills and nest mostly among the shrubbery along the numerous small creeks found in the canyon-s of the mountains, following up the flowers, in which they find a considerable portion of their daily food, and which usually bloom somewhat later in such localities. The nests of Anna's Hummingbird also differ somewhat from those of the previously described species in their general make-up, and can in most cases be readily distinguished from them. The inner walls are likewise composed of various kinds of plant down, that found on the under side of the leaves of sycamore being perhaps most frequently used, while willow and thistle down enters less often into their composition. Some of the early nests are almost entirely composed of the flowers of the Eucalyptus, the Australian gum tree. The outer walls are covered with soft green tree mosses and lichens, principally the former, and these are held firmly in place by spider webs and cocoons. The inner cup is lined with fine plant down and a few soft, fluffy feathers (apparently those of the female) and occasionally with fur. A well-preserved, average-sized specimen, taken near Santa Cruz, Cahfornia, on May 14, 1872, measures about If inches in outer diameter by IJ inches in height; the inner cup is 1 inch in diameter by five-eighths of an inch in depth; while one kindly sent me by Mr. C. Barlow, of Santa Clara, California, taken by him on February 11, 1894, containing two slightly incubated eggs, has much thicker walls and is profusely lined with soft feathers of the Western Bluebird. It was saddled on a hori- zontal twig of a cypress about half an inch thick and 16 feet from the ground. He writes: "This was the first Anna's Hummingbird's nest found by me in 1894. On the same day several pairs were seen and one pair was found to be building on the remains of a last year's nest, which contained fresh eggs on February 21. At this season of the year it is usually rainy; the sun generally rises bright, but is soon obscured by clouds. I noticed that a large majority of these early nests were built on the east side of the trees, which appeared to me as being done perhaps so as to catch the rays of the sun while it shone for per- ANNA'S HUMMINGBIRD. 209 haps an hour. Later on the nests were built almost anywhere. As a rule, the early Hummers here build in cypress (often called 'cedar') trees, and the nests are usuall}' lined with feathers. I sujDpose this is due to the lack of vegetable down, which is ])lentiful later, for I have never found a late nest lined with feathers. A nest found on February 22 was lined with red cow hair and looked quite odd. Other of these early nests were lined with Western Bluebird's or Western Robin's feathers, while one contained a large feather of some Owl." The nests are most often placed on low branches or twigs overlianging water courses, in sycamore, maple, cottonwood, alder, or sumach trees or bushes, at no great distance from the water; and again they may be found in cypress, Australian blue gum, elder, box elder, and in orchard trees, such as orange, peach, and plum. In Lower California Mr. A. W. Anthony found it also nesting in cholla cactus. Nests are sometimes placed within a foot of the ground, and others fully 35 feet up, the average being from 8 to 15 feet. They may be saddled on a small, drooping limb, or placed in the forks of small twigs; in either case they are substantially built structures and well secured to their surroundings. Only two eggs are laid to a set, and these, like all Hummingbird's eggs, are dull white in color and elliptical oval in shape. Incubation lasts from four- teen to sixteen days, and the male does not assist in this duty. The average measurement of twenty-four specimens is 13.29 by 8.76 milli- metres, or about 0.52 by 0.34 inch. The largest egg measui-es 14.22 by 8.89 millimetres, or 0.56 by 0.35 inch; the smallest, 12.70 by 8.38 millimetres, or 0.50 by 0.33 inch. The type sjjecimen. No. 21748 (not figured), from a set of two eggs, Ben- dire collection, was taken by Mr. William A. Cooper, near Santa Cruz, Cali- fornia, on May 14, 1872. 73. Selasphorus floresii Gould. FLORESrS HUMMINGBIED. Selasphorus floresii Gould, Monograph of the Trochihdfe, Pt. XXIII, September 1, 1861, PI. 10; and Vol. 3, 1861, PL 139. (B _, C — , E — , C — , U 431.1.) Geographical range: Southwestern Mexico,, Jalisco, and Oaxaca; accidental to California. Floresi's Hummingbird or Flame-bearer, an exquisitely plumaged species, can be considered only as an accidental straggler within the borders of the United States, and still remains very rare in collections. It was obtained at Bolanos, Oaxaca, Mexico, in 1845, and remained unique for some time. More recently it has been reported from the State of Jalisco, and Mr. Walter E. Bryant found a specimen in a taxidermist's shop in San Francisco, California, 16896 -No. 3 U 210 LIFE HISTOEIES OF NOETH AMERICAN BIRDS. which had been mounted as a hat bird; he was assured that it had been killed near that city, which entitles it to a place in om- fauna.^ Nothing appears to be known as yet regarding the life history of this hand- some species. 74. Selasphorus platycercus (Swaikson). BROAD-TAILED HUMMINGBIRD. Trochilus platycercus Swainson, Philosophical Magazine, 1, 1827, 441. Selasphorus platycercus Bonaparte, Conspectus Avium, I, 1850, p. 82. (B 104, C 278, R 339, C 413, U 432.) Geographical range: Mountain regions of western ISTorth America; north in the United States to Wyoming and Idaho; east to the eastern slopes of the Rocky Mountains and adjacent ranges in Colorado and New Mexico; west to the Sierra Nevada and western Arizona, as well as in the intervening regions; south through Arizona, southern New Mex- ico, and western Texas, over the Mexican tablelands to Guatemala, Central America. The Broad-tailed or Rocky Mountain Hummingbird is pretty generally distributed throughout the various mountain systems between the eastern slopes of the Rocky Mountains and the Sierra Nevadas. It can only be considered as a summer resident in the United States, retiring over the table-lands of Mexico southward to Guatemala in winter. It usually makes its appearance along our soutliern border in Arizona and New Mexico early in March, and returns south in the latter part of September or the beginning of October. As far as yet known, it reaches the northern limits of its range in southern Wyoming and Idaho, and is an exceedingly abundant species throughout the mountains of Nevada, Utah, Colorado, New Mexico, and Arizona. The Sierra Nevadas seem to form the western boundary of its range, and it apparentlj- does not occur west of these mountains in California. In June, 1876, while en route from Camp McDermit, Nevada, to Camp Harney, Oregon, I observed several Hummingbirds among the willows beside a little brook along the southern slopes of Steen's Mountain, in southern Oregon, which I am almost certain belonged to this species, but not being prepared for collecting, I was unable to secure speci- mens. Dr. C Hart Merriam records a specimen taken at Big Butte, Idaho, which is located in about the same latitude, on July 19, 1890, and I have no doubt that its range will yet be extended into southeastern Oregon. I also met with this species as a rare summer resident in the foothills of the Santa Catalina Mountains, in southern Arizona, and obtained a single nest containing two nearly fresh eggs, placed on a small Cottonwood twig in a canyon, about 3 feet from the ground, at an altitude of about 4,800 feet, on June 11, 1872. It did not appear to breed in the valley of Rillito Creek. In eastern Colorado it appears to be the only representative of this family, and is exceedingly abundant. Mr. W. G. Smith writes me from Lariiner County, in this State: "The Broad-tailed Plummer is common in the mountains from 'Forest and Stream, Vol. 26, p. 426. THE BEO AD-TAILED HUMMINGBIED. 211 7,000 feet up to timber line, nesting almost everywhere between these points; and a large pine tree seems to answer equally well for a nesting site as a small bush. In trees the nest is frequently saddled on a large limb, but it is more often placed in low bushes, particularly on willow branches overhanging water. The male has a curious habit of flying up almost perpendicularly, 100 feet or more, in the vicinity of the selected nesting site, and he frequently repeats this performance three or four times in succession before alighting on some dead limb. The female is very loath to leave her eggs, and if driven off will return again directly, even though the intruder's hand is placed within a few inches of the nest." As far as my limited observations go, all of our Hummingbirds indulge in this perpendicular flight during the nesting season, and not a few of the nests were found by me while watching these bu-ds go through this performance, which is not alone confined to the male ; the female also does it. On the first arrival of this species in the spring it is comparatively common in the lower foothills and valleys, and unquestionably breeds here. By the time the young are large enough to leave the nest the majority of the flowers have ceased blooming, and as the country begins to dry up more and more these Humming- birds retire to higher altitudes in the mountain parks, AA-here everything is now as green and bright looking as it was in the lower valleys two or three months earlier. Here they raise their second broods under nearly similar conditions as the first; the former are by this time well able to take care of themselves and can be seen frolicking about everywhere. These vertical migrations, if they can be called such, frequently account for the entire disappearance of certain species in summer from localities where they may have been exceedingly numerous a couple of months earlier, and the gradual diminution or actual scarcity of the food supply plainly accounts for the sudden change in their habitat. Mr. Robert Ridgway writes: "The flight of this Hummingbird is unusually rapid, and that of the male is accompanied by a curious screeching buzz Avhile it is followed through an undulating course. Long before the author of this curious sound was detected its source was a mystery to us. This shrill, screech- ing note is heard only when the bird is passing rapidly through the air, for w^hen hovering among the flowers its flight is accompanied by only the usual muffled hum common to all the species of the family."^ According to Dr. C. Hart Merriam, the Broad-tailed Hummer is very abun- dant in the balsam belt and the upper parts of the pine belt in the San Francisco Mountain region in Arizona. In "North America Fauna," No. 3, 1890 (p. 93), he says: "A nest containing two nearly fledged young was found on the limb of a Douglas fir, about 4 feet from the ground, July 31. The principal food plant of this Hummingbird is the beautiful scarlet trumpet flower of Pentstemon harbatus torreyi. During the latter part of August and early September, after it had ceased flowering, these birds were most often seen in the beds of the large Blue Larkspur (Delphinium scopulorum). They wake up early in the morning 'U. S. Geological Explorations of the 40th Parallel, 1877, p. 561. 212 LIFE HISTOEIES OF NOETH AMERICAN BIRDS. and go to water at daylight, no matter how cold the weather is. During the month of August, and particularly the first half of the month, when the morn- ings were often frosty, hundreds of them came to the spring to drink and bathe at break of day. They were like a swarm of bees, buzzing about one's head and darting to and fro in every direction. The air was full of them. They Avould drop down to the water, dip their feet and bellies, and rise and shoot away as if propelled by an unseen power. They would often dart at the face of an intruder as if bent on piercing the eye with their needle-like bill, and then poise for a moment almost within reach before turning, when they were again lost in the busy throng. Whether this act was prompted by curiosity or resentment I was not able to ascertain. Several were seen at the summit of the mountain during the latter part of August. They were found also at the Grand Canyon of the Colorado September 12 to 15. They began to leave the moun- tain during the first week in September, and none were seen after the middle of the mouth." The flowers of the Scrophularia, Ocotilla, Agave americana, and numerous others, have great attractions for them owing to the quantities of small insects which they harbor. In the more southern portions of their range nidification commences late in April or the beginning of May, but most of these early sets are generally overlooked, while the second sets are usually laid about the first two weeks in June, and nesting continues throughout July in portions of their range. Mr. Robert Ridgway obtained two nests of this species with eggs in Parley's Park, Utah, on July 23, 1869; they were placed in willows growing beside a stream. Nests from different localities vary considerably in make-up as well as in size. Nests saddled on good-sized limbs, like those often found in the moun- tains of Colorado, are occasionally almost as large again as others placed on small twigs. One now before me, from the Ralph collection, taken by Mr. William G. Smith, at Pinewood, Colorado, on June 23, 1892, measures 2 inches in outer diameter by 1| inches in depth, while one taken by Mr. Ridgway, in Parley's Park, Utah, on July 23, 1869, measures only 1| by 1 inch outside measurement. The difference in size of the inner cups of these two nests is even more noticeable, the former measuring 1 inch by three-fourths of an inch, the latter three-fourths by one-half of an inch. While the walls of both of these nests are mainly composed of willow or cottonwood down, their outer covering is entirely dissimilar. The outside of the larger one is profusely covered with small bits of lichens, like the nest of the Ruby-throat; the smaller one is deco- rated with shreds of bark, fine leaves, and dry plant fibers, resembling more the nests of Costa's Hummingbird in this respect. The radical difference in the appearance of the nests is far greater than my simple description would indicate, and the s])ecimens themselves must be seen to have this difference fully appre- ciated. There is no doubt whatever of the correct identification of both, but their nests evidently vary greatly in difterent localities, and while frequently one can form a pretty good guess as to what species certain Hummingbirds' THE BROAD-TAILED HUMMINGBIRD. 213 nests belong, tn this instance at least it would be impossibL; to form n coi-rcct idea from the nest and eggs alone, without obtaining the parent. The innci- lining appears to be composed entirely of willow or cottonwood down, mid none of the specimens before me contain even a single feather. The outer coN'oring or thatching is firmly secured to the walls of the nest with spider webs or silk from cocoons. The majority of the nests of the Broad-tailed Hummingbird are placed on low, horizontal branches of willows, alders, cottonwoods, etc., at no great height from the ground, or overhanging small mountain streams, while others are saddled on boughs or limbs of pine, fir, spruce, or aspens, from 4 to 15 feet from the ground, rarely higher. Occasionally a nest may be placed on a curled-up piece of bark or on a splinter of a broken limb. The length of incu- bation is probably the same as that of our other species about which somewhat more is known, and two if not three broods are regularly raised in a season. The eggs, two in number, resemble those of the Ruby-throat in every respect, but are a trifle shorter. The average measurement of fifteen specimens in the United States National Museum collection is 12.70 by 8.33 millimetres, or about 0.50 by 0.33 inch. The largest egg measures 13.21 by 8.38 millimetres, or 0.52 by 0.33 inch; the smallest, 12.19 by 8.13 millimetres, or 0.48 by 0.32 inch. The type specimen, No. 26793 (not figured), from a set of two eggs, Ralph collection, was taken in Estes Park, Colorado, on June 10, 1892. The nest was placed in the forks of a willow twig, 4 feet from the groimd, near the banks of a little mountain brook. 75. Selasphorus rufus (Gmelin). RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRD. Trochilus rufus Gmelin, Systema Naturae, I, i, 1788, 497. Selasphorus rufus Gould, Monograpli of the Trocbilidae, III, 1852, PI. 137. (B 103, G 277, R 340, G 411, U 433.) Geographical range: Western North America; north through British Columbia to about latitude 61° in southern Alaska; east, in the United States, to the eastern slopes of the Rocky Mountains from Montana through Colorado to New Mexico, as well as in the intervening regions; south through California, Arizona, southern New Mexico, western Texas, and the table-lands of Mexico; in winter to Vera Cruz and Oaxaca, Mexico, and Lower California. The Rufous Hummingbird, also occasionally called "Rufous-backed," "Cin- namon," and "Nootka" Hummingbird, appears to be the most widely distributed species of the Trochilicla found on the North American continent, extending at least over 40° of latitude. It reaches somewhat farther north than the Rul)y- throated Hummingbird, and appears to be a tolerably common sunmier resi- dent in southern Alaska, where Dr. T. H. Bean found it nesting in the vicinitA' of Sitka on June 9. It has also been observed somewhat farther north on the Alaskan coast, in the vicinity of Mount St. Elias, in about latitude 61°; but 214 LIFE HISTORIES OF NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. how far it reaches into the interior of this territory is still unknown. In British Columbia it ranges well into the central parts of this province. Mr. R. MacFarlane, to whom we are indebted for so much information regarding North American ornithology in the far north, forwarded a nest and eggs, with the parent, to the United States National Museum. These were taken by him in the vicinity of Fort St. James on June 10, 1889, while en route to the Hudson Bay Com- pany's Post, on Stewart's Lake, in about latitude 54° 40'. It is quite likely that it also reaches the province of Alberta, as it is a moderately common summer resident in northern Idaho, where I found it breeding near Fort Lapwai on June 27, 1871, and Mr. R. S. Williams writes me from Columbia Falls, Montana, that he has found the Rufous Hummer in the valley of the upper Missouri River. Along the eastern slopes of the Rocky Mountains it appears to occur somewhat irregularly. Mr. Denis Gale writes me that he saw a single specimen of this Hummer in Boulder County, Colorado, while Mr. William Gr. Smith reports it as rare in Larimer County, but tolerably common in Arapahoe County, in the same State. Mr. Frank M. Drew reports it as breeding in the Rocky Mountains up to altitudes of 10,500 feet, while in the southern Sierra Nevadas it is even common above timber line. In our Northwestern States, in Oregon and Washington, especially west of the Cascades, as well as in some of the mountain regcions of California, northern Arizona, and New Mexico, the Rufous Hummingbird is a very common summer resident. I have never seen anything like such numbers of Humming- birds as I met in the vicinity of Fort Klainath, Oregon, about the time this species and the Calliope Hummer passed through there on their spring migra- tion. From the time the wild currant and gooseberry bushes (Riles) begin to flower (and they grow in great abundance among the open pine woods along all the streams in Klamath Valley) they swarm everywhere, and if they had only stayed quiet long enough to count them, I am sure as many as a thousand to the acre could have been found here ; they remain very abundant as long as these flowers last. I never saw anything like the numbers anywhere else. Their constant buzzing while flying from bush to bush, about each of which as many as a dozer were perhaps already hovering, and the glitter of their brilliant plumage as they flashed by, chasing each other, was a sight long to be remem- bered. Few of this species appeared to remain to breed; at any rate, I failed in finding a single one of their nests here, although I searched cai-efully for them. At Camp Harney, Oregon, along the southern slopes of the Blue Moun- tains, I found this species a rather rare summer resident along the outskirts of the pine forests. The Rufous Hummer generally reenters our southern border early in March, passing leisurely northward, and commences its winter migration again from the more northern parts of its range about the 1st of September. I do not believe that any remain within our borders throughout the year. In Oregon nidification begins occasionally by the second week in April, and a nest containing slightly incubated eggs was found by Dr. Chnton T. Cooke, near Salem, Oregon, on April 18, 1888, while in middle California it THE EUFOUS nUMMmGBlKD. 215 nests now and then nearly a month earlier. A specimen in my collection, taken by Mr. G. H. Ready, at Woods Lagoon, near Santa Cruz, California, c(jntained fresh eggs on March 25, 1875. Throughout the greater part of their range, excepting the more northern portions, the breeding season is at its height during the first two weeks in May and lasts well into July, and two broods are pi'obabl}^ raised regularly, excepting perhaps in northern British Columbia and southern Alaska. The nesting habits of the Rufous Hummingbird are ^'ery similar to those of the preceding species, and their nesting sites may be looked for in low bushes as well as on horizontal limbs of trees at various distances from the ground. One of the most complete and interesting articles on the life history of this species is that of Mr. H. W. Henshaw, in "The Auk" (Vol. Ill, l.S8(J, pp. 7G-78), who inclines to the belief that the majority of these birds on the upper Pecos River, New Mexico, breed in the upper limbs of the pines, and, although they were exceedingly abundant there, he only found a single nest, and this only after it had been deserted. I am also of the belief that in certain localiti'^^s they nest farther from the ground than Hummingbirds usually do. The onl)- nest found by me in the West was at Fort Lapwai, Idaho, as already stated. This was saddled on a little- fork of a dry cottonwood twig, overhanging a creek, about 15 feet above the water. Mr. A. W. Anthony writes" me: "I found the Rufous Hummingbird very abundant at Beaverton, Oregon. Here they nested to some extent in oaks, blackberry vines, and on dry roots projecting from upturned trees. One nest hung from the end of a tall fern, while others, drooping over it from above, hid the beautiful structure from all but accidental discovery. Tlieir favorite sites, however, seemed to be the long, trailing vines overhanging embankments and upturned trees. A number were found in railroad cuts ; frequently several nests were situated within a few feet of each other, a slight preference being shown to embankments having a southern exposure. One nest was found tliat had been placed on top of a last year's habitation, a mere rim being built to raise the sides, and a flooring being added to cover up a large pebble that could be plainly felt under the cotton lining. Fresh eggs were found here from May 1 to June 16." Dr. Clinton T. Cooke found one of their nests, near Salem, Oregon, on a drooping limb of an ash tree, 2U feet from the ground; others were found in waxberry and blackberry bushes. At Table Rock, in the Cascade Mountains, they were very abundant on July 5, 1887, feeding on a Costcllci/a, in blossom at the time. Mr. R. H. Lawrence met with the Rufous Hummingbird in various parts of AVashington, and writes me that it is very common there. His earliest record was March 9, when they had already .reached Ilwaco, in the southwestern part of the State. In southern California this species was noticed b}' him near Monrovia, on March 8, 1894, and at Duarte he often saw Rufous Hummers flitting about the blossom-laden orange trees, in company with other Hum- mers, in an orchard situated near the foothills. 216 LIFE HISTORIES OF I^OETH AMERICAN BIRDS. According to my observations, this Hummer seems to be especially pugna- cious, and is apparently more than a match for the other species with which it comes in contact, even if a trifle larger than itself. The nests of the Rufous Hummingbird resemble those of Anna's very closely in the general make-up, being lined inside with cotton down, while the outside is more or less profusely covered with fine mosses, shreds of bark, and occasionally a few lichens. An average nest measures 1^ inches in outer diameter by 1^ inches in depth; the inner cup is about seven-eighths of an inch in width by one-half inch deep. No feathers, however, are used in the inner lining in any of the specimens before me, as is frequently the case in the nests of Anna's Hummingbirds. Beside the trees, shrubs, etc., already mentioned, they are also occasionally placed in cypress, fir, and other conifers, wild currant, and salmonberry bushes. Mr. Clyde L. Keller, of Salem, Oregon, reports taking a set of three eggs of this species from a nest in a blackben-y bush, the only other instance known to me where this number has been found in a Hummingbird's nest, excepting those recorded under Trochihis alexandri. The eggs resemble those of our other Hummingbirds in color and shape. The average measurement of seventeen specimens in the United States National Museum collection is 12.61 by 8.40 millimetres, or about 0.50 by 0.33 inch. The largest egg measures 13.46 by 8.64 milhmetres, or 0.53 by 0.34 incli; the smallest, 11.94 by 8.13 millimetres, or 0.47 by 0.32 inch. The type specimen. No. 21745 (not figured), from a set of two eggs, Ben- dire collection, was taken by the writer near Fort Lapwai, Idaho, on June 27, 1871. 76. Selasphorus alleni Henshaw. ALLEN'S HUMMINGBIRD. Selasphorus alleni Henshaw, Bulletin Nuttall Ornithological Club, II, 1877, 53. (B _, — , E 341, C 412, U 434.) Geogeaphical range: Western North America; north to southern British Colum- bia; south through Washington, Oregon, California, and southern Arizona; in winter to northern Mexico and Lower California 1 The range of Allen's, also known as the "Green-backed," Hummingbird is not very well defined as yet; this is mainly caused by its strong resemblance to the preceding species, making it a very difficult matter to distinguish it positively on the wing, and Allen's Hummingbird is undoubtedly frequently mistaken for the Rufous. It appears to be only a summer resident in the United States and British Columbia, .and its breeding range is coextensive with its distribution. Allen's Hummingbird "was first discovered by Mr. Charles A. Allen, at Nicasio, California, and was subsequently described by Mr. H. W. Henshaw in the "Bul- letin of the Nuttall Ornithological Club" (Vol. II, 1877, p. 53). It is apparently not nearly as common as the Rufous Hummingbird, and comparatively few speci- mens have been taken outside of California. Mr. R. H. Lawrence records it ALLEN'S nUMMINGr.IRD. 217 from Gray's Harbor, Washington, as a summer resident, perliaps as common as SelaspJiorus rnfiis, and frequenting similar places. He first noticed it on the east Humptulips River, on April 30, 1891, among salmonberry and other flower- ing bushes. He writes me that the Edwards Brothers, taxidermists, of Taconui, Washington, exhibi'^ed a mounted pair of these birds and theii* j'oung in the nest, taken in that vicinity, at the exposition there in October, 1891. He; alsd met with it in different localities in southern California. On August 11, 1S1)4, he shot an adult female about 600 feet below the summit of Mount Wils(jn, which he kindly forwarded to the United States National Museum, and it Avas noticed by him as early as March 8 in the vicinity of Monrovia, California. In southern California it appears to be more a bird of the coast districts than of the interior, and here it is also somewhat irregularly distributed, being fairly abundant in some localities and apparently absent in otliers. Mr. W, E. D. Scott records a single specimen (an adult male) taken in the Santa Catalina Mountains, in southern Ai-izona, on July 23, 1884, at an altitude of 4,500 feet. How far south it ranges into Mexico or Lower California during its migrations is still unknown, as no specimens have as far as I have been able to ascertain, yet been obtained from any points in these regions. In its general habits, food, etc., it resembles our other Hummingbirds. Mr. F. Stephens writes me from San Diego County, California: "The migrating season of Selaspliorus alleni in spring is rather brief Possibly a few of these birds breed in the pine region, as I have taken adults and immature birds there at the end of June." Mr. Charles A. Allen, who discovered this species, and in whose honor it has been named, writes me: "Allen's Hummingbird arrives in the vicinity of Nicasio, California, about the middle of February, and commences to nest soon after arrival. The earliest date on which I found one was February 27, 1879; this was then about half finished, when a heavy storm set in which lasted about five days, and I did not visit the locality again imtil March 8, when the nest was completed and contained two fresh eggs. I have taken their nests as late as July 3, and am well convinced that two broods are raised in a season, at least by all of the earlier breeding birds. They select all sorts of situations and various kinds of trees and bushes to nest in. I have found their nests as low as 10 inches and again as high as 90 feet from the ground. Their courage is beyond question ; I once saw two of these little warriors start after a Western Red-tailed Hawk, and they attacked it so vigorously that the Hawk was glad to get out of their way. But these little scamps were even then not satisfied, but helped him along after he had decided to go. Each male seems to claim a particular range, which he occupies for feeding and breeding purposes, and every other bird seen by him encroaching on his preserve is at once so determinedly set upon and harrassed that he is only too glad to beat a hasty retreat. During their quarrels these birds keep up an incessant, sharp chirping, and a harsh, rasping buzzing with their wings, which sounds very different from Ihe low, soft humming they make with these while feeding. Every action and motion at such times indicates 218 LIFE HISTOEIES OP FORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. that they are as mad as can be; the poor Anna Hummers have to get out of their way pretty quickly at any time, but especially when they encroach on theu- breeding grounds. The males very often have quarrels among themselves, and are then very noisy, while the females are more orderly and quiet; but even they have occasional little misunderstandings with each other, especially when a pair meet while feeding on the same bush; one generally vacates the prem- ises very quickl}^, and as soon as she does all becomes quiet again. During the mating and breeding season the male ^frequently shoots straight up into the air and nearly out of sight, only to turn suddenly and rush headlong down until within a few feet of the ground. The wings during the downward rushes cut the air and cause a sharp, whistling screech, as they descend with frightful veloc- ity, and should they strike anything on their downward course I believe they would be instantly killed."^ All the nests and eggs of this species in the United States National Museum were taken by Mr. Allen near Nicasio, California; one of these, now before me, is attached to the side of a small oak limb which turns abruptly at an angle of about 45° directly over the cup of the nest, protecting it above; another is like- wise attached to the side of a small pendant oak twig, its base being supported by a bunch of moss. Some are securely saddled on small twigs of raspberry bushes, and several of these are usually incorporated in the walls of the nest. Occasionally they nest in hedges, on weed stalks, or on bushes overhanging water. The nests are well and compactly built, the inside being lined with vegeta- ble down, while the outer walls are composed of green tree mosses and a few bits of lichens, securely fastened in place with a spider web. Nests built on trees seem to be generally somewhat larger than those found in bushes. The average measurements of one of the former is IJ inches outer diameter and the same in depth; the inner cup is seven-eighths of an inch in width by three- fourths of an inch in depth. On the whole they resemble the nests of Anna's Hummingbird more than those of the Rufous, and appear to me to be better and more neatly built than either. , The eggs of Allen's Hummingbird resemble those of the other members of this family in color and shape, and are a trifle larger than those of the Rufous Hummingbird. The average measurement of fifteen specimens in the United States National Museum collection is 12.76 by 8.50 millimetres, or about 0.50 by 0.33 inch. The largest egg measures 13.97 by 8.89 millimetres, or 0.55 by 0.35 inch; the smallest, 12.45 by 8.13 millimetres, or 0.49 by 0.32 inch. The type specimen. No. 27009 (not figured), Ralph collection, from a set of two eggs, was taken near Nicasio, California, on April 13, 1893. ' A very interesting account of the habits of this species in captivity can be found in an article by Mrs. C. M. Crowell in the Ornithologist and Oologist fVol. 7, 1882, pp. 126-128). THE CALLIOPE UUMMINGBIRD. 219 77. Stellula calliope (Gould). CALLIOPE HUMMINGBIRD. Trochilus (Oalothorax) calliope GrOULD, Proceedings Zoological Society, 1847, 11. Stellula calliope Gould, Introduction to the Trochilidie, 1861, 90. (B — , C 282, E 343, 417, U 430.) Geographical kang-b: Mountainous regions of western North America; north to British Columbia, Idaho, and Montana; east to the Eocky Mountains; south, through Cal- ifornia, Arizona, and New Mexico, over the table-lands, to the Valley of Mexico and the State of Guerrero, Mexico. The Calliope Hummingbird is tlie smallest of the TrocliilidcB found within the United States ; but, notwithstanding its diminutive size, it is quite hardy, and, on the Pacific Coast at least, it is found 3° or 4° north of our boundary. In British Columbia, according to Mr. John Fannin, it is said to occur on Ijoth slopes of the Cascades, and it will undoubtedly yet be recorded from the Prov- ince of Alberta, as it is found both in northern Washington, Idaho, and Montana. I have taken it at Fort Colville, Washington, near tlie line; and have seen it on Pond d'Oreille Lake, in Idaho; while Dr. C. Hart Merriam took an adult female near Fort Ellis, Montana, on July 3, 1872, where it was undoubtedly breeding. Messrs. Richmond and Knowlton obtained an immature bird on August 12, 1888, at Bear Creek, and Mr. E. S. Williams records a specimen from Gold Run, in the Belt Mountains, on May 24, 1882; he writes me that he has also observed it near Columbia Falls, thus showing that this species is pretty generally dis- tributed over the more mountainous and western portions of the State of Montana. These points, according to our present knowledge, mark the northern limits of its known range. I have been unable to find any records of its occurrence in either Wyoming or Colorado; but as it is known to be a summer resident in various parts of both Utah and northern New Mexico, it will probably yet be found along the western slopes of the Rocky Mountains in these two States. It is known to occur in the mountains of California, Arizona, and New Mexico, as well as in suitable localities in the intervening regions, and as already stated extends southward over the table-lands of Mexico. Its breeding range is coex- tensive with its geographical distribution in the United States. The Calliope Hummingbird is a mountain-loving species, and during the breeding season is rarely met with below altitudes of 4,000 feet, and much more frequently between 6,500 to 8,000 feet. Its favorite resorts are the open timber found about the edges of mountain meadows and parks, and tlie rocky hillsides covered here and there with straggling pines and small aspen groves. Mr. F. Stephens writes me: '■^Stellula calliope is a rare summer resident in California, at least as far south as the San Bernardino Mountains, where I found two nests in 1885. Each contained young recently hatched. The fii'st nest was found May 24, in the canyon of the Santa Anna River, at about 3,000 feet alti- tude, which must be exceptionally low. The female was seen on the nest ; it was driven off and shot, and the skin preserved, so that the identification is unques- tionable. 220 LIFE HISTOEIES OF NORTH AMEEICAN BIRDS. "The nest was built on an old nest of TrocMlus costm, which is normal in com- position and location. The second nest was found Jime 23, at about 8,000 feet altitude, on the soutliern side of Mount Grayback, the highest peak of the San Ber- nardino range. It was built on a splinter of a knot, or short, broken branch, pro- jecting from the side of a large cedar, about 20 feet from the ground, and also contained young birds. The parent was shot as she flew from the nest, and preserved. This nest is different from the other, and is probably of the normal type. This species is not common even in the migrations." These are the most southern breeding records of which I have any knowledge. Mr. Charles A. Allen has taken its nests near Nicasio, California, and Mr Charles H. Townsend found it a common summer resident on the McCloud River; the first nest and eggs of this species were taken by the late Capt. John Feilner, First Dragoons, United States Army, on June 4, 1859, near Pitt River, Cali- fornia, and these are now in the United States National Museum collection. Captain Feilner, who was an ardent ornithologist and oologist, was subsequently killed by hostile Indians while in the pursuit of his favorite study. Although the Calliope Hummingbird is quite a common summer resident in suitable localities, its nests and eggs are still comparatively rare in collections. Both Dr. James C. Merrill, United States Army, and the writer found this Hummingbird quite common at Fort Klamath, Oregon, where I took several of its nests and eggs. Two of the former have been figured in Mr. Robert Ridgway's paper, "The Hummingbirds," in the "Report of the National Museum for 1890" (Pis. 2 and 3), and a quadruple nest of the same species taken .by Mr. Charles H. Townsend, near Baird, California, a most remarkable structure, is figured on PL 1 in the same publication. The Calliope Hummer made its appearance at Fort Klamath in 1883 about May 9, possibly a few dajT-s earlier, or about the time the wild currant and gooseberry bushes began to blossom, and by the middle of the month I have seen hundreds in a morning's walk. While Selasphorus rufus was also quite com- mon at the same time, I believe this species outnumbered it about three to one. Although I searched for their nests most carefully, several weeks passed before I succeeded in finding one, and then its discovery was accidental. I had taken quite a long walk along the banks of Fort Creek on June 1 0, and, the day being a hot one, sat down with my back resting against the trunk of a bushy black pine whose lower limbs had been killed by fire; while resting thus one of these Hummers buzzed repeatedly about my head for a few seconds at a time, and then rose perpendicularly in the air, only to repeat the performance again. I had no idea then that this species nested in pmes, but in order to give me an opportunity to watch its performance better I moved out from under the tree, and a few minutes later saw the bird settle on what I at first supposed to be an old clump of pine cones. On looking closer, however, I noticed its nest, which was ingeniously saddled on two small cones, and its outward appearance resem- bled a cone very closely. The nest contained two eggs, which were considerably advanced in incubation, and were not disturbed. Knowing now where to look THE CALLIOPE HUMMIJSGBIED. 221 for them, I bad no further difficuhy in finding their nests, and all of those observed by me were built in exactly similar situations. I succeeded in obtain- ing three sets of nearly fresh eggs, and found a number of other nests containing young during the next few daj-s. They were usually placed on or against a dry cone on small dead limbs of Pinus contorta, froin 8 to 15 feet from the ground, and on account of the brittle nature of these limbs they were rather hard to secure. The nests, while outwardly not as handsome as those of the majority of our Hi;mmers, are nevertheless marvels of ingenuity, all those I have seen mimicking a small dead pine cone so perfectly as to almost defy detection unless one sees the bird fly on or off the nest. The majority found were sad- dled on one or two such cones, or on a small limb and resting against the sides of a cone. The outer walls are composed of bits of bark and small shreds of cone, and the interior cup is softly lined with willow down. An average nest measures about IJ inches in outer diameter by the same in depth; the inner cup being three-quarters of an inch in width by one-half inch in depth. The nests were generally so placed that the contents were protected by larger limbs or green boughs above, and at distances varying from 5 to 12 feet from the ground. One I found had a flattened cone projecting directly over it, resembling an opened umbrella. While bushy pines seem to constitute their favorite nest- ing sites in northern California and Oregon at least, they do not invariably con- fine themselves to such trees. Mr. Shelly W. Denton took a nest of the Calliope Hummer at Franktown, Washoe County, Nevada, which is now in Mr. William Brewster's collection at Cambridge, Massachusetts. Mr. Denton watched the bii'd while building it. This is composed interiorly of fine moss and willow down, and the outer walls are decorated with tiny shreds of bark, fine flakes of wood, and flakes of whitewash, fastened securely with cobwebs ; it was placed on a knot in a rope hanging from the roof of a woodshed and within 5 feet of an occupied dwelling house. The materials out of which the nest is composed closely assim- ilate the rope and knot on which it is placed. This nest contained two eggs on June 8, 1887, these being deposited on alternate clays. The male was never seen about the nest. The rope (one-third of an inch thick) hung down about 4 feet, so that every time the female settled on the rim of the nest while building she caused it to swing back and forth like a pendulum. This specimen, which 1 have seen, does not resemble the nests taken by me very closely, and the Cal- liope Hummer evidently attempts to mimic the immediate sun-oundings as nearly as practicable. Mr. Walter E. Bryant records another, built upon a projecting splinter of a woodpile, at a height of 5 feet.-^ The only eggs of this species in the United States National Museum col- lection are those taken by the late Capt. John Feilner, United States Army, near Pitt River, California, in June, 1859, and three sets collected by myself near Fort Klamath, Oregon. They resemble the eggs of our better known Hummingbirds in shape and color, but are smaller. 'Bulletin of the California Academy of Sciences; 1887, p. 452. 222 LIFE HISTOEIES OP NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. The average measurement of eight eggs in the United States National Museum collection is 11.71 by 7.94 millimetres, or about 0.46 by 0.31 inch. The largest egg measures 12.19 by 8.38 milhmetres, or 0.48 by 0.33 inch; the smallest, 10.67 by 7.37 millimetres, or 0.42 by 0.29 inch. The type specimen, No. 21737 (not figured), from a set of two eggs, Ben- dire collection, was taken by the writer near Fort Klamath, Oregon, on June 11, 1883. 78. Calothorax lucifer (Swainson). LUCIFER HUMMINGBIED. Cynanthus lucifer SwAiNSON, Philosophical Magaziue, 1827, 442. Calothorax lucifer Geat, Genera of Birds, 1848, I, p. 110. (B _, — , R 344, C 418, U 437.) Gbogbaphical range : Table-lauds of Mexico, from Puebla and the Valley of Mexico north to southern Arizona. We are indebted to Mr. H. W. Henshaw for the addition of the Lucifer Hummingbird to oin- fauna. He took a female of this species on August 7, 1874, near Camj) Bowie, Arizona, where it appeared to be rare, and, as far as I am aware, no other specimens have since then been taken within our borders. The male resembles Costa's Hummingbird somewhat in size and general colora- tion, so that it can scarcely be recognized from it on the wing, and might therefore be readily overlooked by the average collector. It appears to be a common species in the more southern portions of Mexico, among the table- lands of Puebla and on the borders of the Valley of Mexico. The late Mr. Bullock, in his "Six Months in Mexico," gives a description of the nest and eggs of this species, and says: "They breed in Mexico in June and July, and the nest is a beautiful specimen of. the architectural talent of these birds; it is neatly constructed of cotton or the down of the thistle, to which is fastened on the outside, by some glutinous substance, a white, flat lichen resembling ours. "The female lays two eggs, perfectly white, and large for the size of the bird, and the Indians informed me they were hatched in three weeks by the male and female sitting alternately. * * * In sleeping they frequently suspend themselves by the feet, with their heads downward, in the manner of some parrots."^ The general habits of this species seem to resemble those of our better- known Hummingbirds very closely. There are no nests and eggs of the Lucifer Hummingbird in the collection, and I am therefore unable to give measure- ments; but, judging from the size of the bird, its eggs should correspond closely with those of Calyptc costce 'A fuller account of Mr. Bullock's paper on this species can be found in Mr. Eobert Eidgway's paper on the Hummingbirds, in the Report of the National Museum, 1890 (pp. 360-362). EIEPFEE'S HUMMINGBIRD. 223 79. Amazilia fuscicaudata (Fraser). EIEFFER'S HUMMINGBIRD. TrocMlus fuscieawdaUis Fraser, Proceedings Zoological Society, 1840, 17. Amazilia fuscicaudata Eidgway, Proceedings U. S. National Museum, 1, 1878, 147. (B — , C — , E 345, 419, U 438.) GeoGtRAPhioal range : Northern South America.from Ecuador and Colombia, north through Central America and eastern Mexico, to the lower Eio Grande Valley, Texas. RiefFer's Hummingbird, a common Central American species, claims a place in our fauna from the fact that a single specimen has been taken at Fort Brown, Texas. This was brought alive to Dr. James C. Merrill, United States Army, for examination, in June, 1876, by one of the soldiers, and a careful description of it was made by the Doctor at the time, as the man wanted to keep it; but it shortly afterwards escaped from him. As it has not been obtained since then in the lower Rio Grande Valley, notwithstanding the fact that considerable collecting has been done there, it can only be considered as a straggler within our borders. Mr. Charles W. Richmond has kindly furnished me with the following interesting notes on this species: "Amazilia fuscicaudata is extremely abundant in the lowlands of eastern Nicaragua. It outnumbers in individuals all of the other (five) s[)ecies of Hummingbirds found in the same region. On the Escondido River this species is confined to the banana plantations and the shrubbery around the houses, where it finds an abundance of food and good nesting sites. It is the plantation Hummer, only two other species occasionally wandering into the plantations from the forest, which is the home of the other species. This Hummingbird is inquisitive, like some other Hummers, and often poises 2 or 3 feet from one, changing its position on any conspicuous movement from the object of its curi- osity, and when satisfied darts off at great speed, uttering a succession of shrill chirps. Its nest is frequently placed in small orange, lemon, or lime trees, near houses, 4 or 5 feet from the ground. The bird selects any desirable site for a nest, in fact often building it close to the end of the limb of a bamboo hanging out over the river or creek, and in this case usually 6 <:)r more feet above the water. The exterior of the nest is often covered with moss, which in this damp region remains green during the occupancy of the nest and for a long time afterwards, giving it a very pretty appearance. A nest found in October had just been deserted by the young birds, one found late in November contained fresh eggs, one found about the middle of January contained eggs nearly fresh, and another one found the same day was in course of construc- tion. The Spaniards here call Hummingbirds 'garrion.'" Mr. George K. Cherrie, in his Preliminary List of the Birds of San Jose, Costa Rica, in speaking of Rieffer's Hummingbird, says: "The most abundant species about San Jose, and, indeed, the most abundant species found on either 224 LIFE HISTORIES OF NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. coast, and up to an altitude of about 6,000 feet. I believe that this species is nesting in every month of the year. Nests are usually placed about 15 feet from the ground, in either orange or lemon trees. A nest before me is constructed of some soft fiber much resembling hemp tow. There are a few lichens covering the outside, and an inner lining of a little native cotton. The nest, somewhat elli})tical in form, measures 1 J inches deep by 2 inches long and 1 J wide; inside, IJ by seven-eighths by one-half inch deep. The two eggs, white in color and elliptical ovate in form, measure 0.53 by 0.37 inch."^ The general habits of Rieffer's Hummingbird are very similar to those of our better-known sjDecies. The nests diflPer somewhat in make-up; of the two specimens before me, both taken by Mr. Charles W. Richmond, on December 24, 1892, and January 16, 1893, the first was saddled on the end of a small, di-ooping twig of an alligator pear tree, 4^ feet ujd, the nest being partly sup- ported by the ends of a bunch of leaves. The base of this nest is constructed of bits of dry grass, and the walls of shreds of fine vegetable fiber. The outer walls of this specimen are well covered with green moss and with a few bits of lichens, the whole being securely fastened with spider webs. The inside is lined with soft, brownish down. The structure is a neat piece of bird archi- tecture, and contained two broken eggs when found. It measures 1 J inches in outer diameter, and the same in height. The inner cup measures seven-eighths of an inch in width by three-fourths of an inch in depth. The base of the second specimen is composed of shreds of rotten wood fibers; the walls are built up of apparently similar but finer material, and they are very sparingly covered with shreds of green moss, but more profusely with small pellets of white plant doAvn, held in place by spider webs, while the interior is lined with fine vegetable down. This nest resembles specimens of the Black-chinned Hummingbird somewhat, but is considerably larger. The outside measurements are the same as those of the preceding, but the inner cup is somewhat more roomy; the outer walls are thinner and the cavity is shallower; it was fastened to a fork of a drooping bamboo twig hanging about 4 feet above the water of a cree^-i. It contained two nearly fresh eggs on January 16, 1893; these ai-e now in the United States National Museum collection. They resemble the eggs of our better-known Humixiingbirds, both in shape and color; and measure 13.46 by 9.14 and 13.72 by 8.64 millimetres, or 0.53 by 0.36 and 0.54 by 0.34 inch. The type specimen, No. 25813 (not figui-ed), from a set of two eggs, was taken by Mr. Charles W. Richmond on January 16, 1893, from the last described nest, on the Escondido River, near Bluefields, Nicaragua, and it would appear as if this species actually nested in nearly every month of tlie year. ' The Auk, Vol. IX, 1892, p. 325. THE BUFF-BELLIED HUMMINGBUiD. 225 80. Amazilia cerviniventris Gould. BUFF-BELLIED HUMMINGBIRD. Amaniliaus cervinicenfris Gould, Proceedings Zoological Society, 1856, 150. (B — , G — , R 346, 420, U 439.) Geographical kangb: Valley of the lower Eio Graude in Texas 5 south through eastern Mexico to Nicaragua, Central America. The Buff-bellied Hummingbird was also added to our fauna by Dr. James C. Merrill, United States Army, who took the first specimen within our borders on the military reservation of Fort Brown, Texas, on August 17, 1876. Since then it has been ascertained to be quite a common summer visitor in the lower Rio Grande Valley, and a number of its nests have been taken there. It arrives in southern Texas about April 1, and returns south in the latter part of Septem- ber or the beginning of October. It is one of our plainest-colored Humming- birds, and its general habits, food, etc., are undoubtedly similar to those of the better-known members of this family found in the United States. Dr. James C. Merrill says: "The Buff-bellied Hummingbird proves to be an abundant summer visitor, and I have nowhere found it so abundant as on the military reservation at Fort Brown. Here it seems perfectly at home among the dense, tangled thickets, darting rapidly among the bushes and creeping vines, and is with difficulty obtained. A rather noisy bird, its shrill cries usu- ally first attract one's attention to its presence. A Hummer's nest, undoubtedly made by this species, was found in September, 1877, within the fort. It was placed on the fork of a dead, drooping twig of a small tree on the edge of a path through a thicket; it was about 7 feet from the ground, and contained the shriveled body of a young bird. The nest is made of the downy blossoms of the tree on which it is placed, bound on the outside with cobwebs, and rather sparingly covered with lichens, In-temally, it is somewhat less than 1 inch in depth by one-half inch in diameter. The external depth is IJ inches."^ I have eight of these nests before me, all taken in Camei'on County, Texas, which are readily distinguishable from those of other species breeding in the United States whose nests are known. They are composed of shreds of vege- table fiber, thistle down, and an occasional specimen is lined with a vegetable substance resembling brown cattle hair; but the majority are lined with thistle down. The outside is covered with bits of dry flower blossoms, shreds of bark, and small pieces of light-colored lichens, securely fastened in place by spider webs. The nests are neatly built, and are usually saddled on a small, drooping limb, or placed on a fork of a horizontal twig, at distances of from 3 to 8 feet from the ground. Small trees or bushes of the Anachuita (Cordia hoissieri) ebony and hackberry seem to furnish their favorite nesting sites, though occasionally a nest is found in a willow. An average-sized nest measures If inches in outer diameter by 1^ inches in height; the inner cup is seven-eighths 1 Proceedings United States National Museum, Vol. I, 1878, pp. 149, 150. 16896— No. 3 15 226 LIFE HISTOEIES OF NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. of an inch in width by five-eighths of an inch in depth. Open woods and the edges of chaparral thickets near roads or paths seem to be preferred for pur- poses of nidification. Probably two broods are raised in a season. The earliest nesting record I have is April 23; the latest, June 16. The eggs resemble those of our better-known Hummers in color and shape, and appear rather small for the size of the bird. The average measurement of eighteen specimens in the United States National Museum collection is 13.23 by 8.57 millimetres, or about 0.52 by 0.34 inch. The largest egg measures 14.22 by 8.89 milhmetres, or 0.56 by 0.35 inch; the smallest, 12.19 by 8.64 millimetres, or 0.48 by 0.34 inch. The type specimen. No. 26800 (not figured), from a set of two eggs, Ralph collection, was taken near Brownsville, Texas, on May 9, 1892. 8i. Basilinna xantusi (Lawrence). XANTUS'S HUMMINGBIRD. Amazilia xantusi Lawrence, Annals Lyceum, New York, 1860, 109. Basilinna xanthusi Elliott, Classification and Synopsis of the Trochilidfe, March, 1879, 227. (B — , C 273, R 347, C 407, U 440.) Geographical range : Southern Lower California, north to about latitude 29°. Xantus's Hummingbird appears to be confined to the southern half of the peninsula of Lower California, where it was first discovered by Mr. J. Xantus in. the fall of 1859. It was described by Mr. George N. Lawrence in April, 1860, .who named it in honor of its discoverer. Mr. Xantus did not communi- cate anything regarding the general habits of this species, and nothing further was learned about it until Mr. L. Belding visited the same regions and obtained its nests and eggs, in the spring of 1882. According to this gentleman, it is a mountain-loving species, in winter frequenting the canyons in close proximity to water, while in summer it is distributed through the orchards and gardens, where it nests. Mr. Walter E. Bryant, in his "Catalogue of Birds of Lower California," states: "I have found them only in mountainous country where there was abun- dance of water, from Comondu as far north as latitude 29°. None were seen on the islands."^ Mr. Belding, in speaking of this species, says: "It was common at the western base of Cacachiles Mountains in February; more so, in fact, than Galypte costce. It was not observed at San Jose until some time after my arrival, though it occurred in canyons only 2 or 3 miles to the westward. About the last of April it was common in orchards at San Jose. While incubating this species is very confiding and courageous, sometimes remaining upon the nest until removed from it by "the hand. A nest taken April 23, 1882, at San Jose, 'Proceedings of the California Academy of Sciences, second series, Vol. II, 1889, pp. 289, 290. XANTUS'S HUMMINGBIRD. 227 was placed underneath an awning or shade of boughs and weeds in front of a farmhouse. It was surrounded by downy heads of composite plants, and could scarcely be distinguished from them, having, as usual, been made of raw cotton." This nest, which is now before me (No. 1S563, United States National Museum collection) is composed exteriorly of fine plant fibers, thistle down, and shreds of moss, and these are securely fastened into place by spider Avebs; the interior is lined with thistle down and raw cotton; it measures about If inches in outer diameter by 1 inch in height. The inner cavity is large for the size of the nest, measuring 1 inch in width by one-half inch in depth. The second nest, No. 18564, taken by Mr. Belding on May 7, 1882, in a canyon near Santiago Peak, Lower California, resembles the nest of the Black-chinned Hummingbird somewhat, being principally composed of plant down, covered on the outside with a few scales of buds, seed capsules, fine shreds of bark fiber, leaf stems, and an empty cocoon, and these decorations are fastened with spider webs, while the inner cup is lined with plant down and other fine fibrous material. This nest was saddled on the fork of a small twig. Its dimensions are about the same as those of the first nest described, and like it is rather shallow. The eggs resemble those of our better-known Hummingbirds in shape and color. The two taken from the first nest measure respectively 12.19 by 7.87 and 11.94 by 7.87 miUimetres, or 0.48 by 0.31 and 0.47 by 0.31 inch; and those of the second nest, 11.94 by 8.13 and 12.19 by 7.87 milHmetres, or 0.47 by 0.32 and 0.48 by 0.31 inch. The type specimen. No. 18564 (not figured), from a set of two eggs, Avas taken by Mr. L. Belding on May 7, 1882, near Santiago Peak, Lower California, as already stated. 82. Basilinna leucotis (Vieillot). WHITE-EARED HUMMINGBIRD. Trochilus leucotis Vieillot, Encyclopedie M6thodique II, 559. Basilinna leucotis Boib, Isis, 1831, 546. (B _, O — , E — , O — , IT 441.1.) Geographical range: Tablelands of Mexico and Central America; north in the United States to the higher mountain ranges in southern Arizona; south to Nicaragua, Central America. This handsome Hummingbird has only very recently been added to our fauna, Dr. A. K. Fisher obtaining a specimen on June 9, 1894, in the Chiricahua Mountains, in southeastern Arizona. In writing of this capture he says: '' During the early part of June a camp was made at Fly Park, a well- wooded area southeast of the head of Pinery Canyon, at an altitude of about 10,000 feet. A boreal honeysuckle {Lonkera involucrata) grows commonly through the scattered woods of spruce {Picea engelmannt), fir (Pseudotsuga taxi- folia), pine (Pinus ayacahuite), and aspen (Fopulus tremuhldes). The flowers of the honeysuckle attract great numbers of Hummers, and hundreds of Selas- 228 LIFE HISTOEIES OF I^OKTH AMERICAN BIRDS. phorus platycercus and many Eugenes fulgens and Cmligena clemencies were seen daily about the clumps. Early on the morning of June 9, in company with Mr. Fred. Hall Fowler, the writer saw a female Basilinna leucotis sitting on a dead twig of a Lonicera bush, close to the ground, warming itself in the rays of the rising sun. The ^vhite stripe on the side of the head was plainly visible, and led to its speedy capture. Subsequently others were looked for, but none were seen."^ Messrs. Salvin and Grodman say: " This is one of the commonest and most characteristic of the Hummingbirds of the highlands of Mexico and Guatemala, its range extending from the States of Sonora and Tamaulipas to the uplands of Nicaragua, birds from these widely separated districts presenting no appreciable difference. Its range in altitude is considerable. It does not occur much below 4,000 feet above sea level, and thence reaches as high as 7,000 or 8,000 feet. On the slopes of the Volcan de Fuego we used to find it not uncommonly in open glades of the oak forests, where it took its food from any plants that happened to be in flower. Of the breeding habits of this species we have no account, but a tliree parts grown bird from Sierra de Victoria was shot by Mr. Richardson in April ; so that the nesting time in that district would commence in March or the end of February. But the nesting season probably extends over a considerable period, for De Oca says he once found a nest in December, though the usual nesting time in the Valley of Mexico, where the bird is more common than at Jalapa, is in July and August. According to Villada it feeds from the flowers of Cacti and Agave, and also from those of Bouvardia and Salvia." I have been unable to find a detailed description of the nest and eggs of this species, and there are no specimens in the United States National Museum collection. 83. lache latirostris (Swainson). BROAD-BILLED HUMMINGBIRD. Oynantlms latirostris SWAINSON, Philosophical Magazine, 1827, 441. laohe latirostris Elliott, Classificatioii and Synopsis of the Trochilidie, March, 1879, 235. (B _, — , R 348, C 421, U 441.) Geogeaphical RANGE: Mountains of southern Arizona and southwestern New Mexico; south to the Valley of Mexico and Michoacan, Mexico. The Broad-billed or Circe Hummingbird appears to be a moderately com- mon summer resident in suitable localities in southern Arizona and southwestern New Mexico, at altitudes from 3,500 to 5,000 feet. It was first added to our fauna by Mr. H. W. Henshaw, who took two adult males in the Santa Rita Mountains, a few miles from old Camp Crittenden, Arizona, on August 23, 1874. Since then it has also been taken by Mr. F. Stephens in the same locality, where he secured five specimens, which are now in ]\Ir. William Brewster's collection. ' The Ank, Vol. XI, 1894, p. 325-326. i'Biologia Centrali Americana, Aves, \6\. II, July, 1892, pp. 313, 314. THE BEOAD-P.ILLEI) HUMMINGBIRD. 229 In speaking of their lial)its he says: "They were always found ]iear wat(!r, and usually along the strcanis which flowed through canyons, high among the mountains. They seemed to prefer sycamores to other trees, and invjiriably perched on dead twigs where they could command an open view. Their notes were flat, and difl'ered from those of other Hummers." ^ Mr. W. E. D. Scott subsequently extended its range northward to the Santa Catalina Mountains. In his notes on the birds of Arizona he makes the following' remarks about this species: "During the spring, summer, and early fall of 1884 this AA-as a rather com- mon species in the Catalina Mountains, from an altitude of 3,500 to 5,000 feet, but in the con-esponding season of 1885 the birds were apparently rare. The birds arrive at this point early in April, the 6th of that month being my earliest record, when I took two adult males. They remain throughout the spring and summer, leaving from the middle to the last of September. I took an adult female on June 26, 1884, that contained an unlaid egg, with shell nearly formed, so that there can be little doubt that the birds breed at this point. Besides, I have the young birds in first plumage from July 1 until late in August." There are also a number of specimens of this species in tlie United States National Museum collection, taken by Mr. E. W. Nelson in the Santa Rita Mountains and near Tucson, Arizona; and Dr. Edgar A. Mearns took a specimen in a canyon of the Guadalupe Mountains, in southwestern New Mexico, close to the international boundary line, on August 31, 1893, and another on the Santa Cruz River, west of the Patagonia Mountains, near the Sonora line, on July 4, 1893, both of which are now in the collection here. Dr. A. K. Fisher failed to find this species in the Chiricahua ]\Iountains, Arizona, in the spring of 1894, but it undoubtedly occurs there also. There is a nest of this species. No. 17890, in the United States National Museum collec- tion, taken by Prof A. Dugfes at Guanajuato, Mexico, and received from him in July, 1879, which measures IJ inches in outer diameter by If inches in height. The inner cup measures 1 inch in width by three-fourths of an inch in depth. For a Hummer's nest it is composed of rather coarse materials throughout. These consist of fine shreds of bark and plant fibers, mixed with a little finer vegetable down; the outside is decorated with narrow strips of bark, fine plant stems, bits of lichens, and a piece of white cotton thread, these materials being covered with a coating of sjjider webs, which hold them securely in place. The inner lining consists of finer materials of a similar nature, and the entire nest is rather loosely put together. This nest was saddled on a fork of a slender and drooping twig. Messrs. Salvin and Godman mention another specimen, stating: "Senor A. Herrera describes a nest of this species which he found at Chimalcoyoc, in the Valley of Mexico, as composed of the seeds of Asclepias Jinaria, and placed in a plant of an Opimtia in such a manner that a section of the plant shaded it from sun and rain." ^ 1 BTilletin Nuttall Ornithological Club, Vol. VII, 1882, p. 211. ^Biologia Central! Americana, Aves, Vol. II, May, 1892, pp. 257, 258. 230 LIFE HISTOEIES OF NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. There are no eggs of this species in the United States National Museum collection, and I have been unable to find a description or measurements of the same; but they undoubtedly resemble those of our smaller Hummers very closely. Family COTINGID^. Cotingas. 84. Platypsaris albiventris (Lawrence). XANTUS'S BECAED. Hadrostomus albiventris Lawrence, Annals Lyceum, New York, YIII, 1867, 475. Platypsaris albiventris Ridgway, Manual of North American Birds, 1887, 325. (B _, C — R — , — , U 441.1) Geo&eaphical RANGE: Western and Southern Mexico; south to Yucatan. Casually- north to the southern border of the United States in southern Arizona. Xantus's Becard, the only representative of this family in the United States, claims a place in our fauna from the fact that a single specimen, an adult male, was taken by Mr. W. W. Price in southern Arizona, close to the Sonora line. Mr. Price makes the following remarks on this subject: "On June 20, 1888, I secured an adult male, in breeding plumage, of this species, in the pine forests of the Huachuca Mountains, at an elevation of about 7,600 feet, and 7 miles north of the Mexican boundary. (See Ridgway's 'Manual of North American Birds,' p. 325.) I am certain there were a pair of these birds, as I heard their very peculiar notes in diiferent places at the same time ; but the locality being so extremely rough and broken, I only secured the one above recorded. Several times while collecting at high altitudes I have heard bird notes that I thought were these, but they were always on almost inaccessible mountain sides. Their note reminds one of the song of Stephens's Vireo ( Vireo Jiuttoni stephensi), but is not so long continued and is harsher. From observ- ing the actions of the bird I killed, I am sure its mate was in the vicinity, and probably nesting, although I have since carefully searched the place without suc- cess. This species will doubtless be found breeding in Arizona, as was Trogon anibigmis."^ From the fact that no other specimens of this species have been taken in that vicinity, which has since then been visited by several good collectors, I am inclined to believe that this bird can only be considered as a very rare summer visitor in southern Arizona. The late Col. A. J. Grayson met with this species at Mazatlan, where he obtained a male in February, and Mr. J. Xantus also found it on the plains of Colima, Mexico. Messrs. Salvin and Grodman do not recognize this as a good species, and place it under the older name of Hadrostomus aglaice (Lafresnaye), stating how- evei-: "This species, taken as a whole, is subject to a great amount of variation, not only as regards the intensity of the color of the back and under surface, but 1 The Auk, Vol. V, 1888, p. 425. XANTUS'S BECARD. 231 also as regards to the rosy spot on the throat, .etc." Further on, in siteaking- of the'habits of //. afjla'ue, they sa)-: "In all parts of our region tlu^ i-iuigc in alti- tude of this species is very considerable, and extends from the sea le\'el to an altitude of at least 8,000 feet. In the Tres Marias Grayson found it only in thick woods, where it was seen searching for insects, sometimes, darting after them when on the wing, at other times looking for them among the lenves and branches, not unlike the Warblers. Its notes are feeble and but seldom uttered, and its habits are solitary. This island bird has been separated by Mr. Ridgway as PJati/jJsaris iiisular'is. "Mr. Robert Owen found a nest of this bird on May 15, 1860, atChuacusin, Guatemala, and sent ns the female, its nest, and two eggs. The nest Avas entirely composed of tendrils, strips of bark, and grass, so as to form a hanging nest, open at the top and about 2 inches deep. It was bixilt between and hung from the forked branch of a sapling at the foot of a mountain. The egg is white, beautifully marked with pencilings of pinkish red and scattered spots of the same color; these markings are much blended and concentrated at the larger end."i There is nothing recorded as }'et regarding the nesting habits and eggs of Xantus's Becard; but they are not likely to differ very nmch from the nest and eggs oi Hadrostomus aglaice, to which it is closely allied. As far as I can learn the eggs still remain unknown. Family TYRANNID^. Tyrant Flycatchers. 85. Milvulus tyrannus (Linn^us). FORK-TAILED FLYCATCHER. Muscicapa tyrannus LiNN^us, Systema Naturae, ed. 12, I, 1766, 325. Milvulus tyrannus Bonaparte, Geographical and Comparative List, 1838, 25. (B 122, C-240, R 302, G 366, U [442].) Geographical range : Prom northern Patagonia north through South and Central America to southern Mexico and the Lesser Antilles. Within the United States accident- ally in Mississippi, Kentucky, ISTew Jersey, and southern California. The Fork-tailed Flycatcher can only be considered an accidental straggler within our borders. It is a common bird throughout the more le^el and open portions of Central America, and also throughout the greater part of South America. The Scissor-tail Tyrant, or "Tijereta," as this species is called by Sclater and Hudson, "is migratory, and arrives, already mated, at Buenos Ayres at the end of September, and takes its departure at the end of February in families, old and young birds together. In disposition and general habits it resembles the ' Biologia Centrali Americana, Aves, Vol. Il, December, 1890, pp. 121-124. 232 LIFE HISTOEIES OF NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. true Tyrant-birds, hut differs froin them in language, its various chirping and twittering notes having a hard, percussive sound, which Azara well compares to the snapping of castanets. It prefers open situations, with scattered trees and bushes, and is also partial to marshy grounds, where it takes up a position on an elevated stalk to Avatch for insects, and seizes them in the air, like the Flycatcher. It also greedily devours elderberries and other small fruits. "The nest is not deep, but is much more elaborately constructed than is usual with the Tyrants. Soft materials are preferred, and in many cases the nests are composed almost exclusively of wool. The inside is cup-shaped, with a flat bottom, and is smooth and hard, the thistle down with which it is lined being cemented with gum. The eggs are four, sharply pointed, light cream color, and spotted, chiefly at the large end, with chocolate. In the breeding time these Tyrants attack other birds approaching the nest with great spirit, and and have a particular hatred to the Chimango, pursuing it with the greatest vio- lence through the air, with angry. notes, resembling in sound the whetting of a scythe, but uttered with great rapidity and emphasis. How greatly this species is imposed upon by the Cow-bird, notwithstanding its pugnacious temper, we have already seen in my account of that bird. "The Scissor-tails have one remarkable habit; they are not gregarious, but once every day, just before the sun sets, all the birds living near together rise to the tops of the trees, calling to one another with loud, excited chirps, and then mount upward like rockets to a great height in the air; then, after whirling about for a few moments, they precipitate themselves downward with the greatest violence, opening and shutting their tails during their wild zigzag flight, and uttering a succession of sharp, grinding notes. After this curious perform- ance they separate in pairs, and, perching on -the tree tops, .each couple utters together its rattling castanet notes, after which the company breaks up."^ Mr. George K. Cherrie, in his List of Birds of San Jose, Costa Rica, speaks of this species as follows: "Resident, but much more abundant at some seasons than at others — that is, immediately after the breeding season (from the latter part of April until the first of July) they become quite common about the suburbs of the city, and remain so until the middle of December. "At a slightly lower altitude it nests abundantly. A nest with three fresh eggs, taken by Don Anastasio Alfaro at Tambor, Alajuela, May 2, 1889, was placed in a small tree, about 10 feet from the ground. The parent bird left the nest only very reluctantly and not until almost within the grasp of the col- lector. The nest is constructed of a mixture of small dry grass and weed stems and soft dry grass, rather compactly woven together, with a lining of a few fine rootlets. It measures outside 5 inches in diatneter by 2| deep; inside, 2^ in diameter by 2 J deep. The eggs are white, spai-sely spotted and blotched, chiefly about the larger end, with chestnut of slightly varying shades. In form the 'Argentiue Ornithology, Vol. 1, pp. 160,161. THE FORK TAILED FLYCATCIIER. 233 eggs are ovate, and they measure 0.88 by ().6(;, 0.88 by 0.ri5, and 0.89 hj 0.63 inch" (equal to 22.35 by 16.76, 22.35 by 16.51 , and 22.61 by 16 miUimetresy There are no eggs of this species in the United States National Museum collection, and I have Ixu^n unable to obtain a fully identified specimen for illustration. 86. Milvulus forficatus (Gmelin). SCISSOR-TAILED FLYCATCHER. Muscicapa forficata Gmelin, Systema Naturae I, i, 1788, 931. Milvulus forficatus Swainson, Classification of Birds, II, 1827, 225. (B 133, C 241, E 301, 3G7, U 443.) Geographical range : Frotii Nicaragua, Central America, north througli eastern Mexico and in the United States, regularly through Texas and the Indian Territory to southern Kansas. Occasional in southwestern Missouri, western Arkansas, and Louisiana. Accidental in Florida, Virginia, Illinois, New Jersey, the New England States, Manitoba, and even north to York Factory, Hudson Bay, and the Mackenzie River Valley, Northwest Territory, Dominion of Canada. The Scissor- tailed, also known as "Swallow-tailed," Flycatcher, and more frequently as the "Texan Bird of Paradise," is a common summer resident throughout the greater portion of Texas and the Indian Territory, and extends its breeding range northward into southern Kansas. It usuall}i anives in the southwestern portions of Texas about the middle of March, and returns to its winter homes in Central America in October. Mr. W. E. Grover, of Galveston, Texas, informs me that some of these birds remain in that vicinity throughout the year, moving about from place to place in small of flocks from five to six, and occasionally as many as a dozen may be seen together. Its breeding range is coincident with its distribution in the United States. The Scissor-tailed Flycatcher is the most graceful and attractive species of this family found within our borders, and is certain to be noticed by everyone wherever it occurs. Its long outer tail feathers, which it can open and close at will, and its pinkish flanks make it a conspicuous object among the Texan birds. In all of its movements on the wing it is extremely graceful and pleas- ing to the eye, especially when fluttering slowly from tree to tree on the rather open prairie, uttering its twittering notes, which sound like the syllables "psee- psee" frequently repeated, and which resemble those of the Kingbird, but are neither as loud nor as shrill; again, when, chasing each other in play or anger, in swift flight from tree to tree, when it utters a harsh note like " thish-thish." It is essentially a bird of the more open country, and shuns extensive timbered tracts, although it is frequently observed on the outskirts of these. It rarely lights on the ground, and its long tail makes it then appear rather awkward in its movements. Although included among the Tyrant Flycatchers, it is rather amiable and social in disposition; and after the birds are once mated several 'The Auk, Vol. IX, 1892, pp. 251 and 322. 234 LIFE HISTORIES OP NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. pairs may frequently breed close to each other, apparently in perfect harmony. It rarely molests or chases birds which are smaller than itself, but boldly attacks Hawks, Ravens, Crows, Jays, and other marauders with the utmost fury, when they come too close to its nesting site. The Seissor-tailed Flycatcher is rather restless, and rarely remains in one place for any length of time. It is constantly on the lookout for passing insects, nearly all of which are caught on the wing and carried to some perch, where they are beaten into suitable pieces and swallowed at leisure. Its food con- sists principally of moths, butterflies, beetles, grasshoppers, locusts, and cotton worms; while berries of varioixs kinds are also eaten to some extent. Consid- ered from an economic point of view, they are among our most useful birds, and, as they are rarely molested, they seem to be steadily increasing in numbers, being far more common in many parts of Texas today than they were twenty years ago. They do not begin housekeeping at once after their arrival from their winter quarters iia Central America, but dally for several weeks in courting and love-making and having a good time generally before they begin their more serious duties of reproduction. They are not hard to please in the selection of a suitable nesting site, and almost any tree standing by itself is preferred to a more secluded situation Mr. H. P. Attwater, of Aransas County, Texas, writes me as follows on this subject: "The bold, fearless character of the Scissor-tail is shown in the manner in which he builds his nest, which is a bulky structure, generally placed on a horizontal limb in an exposed position, and his careless disposition is also well exemplified by his choosing for materials anything that comes handy, frequently leaving long pieces hanging from the nest. I have found nests lined with feathers, and others with horse and cow manure." They nest by preference in mesquite trees, less frequently in live and post oaks, the thorny hackberry or granjeno (Celtis pallida), the huisache {Acacia farnesiana), honey locust, mulberry, pecan, and the magnolia, as well as in vari- ous small, thorny shrubs. Their nests are placed at various distances of 5 to 40 feet from the ground, but on an average not over 16 feet, and often in very exposed situations, where they can readily be seen. Occasionally, when placed in trees whose limbs are well covered with long streamers of the gray Spanish moss, or in shrubs overrun with vines, they are rather more difficult to discover. As these birds are rarely molested, they become quite tame, and nest not infre- quently in gardens and in close proximity to the ranches. Nests of this species from different localities vary greatly in size and mate- rials from which constructed. The base and sides of the nest are usually composed of small twigs or rootlets, cotton and weed stems (those of a low floccose, woolly annual, Evax prolifera and Evax muUicaulis, the former growing on dry and the latter on low ground, being nearly always present); in some sections the gray Spanish moss forms the bulk of the nest, in others raw cotton, and again sheep's wool; while rags, hair, twine, feathers, bits of paper, dry grass, and even seaweeds may be incorporated in the mass. One that I consider THE SCISSOE-TAILEl) FLYCATCHER. 235 a typical nest, is now before me; it is externally constructed of fine rootlets, mixed with stems of Evax mnUicuiiIis, which are well worked into tlie outer walls. The inner cup of the nest is lined with fine plant fibers, with a little wool, and a few feathers. This nest is symmetrical in outline and compactly built; it was securely fastened on the forks of a small oak limb, and was pre- sented to the United States National Museum collection by Mr. H. P. Attwater, Rockport, Texas. Externally it measures 6 inches in diameter by 2| in depth; its inner diameter is 3 inches by 2 in depth. Other nests .in the collection are much more loosely constructed and fully twice as bulky, due no doubt to the character of the materials used in their construction; and again, some birds are much neater and better builders and housekeepers than others. A nest taken by Dr. E. A. Mearns, United States Army, on April 29, 1893, from an oak tree situated on the edge of the parade ground at Fort Clarke, Texas, is mainly composed of strong cotton twine, mixed with a few twigs, weed stems, and rags ; even the inner lining consists mostly of twine. How the female managed to use this without getting hopelessly entangled is astonishing. The previous season's nest still remained in the same tree, and a considerable quan- tity of twine entered also into its composition. The earliest nesting record I have is April 19, at Brownsville, Texas, where fresh eggs have also been found as late as July 6 ; and it appears more than probable that two broods are raised in many instances, at least in the southern portions of their breeding range. After the nest, which is constructed in about a week, is ready for occupancy, an egg is deposited daily until the clutch is completed; this usually consists of five eggs, occasionally of four or six. Incubation lasts about twelve days, and the female appears to perform this duty alone, while the male remains in the vicinity, and promptly chases away every suspicious intruder who may venture too close to the nest. The young are fed exclusively on an insect diet, and are able to leave the nest in about two weeks. Both parents assist in their care. In the late summer they congregate in considerable numbers in the cotton fields and open prairies preparatory to their migration south. The shell of the egg of the Scissor-tailed Flycatcher is smooth to the touch, strong, compact, and moderately glossy. The eggs are usually clear white, occasionally pale creamy white, and rarely of a very pale pinkish ground color. The markings consist of claret brown, heliotrope purple, and lavender spots, and elongated blotches, varying in size and abundance in different speci- mens; the larger end of the egg is generally the heaviest spotted; but few of these eggs can be called heavily marked, and occasionally a specimen is found which is almost immaculate, the few markings on it being confined to the larger end only. In shape they vary from an ovate to a rounded ovate. The average measurement of one hundred and seven eggs in the United States National Museum collection is 22.51 by 16.96 millimetres, or about 0.89 by 0.67 inch. The largest egg of the series measures 23.88 by 18.29 milli- metres, or 0.94 by 0.72 inch; the smallest, 20.32 by 15.49 millimetres, or 0.80 by 0.61 inch. 236 LIFE HISTORIES OF NOETH AMERICAN BIRDS. Of the type specimens, No. 25574 (PI. 1, Fig. 12), from a set of six eggs, Ralph collection, was taken near Brownsville, Texas, on April 20, 1892, and measures a trifle above the average size, while No. 26292 (PL 1, Fig. 13), from a set of four eggs, taken June 5, 1893, near Rockport, Aransas County, Texas, by Mr. H. P. Attwater, represents one of the least marked and smallest speci- mens in the series. 87. Tyrannus tyrannus (LiNNiEus). KINGBIRD. Lanius tyrannus LiNN^US, Systema Naturae, ed. 10, I, 1758, 94. Tyrannus tyrannus Jordan, Manual of Vertebrates, ed. 4, 1884, 96. (B 124, 242, E 304, 368, U 444.) Geographical range : Temperate North America, chiefly east of the Rocky Moun- tains; rarer and more locally distributed westward, iu portions of Utah, Idaho, Nevada, eastern California, Oregon, Washington, and southern British Columbia; north in the eastern British Provinces to about latitude 50°, and from Manitoba westward to about latitude 57° north; south in winter through central and western South America to Bolivia, the Island of Cuba, and the Bahamas. The Kingbird, also called "Bee Bird" and "Bee Martin," is a common summer resident, and breeds throughout all of our Eastern and Middle States, and the southern portions of the Dominion of Canada, from Nova Scotia and adjacent regions, south of about latitude 50°, and west to about longitude 90°, whence it ranges north through Manitoba and Saskatchewan into Athabasca, beyond latitude 57°. In the South it breeds from Florida and the Gulf Coast to eastern Texas, but not nearly as commonly as in the Middle and Northern States. Thence it ranges in a northwesterly direction through the Indian Territory and Kansas to the eastern slopes of the Rocky Mountains, where it is rarely found at higher altitudes than 7,000 feet. It enters through some of the lower passes of these mountains into Utah, Idaho, Nevada, Oregon, Wash- ington, and British Columbia, where in certain localities it is not uncommon. I believe it has not yet been observed in northwestern Texas, New Mexico, or Arizona; and in California it can only be considered as a straggler. While a few winter in southern Florida and the Gulf Coast, the bulk of these birds migrate south into Central America, and some even into Boli^-ia, as well as to the Island of Cuba and the Bahamas. They leave the northern portions of their range about the middle of August, and linger in the south for some weeks before passing our borders. Few of our birds are better known throughout the United States than the Kingbird. Bold and fearless in character, yet tame and confiding in man, often preferring to live in close proximity to dwellings, in gardens and orchards, they are prime favorites with the majority of our farming population, and they well deseiwe their fullest protection. Few birds are more useful to the farmer; their reputation for pugnacity and reckless courage is so well established that THE KINGBIRD. 237 it is almost noedless to dwell on it, us it is well known tli;it they will boldly attack and dri^e oflf tlie largest of our Raptores, shouLl one venture too uanr to tlieir chosen nesting sites. Where a pair or more of these Itirds make their home in the -s'icinity of a farmhouse, the poultry yard is not likely to suffer much through feathered marauders at least; they are a perfect terror to all hawks, instantly darting at and rising above them, alighting on their shoulders or necks, and picking away at them most unmercifully imtil they are only too willing to beat a hasty retreat. The male is seemingly always on the lookout from his perch on the top branches of a tree or post for such enemies, and no matter how large they may be, a pair of Kingbirds is more than a match for an}' of them, our larger Falcons and Eagles not excepted. Crows and Blue Ja}'s seem to be especially obnoxious to them, and instances are on record where they have done them material injury. From the foregoing it. must not be assumed that our Kingbirds are generally quarrelsome and that they bully all other birds, as this is by no means the case. As a rule they live in perfect harmony with all their smaller relatives, and some of the latter's nests are not infrequently placed within a few feet of one of theirs, in the same tree, like that of the Orchard Oriole, for instance; and they are not content with protecting their own young and eggs, but watch over those of tlieir neighbors as Avell. The only species I have observed as being on bad terms with the Kingbird is our little Ruby-throated Hummingbird, whicli is well known to be, if possible, even more aggressive and pugnacious than the former, and it would seem as if, small though he may be, he is a match for the a^-erage Kingbird, and probably always the aggressor. I have on two occasions seen a Ruby-throated Hummingbird put the other to flight. They arrive in our Southern States from their winter homes about the first two weeks in April, and move gradually northward, generally making their appearance in the more northern States about the middle of May. The return migration from the far north commences in the beginning of August, and from our Northern States usually in the latter part of this month. While by no means uncommon in many localities west of the Rocky Mountains, here this species is rather irregularly distributed, and while fairly abundant in certain sections, it is entirely absent in others whicli seem equally well adapted to it. I found the Kingbird rather common on the Malheur and John Day rivers, in Grant County, Oregon, while in closely adjacent sections (as in the vicinity of Camp Harney) I failed to observe a single specimen. I also met with it on Snake River, near old Fort Boise, Idaho. It appears to me to be gradually extending its range westward, and in Washington and southern British Columbia it already reaches the Pacific coast in places. The Kingbirds are rather noisy on their first arrival in the spring, and give free vent to their exuberance of spirits; they are very restless at this time, now hovering or fluttering slowly from one tree to another, or from fence post to fence post, the male following his mate Avith a peculiar, quivering movement of the wings and expanded tail, uttering at the same time a succession of shrill, 238 LIFE HISTOEIBS OF NOETH AMEEICAi^ BIRDS. twittering notes like "pthsee, pthsee," varied now and then with other calls which are rather difficult to express in print; one of these sounds like " twip-ip-ip-ip." Occasionally their flight is apparently accomplished without perceptible move- ment of the wings, as if gliding along in the air, and again they speed away with the swiftness of an arrow in pursuit of an insect or an enemy, doubling on it with the greatest ease. The inales are especially pugnacious during the mating season, and fierce combats ensue between rivals for the possession of che coveted female ; but after they are mated they rarely fight among themselves, but quickly come to each other's assistance against a common enemy. From the observations made in the United States Department of Agricul- ture, about 90 per cent of the food of this species consists of animal matter, principally beetles, grasshoppers, butterflies, spiders, wild bees, wasps, and milli- peds; to this list can be added caterpillars, diff'erent species of flies, like the large black gadfly, so annoying to horses and cattle duiing the summer months, and small minnows. The greater portion of the food is taken on the wing, although it feeds also to some extent on the ground. The bird may usually be seen perched on a low limb of a solitary tree or bush in a pasture, on a fence post, a telegraph wire along some country road, or even on a weed stalk in a field, whence it darts after any passing insect. The snapping together of its mandi- bles after catching its prey can be heard quite a little distance away. With a few bee keepers the Kingbird does not stand in the best repute, as it is sup- posed to desti-oy many bees; but I believe that the damage done in this respect is greatly exaggerated, and on closer examination I am of the opinion that very few working bees will be found among the contents of their stomachs, and that the majority taken by them are drones, which do not store honey, and that the bee keeper is actually benefited by their destruction. The vegetable matter found in their stomachs consists mainly of sassafras and spicebush berries, wild chokecherries, juniper and dogwood berries, mulberries, blackberries, huckle- berries, elderberries, pokeberries, and frost grapes. In southern Louisiana, Mr. E. A. Mcllhenny tells me, the Kingbird feeds extensively on the berries of the prickly ash and Tabasco peppers, becoming a great nuisance on the pepper plan- tations. The flesh becomes quite pungent from this food; the bird is considered a delicacy there, and numbers are shot and command a good price in the local markets. It gathers in large flocks in the fall, and is locally known there as "Gross Grasset." The indigestible portions, like the wing covers of beetles, the legs of grasshoppers, and seeds of berries, are ejected in pellets. The Kingbird loves a rather open country, and is rarely found nesting at any great distance from water, and it shuns densely timbered tracts. In the more southern sections of its breeding range nidification begins usually in the first half of May, while in northern New York and our North- western States it rarely nests before June, more generally in the latter part of this month, and still later in the extreme northern parts of its range. The nests are placed in various kinds of trees, such as apple, pear, tulip, chestnut, elm, poplar, Cottonwood, willow, oak, sycamore, osage orange, cedar, maple, birch, THE KINGBIRD, 239 hawthorn, locust, wiki plum, oraiii^'e, mid lemon, as well as in shruhs and bushes of different kinds, j^-eneralh' at a distance of from 4 to 40 feet from the j^round. They are usually placed in a fork or crotch on a horizontal bi'anch, and fre- quently well out on the limb. They are not at all particular in the; selectidu of a nesting site ; I have seen nests placed ( )n a fence rail (sometimes on tf >p of one) and again between the rails not over 2 feet from the ground, in the holl(»^v tops of stumps, and in abandoned nests of the Robin and the Bronzed Grrackle. Dr. A. K. Fisher informs me that at Red Cloud, Nebraska, on July 3, 1SS93, a female was found sitting on a nest placed on top of a fence pf)st, near the rail- road track. It is not evident why this site was chosen, as plenty of trees grew in the vicinity. There was no shelter above to protect the nest from the sun, and when seen the female was panting from the heat. Mr. Elmer T. Judd, of Cando, North Dakota, writes: "A pair of these birds were noticed building a nest on a sulky plow, and after the nest was nearly completed the plow was required and used, but the nest was not disturbed. On finishing the work I put the plow back in about the same place, and after a day or two of. consideration the birds finished the nest, laid their eggs, and raised a brood of young. Two little girls used to visit the place every day, and tlie Inrd would almost let them put their hands on it before leaving the nest. In this section they usually lay our eggs, and the earliest date of nesting is June 29; the latest, the third week in July. Their favorite nesting sites here are in wild plum bushes, from 4 to 6 feet from the ground, and I have also noticed them nesting in eave troughs and binders." The Kingbird, like jnany other species, after selecting a, suitable nesting site and raising its young unmolested, will generally return to it from ^ear to year. The nest is usually well and compactly built, and varies more or less in size and bulk, according to the site. Atypical nest now before me, taken by Dr. Edgar A. Mearns, United States Army, near Fort Snelling, Minnesota, measures about 5 J inches in outer diameter by SJ inches in depth; its inner diameter is 3 inches by If inches deep. Its exterior is constructed of small twigs and dry weed stems, mixed with cottonwood down, pieces of twine, and a little hair. The inner cup is lined with fine dry grass, a few rootlets, and a small quantity of horsehair. In other specimens bits of wool, strips of bark, thistle down, cattle hair, and fine rootlets are incorporated in the body of the nest. In the South the gray Spanish moss frequently forms the bulk of the outer walls, Avliile in the Adi- rondack mountains, in Herkimer County, New York, in June, 1892, Dr. Ralph and the writer took a nest of this species from a crotch formed by the trunk and two broken branches of a small dead birch stump, about 8 feet from the ground, which was externally constructed of the long, green tree moss of that region, mixed with a few fine roots and twigs, milkweed down, weeds, and grasses, and lined with fine roots, hair, milkweed clown, a little tree-moss, Ursiiea, and a few blades of fine grass. The stump stood by itself on the edge of a small swamp, and the nest could be plainly seen for some distance. Mr. E. A. Mcllhenny tells me that in the willow swamps in southern Louisiana these birds 240 LIFE HISTOEIES OP NORTH AMEEICAN BIEDS. construct tlieir nests entirely out of willow catkins, without any sticks whatever, and that the nests can be squeezed together in the hand like a ball. The male assists in the construction of the nest, and to some extent in the duties of incubation. He relieves the female from time to time to allow her to feed, guards the nesting site, and is usually perched on a limb close by, where he has a good view of the surroundings. Even when so engaged he rarely sits entirely quiet, but every few minutes elevates his crest and looks around for a possible enemy. An egg is deposited daily, and incubation lasts from twelve to thirteen days. The young while in the nest are fed entirely on animal food and are able to leave it in about two weeks after hatching, and soon learn to provide for themselves. A second brood is occasionally raised in the more southern portions of their breeding range. The Kingbird is not particularly sociable, each pair keeping pretty much to themselves during the breeding season, and later in family parties, until the winter migration commences, when they gather in flocks and depart for the south. Three or four eggs are laid to a set; in some localities tliree seems to be the rule. This is especially the case in the more southern portions of their breeding range, while farther north they generally lay four. Although the Kingbird is credited by several writers as laying from three to five eggs, and sometimes even six, I have never seen a larger set than four among the many examined, and sets of even five eggs must be considered as very unusual. The ground color of these eggs varies from white or pale creamy white to a very faint rose pink, and they are spotted and blotched with chestnut, claret brown, cinnamon, rufous, heliotrope purple, and lavender. The markings vary greatly, both in size and quantity, but are generally heaviest about the larger end of the egg. In the more finely marked specimens the spots are usuall}' more profuse and evenly distributed, and occasionally an almost unmarked egg is found. The shell is rather smooth, close-grained, moderately strong, and slightly glossy. The eggs a,re mostly ovate in shape, ranging from this to short and rounded ovate, and a few are elongate ovate. The average measurement of one hundred and forty eggs in the United States National Museum collection is 24.06 by 18.21 millimetres, or about 0.95 by 0.72 inch. The largest egg of the series measures 26.92 by 19.30 millimetres, or 1.06 by 0.76 inches; the smallest, 20.83 by 17.27 millimetres, or 0.82 by 0.68 inch. The type specimen, No. 2229!) (PI. 1, Fig. 14), from a set of four eggs taken by Mr. Denis Gale, near Gold Hill, Boulder County, Colorado, on June 25, 1884, shows one of the less marked examples; and No. 25052 (PL 1, Fig. 15), from a set of three eggs taken by Dr. Edgar A. Mearns, United States Army, near Fort Snelling, Minnesota, on June 13, 1890, represents a well-marked specimen. THE GRAY KINGBIRD. 241 88. Tyrannus dominicensis (Gmelin). GRAY KINGBIRD. Laniiis tyrannus /?. dominicensis Gmelin, Systema Naturae, 1, 1788, 302. Tyrannus dominicensis Richardson, Report Sixth Meeting of the British Association, V, 1837, 170. (B 125, 243, R 303, 369, U 445.) Gbog-raphical range: West Indies, coasts of Oarribean Sea, and Gulf of Mexico; north to Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina. Accidental in Massachusetts and British Columbia. The Gray l^ingbird Is a moderately common visitor to and breeds along the southern border of the United States, and its habitat is mainly confined to the immediate vicinity of the seacoast and the banks of the larger streams flowing into the Gulf of Mexico. Audubon, who called this bird the Pipiry Flycatcher, reported it as quite common on most of the Florida Keys, and Dr. Bachman observed a pair breeding in the college yard at Charleston, South Carolina, which returned for at least three years in succession and raised two broods in a season.^ Mr. Arthur T. Wayne took a nest and eggs of this species on Sullivan Island, near Charleston, South Carolina, m June, 1893. Mr. C. J. Maynard found them rather common on some of the Florida Keys, and writes about them as follows: "The Gray Kingbirds appear to prefer the outer or higher keys, and visit them in great numbers, especially during the spring migration. In order to give some idea of the home of these birds, I will describe Bamboo Key, where I found them particularly common. This little island, which contains nearly 2 acres of land, lies about midway between Key West and Cape Florida. It is one of a line of outer keys which have an old coral reef for a foundation, and as the present reef, which extends parallel with the keys, but which lies 5 miles at sea, is clearly visible, this is used as a wrecking station, and has a lookout erected on it. There were two families living there; but, with the characteristic imjjrovi- dence of the poorer class in Florida, they did not attempt to cultivate the soil, choosing rather to depend upon a precarious livelihood gained by wrecking. Thus the vegetation of the place was, in a great degree, in a primitive condition. Nearly the whole key was surrounded by a belt of mangroves, but these grew on very low ground, over which the tide rose every day; higher on the dry land were bushes, among which two or three species of cacti grew in profusion, and as the whole was overgrown by a tangled mass of vines it formed an impene- trable thicket. The wreckers had formed a small clearing in the midst of this jungle and erected two or three wretched houses. "I landed on the 1st of May, and remained there several days, during which time I saw hundreds of Gray Kingbirds. They appeared to be migrating, for numbers were constantly arriving from seaward; yet, unlike many other species, they invariably came in pairs, and were evidently mated, as they were constantly pursuing each other through the air in a playful manner, at the same 1 History of North American Birds, 1874, Vol. II, p. 320, 16896— No. 3 16 242 LIFE HISTORIES OP ifOETH AMERICAN BIRDS. time vociferating loudly. They exhibit a decided preference for mangroves, and later, by the middle of the month, build then- nests in them, usually selecting bushes which overhang the water. These birds inhabit all of the higher keys from Key West to Cape Florida. They also occur on the west coast in suitable localities, but I do not think that they are as abundant on the east side of the peninsula. They must migrate early, as I never found them in autumn."^ Mr. W. E. D. Scott says: "The earliest record I have of its arrival about Tarpon Springs, Florida, is April 23, 1887, and the birds are common till late in September. The eggs are laid in this vicinity from about the middle to the last of May, and but one brood appears to be reared." Mr. Atkins' notes are as follows: "Arrives at Punta Rassa middle of April; nests commonly on the islands and along the shore in mangrovd bushes; seems to prefer an isolated tree or bush near the water. Last noted at Punta Rassa September 13. Arrives at Key West about April 11.. A few breed here."^ First Lieut. Wirt Robinson, Fourth Artillery, United States Army, found this species not at all uncommon at Matanzas Inlet, Florida, and took three sets of eggs, which are now in the United States National Museum collection, on May 18 and 23, 1894. Here they nested in the low mangroves. The Grray Kingbird is far more abundant in the West India Islands, espe- cially in Cuba, Jamaica, Dominica, and the Bahamas, where it is one of the most conspicuous birds. Its general habits, food, and manner of flight appear to be very similar to those of our common Kingbird, and, like it, it is fearless and pugnacious in the defense of its chosen nesting site, boldly attacking birds much larger than itself Mr. Richard Hill, of Spanish Town, Jamaica, in some interesting notes furnished to Mr. Gosse, says: "The Jamaica bird is not exclusively an insect feeder, but eats very freely of the sweet wild berries, especially those of the pimento. These ripen in Septembei', and in groves of these this bird may always be found in abundance. By the end of September most of the migrant birds have left the island. * * * "This is among the earliest of the birds to breed in Jamaica. As early as January the mated pair is said to be in possession of some lofty tree, sounding at day dawn a ceaseless shriek, which is composed of a repetition of three or four notes sounding like 'pe-chee-ry,' from which they derive their local name. * * * In feeding, just before sunset, they usually sit eight or ten in a row, on some exposed twig, darting from it in pursuit of their prey, and returning to it to devour whatever they have caught. They are rapid in their movements, ever constantly and hurriedly changing their positions in flight. As they fly they are able to check their speed suddenly and to turn at the smallest imagin- able angle. At times they move with motionless wings from one tree to another. When one descends to pick up an insect from the surface of the water, it has the appearance of tumbling, and, in rising again, ascends with a singular motion ' Birds of Florida and eastern North America, 1881, p. 176. 2 The Auk, VI, 1889, p. 318. TUB GRAY KINGBIRD. 243 of the wings, as if hurled into the air and endeavoring to recover itself. * * * This Flycatcher is also charged by Mr. Hill with seizing upf)n the Humming- birds as they hover over the blossoms in the gardens, killing its jjrey by repeated blows struck on the branch and then devouring them."^ In Florida nidification rarely commences before the third week in May, and sometimes not before June. The nests are most frequently found in man- grove bushes, in different species of palms, and less often in live oaks; they are usually placed on horizontal limbs overhanging the water, and at no great distance above it. A nest now before me, taken by Lieut. Wirt Robinson, at Matanzas Inlet, on May 18, 1894, measures 6 inches in outer diameter by 2^ inches in depth; its inner diameter is 4 inches by 1^ in depth. It is externally composed of small twigs and rootlets, and lined with finer material of the same kind. It is a very loosely and carelessly built structure, resembling a Mourn- ing Dove's nest more than anything else; it contained four fresh eggs when found. The number of eggs to a set varies from three to four, although it is said that occasionally as many as five are found. These are among the hand- somest of our Flycatchers ; their ground color varies from a creamy to a pinkish or flesh-colored tint, and they are profusely spotted and blotched with different shades of chocolate, burnt umber, claret brown, mixed with lighter shades of lav- ender and heliotrope purple , the markings are usually heaviest about the larger end of the egg, and often form an irregular wreath. The shell is close grained and rather firm; the shape is usually elliptical ovate, less often elongate ovate. The average measurement of a series of forty eggs in the United States National Museum collection is 25.91 by 18.50 millimetres, or about 1.02 by 0.73 inches The largest egg of the series measures 27.68 by 19.30 millimetres, or 1.09 by 0.76 inches; the smallest, 22.61 by 17.53 millimetres, or 0.89 by 0.69 inch. The type specimen. No. 16844 (PI. 2, Fig. 3), was taken by Mr. N. B. Moore, near Manatee, Florida, in June, 1873, and represents a well-marked specimen, while No. 20405 (PI. 2, Fig. 4), Bendire collection, taken by Mr. C. H. Nauman, in May, 1875, in southern Florida, represents an average-marked egg of this species. 89. Tyrannus melancholicus ouchii (Baied) COUCH'S KINGBIRD. Tyrannus couchii Bated, Birds of North America, 1858, 175. Tyrannus melancholicus var. couchii Ooufes, Check List, ed. I, Dec, 1873, 51. (B 128, 129, 246, E 305, 372, TJ 446.) Geogkaphical kangb : From Guatemala north through Mexico, to tlje lower Eio Grande Valley, in southern Texas. Couch's Kingbird is a common summer resident throughout a considerable portion of Mexico, but within our borders it appears to be rather rare, and has so far only been observed in the lower Rio Grande Valley, where it breeds spar- ' History of North American Birds, 1874, Vol. II, pp. 321, 322. 244 LIFE HISTOEIBS OP NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. ingly. I have been quoted in the "History of North American Birds, 1874" (Vol. II, p. 329), as having taken this subspecies near Tucson, Arizona; this is evidently a mistake, as I can not find any reference to such a capture among my notes on Arizona birds. For what httle we know about Couch's Kingbird we are indebted to Mr. George B. Sennett, who first met with it on May 8, 1877, at Lomita Ranch, near Hidalgo, Texas. He says: "At this point is the finest gi'ove of ebonies (Acacia flexicaulis) I saw on the river. On the hillside, back of the buildings, they over- look the large resaca, then filled with tasseled corn. It was the tops of these grand old trees that these Flycatchers loved, and so persistent were they in staying- there that I thought they were going to settle in the neighborhood for the season. There was a company of some six or eight scattered about. I did not find them shy, for after our firing they would almost immediately return to the same trees. They were readily distinguishable from Tyrannus carolinensis, which were shot in their company; their greater size and bright yellow under parts can be seen at gunshot range." ^ A.niest taken by one of Mr. Bennett's collectors in 1881 is described by him as follows: "The nest was situated some 20 feet from the ground, on a small lateral branch of a large elm, in a fine grove not far from the houses of the ranch. It is composed of small elm twigs, with a little Spanish moss and a few branchlets and leaves of the growing elm intermixed. The sides of the nest are lined with fine rootlets ; the bottom with the black, hair-like heart of the Spanish moss. The outside diameter is 6 inches and the depth 2 inches. The inside diameter is 3 inches and the depth 1.25 inches."^ There is as yet but little known about the general habits, food, and call notes of this subspecies; but it is presumable that they do not differ very mate- railly from those of the other members of this family. The number of eggs varies from three to four, and the nests appear generally to be placed near the end of a horizontal limb, on a good-sized tree, at no very great distance from the ground, and preferably near water. All the eggs of this subspecies in the United States National Museum collection were taken in the vicinity of Brownsville, Texas, where these birds usually commence nesting during the first two weeks in May. The ground color of the eggs is a delicate creamy pink, and they are mod- erately well blotched and spotted with chocolate, claret brown, heliotrope purple, and lavender. These markings are, in some instances, scattered pretty evenly over the entire surface of the egg; in others they are mainly confined to the larger end. They are readily distinguishable from the eggs of the balance of our Kingbirds by their peculiar ground color, while their markings are very similar to those found on the eggs of the other species of this family. The shell is close-grained and rather strong, and in shape the eggs are generally ovate or elongate ovate. 1 Bulletin of the U. S. Geological and Geographical Survey, 1878, Vol. IV, No. 1, p. 31. 2 The Aak, Vol. I, 1884, p. 93. GOUOH'S KINGBIRD. 245 The average size of thirteen eggs in the United States National Museum collection is 24.38 by 18.45 miUimetres, or about 0.96 by 0.73 inch. The largest egg measures 24.89 by 18.80 millimetres, or 0.98 by 0.74 inch; the smallest, 23.62 by 17.53 millimetres, or 0.93 by 0.69 inch. The type specimens, Nos. 24313 and 26345 (PI. 2, Figs. 5 and 6), both from the Ralph collection, were obtained near Brownsville, Texas, the former on May 13, 1891, the latter on May 16, 1893, and show the different styles of markings. go. Tyrannus verticalis Say. ARKANSAS KINGBIRD. Tyrannus verticalis Say, Long's Expedition, II, 1823, 60. (B 126, 244, E 306, 370, U 447.) Geographical range: Western North America; from tlie Pacific coast east to western Texas, western Indian Territory, middle Kansas, Nebraska, and western Min- nesota; north to North Dakota, southern Assiuiboia, Alberta!, and southern British Columbia; south to Lower California, and in the winter through Mexico to Guatemala. Accidental in Iowa, Maine, New Jersey, New York, and Maryland. The Arkansas Kingbird, for which the name of "Western Kingbird" seems to be better suited, is pretty generally distributed as a summer resident through- out the middle and western portions of the United States, and it breeds in suitable localities throughout these regions. The northern limit of its breeding range extends, as far as is at present known, into southern Assiniboia (the valley of the Souris River), and probably westward through southern Alberta, as well as along the southern borders of British Columbia, where it appears to be fairly common, excepting in the immediate vicinity of the coast. In the United States it reaches its northern limits in North Dakota and southern Minnesota, where it is rare, and thence it is found south through 'Nebraska, middle and western Kansas, western Indian Territory to northwestern Texas, and in all of the inter- vening regions westward to the Pacific Ocean. In Lower California the Arkansas Kingbird appears to be rare, though a few breed in the northern portions of this peninsula. Dr. Edgar A. Meams, United States Army, found a nest of this species at St. Ysidora ranch on July 2, 1894, containing three eggs, which are now in the collection here. This species arrives from its winter home in Mexico and Guatemala, along the southern border of its breeding range, about the latter part of March, and passes leisurely northward, reaching our more northern States about the beginning of May, and returning early in September. By the middle of October all, or nearly all, have passed our borders, and I do not believe that any winter within the United States. The Arkansas Kingbird is pretty generally distributed throughout most of our Western States, and is especially abundant in the Oreat Basin region. It is essentially a bird of the more open country, especially of the river valleys, and is not generally found in the higher mountain systems, where it rarely reaches higher altitudes than 7,500 feet. I have observed this species as common in 246 LIFE HISTOEIBS OF NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. southern Arizona as in northern Washington and Idaho, and wherever water and a few willows are to be found, no matter if the surrounding country may otherwise be a perfect desert, some of these birds are sure to be seen. This Flycatcher is, if anything, more noisy than our common eastern Kingbird, and utters also a greater variety of notes; some of these resemble the squeaking sounds of our Grackles; others are indifferent efforts at song— a low, warbling kind of twitter — while occasionally it gives utterance to shrill, metalHc-sounding notes with more force to them than those of the Kingbird. Dming the mating season they are especially noisy, and begin their love songs, if they may be called such, at the earliest dawn, and keep up their concerts with but slight intermission during the greater part of the day; but after they are mated and nidification commences they are more quiet. Mr. R. H. Lawrence writes me from Monrovia, California, that the Arkansas Flycatcher also utters very peculiar notes at times during the night. He says: "On the night of July 30, 1893, I frequently heard a queer cry; sometimes only a single note, and again this was repeated three or four times, followed by a crying or wailing sound, as if made by a very young kitten. I heard these notes on successive nights. On August 2, about 4.30 a. m., I succeeded in shoot- ing the performer out of a pepper tree standing close to the house, and it proved to be an Arkansas Flycatcher." The males precede their mates a few days in the migration, and as soon as the latter arrive constant quarrels between rivals for' the favors of the coveted female ensue. , Frequently half a dozen of these birds may be seen chasing each other about, pecking at . and tumbling over each other in mid-air, keeping up an incessant chatter and scolding in the meantime ; but very rarely have I seen feathers fly during these ostensible combats, and I am inclined to think that the majority of such performances are indulged in more in fun than in anger. They are undoubtedly more social than the common Kingbird, as I have seen two pairs nesting in the same' tree, apparently living in perfect harmony with each other. While they are by no means devoid of courage, they appear to me to be much less quarrelsome on the whole than the former, and they are far more tolerant toward some of the larger Raptores. For instance, in the vicinity of Camp Harney, Oregon, I found a pair of these birds nesting in the same ti'ee (a medium-sized pine) with Bullock's Oriole and Swainson's Hawk, and, as far as I could see, all were on excellent terms. Their food consists of animal matter, principally grasshoppers where these are abundant, as well as of moths, butterflies, different species of flies, winged ants, caterpillars, and the large black crickets of the West. Most of their prey is caught on the wing, and they rarely fail in capturing it. They are extremely dexterous, and tlieia- flight is powerful and swift. During the summer they feed occasionally on wild bennes, and among these the service berry seems to be more often eaten than any other. Like our common Kingbird, they are often credited with feeding to a considerable extent on bees, and are therefore in bad repute with bee keepers. This accusation, like many others made about some of our most useful and beneficial birds, seems to be entirely unfounded. THE ARKANSAS KINGBIRD. 247 Mr. Walter E. Bryant makes the following remarks relatin<^- to this subject in "Zee" (Vol IV, 1893, p. 57): "Mr. A. Bamett, of San Diego County, California, has 300 swarms of bees, which attracted the Flycatchers to such an extent that he made some investiga- tions to ascertain to what degree they might be damaging to the bee industry. Over one hundred Arkansas Flycatchers and Phoebes (Black and Say's) were dissected. In all of the Arkansas Flycatchers only drones were found, but no working bees, although in many cases the birds were gorged. In most of the Phoebes drone bees were also found; the only exception was that of a Phoebe (Say's?) in which a bee sting was found in the base of the tongue. The birds were all shot about apiaries, and were seen darting upon and catching bees. The examinations were made with a hand lens. Mr. Bamett regards the occur- rence of the sting found in the Phoebe as accidental, and concluded that Fly- catchers ai'e beneficial in reducing the numbers of drones." The Arkansas Kingbird, like all of our Flycatchers, is extremely beneficial and deserves the fullest protection, and where not molested becomes quite tame and will readily nest about houses. They are not at all j)articular in the choice of nesting sites and build in various situations, but generally in trees in creek bottoms, near water, though I have occasionally found one of their nests fully a mile away in an isolated tree in the foothills. Cottonwoods and willows seem to be more often selected than other trees, but perhaps only because they are the commonest kinds throughout most of their breeding range. Oaks, sycamores, Australian blue gum, junipers, elms, and orchard trees are also made use of to a certain extent, while pines are rarely occupied. Mr. William G. Smith informs me that in Colorado they nest occasionally on ledges. Dr. C. T. Cooke writes me that a pair of these birds nested in the summer of 1891 in a church steeple in Salem, Oregon, and Mr. Elmer T. Judd, of Cando, North Dakota, informs me that he found a nest on a beam of a rail- road windmill pump, about 6 feet from the ground, where trains passed close by the nest constantly; another was found by him on a grainbinder which was standing within a couple of rods of a public schoolhouse. I have examined many of their nests in various parts of the West. The majority of these were placed in forks of trees, and generally close to the trunk; others were saddled on horizontal limbs. One nest was placed in the top of a hollow Cottonwood stump, the rim of the nest being flush with the top ; another pair made use of an old nest of the Western Robin ; and still another built on the sill of one of the attic windows of my quarters at Fort Lapwai, Idaho. They probably would not have succeeded in keeping this nest in i^lace had I not nailed a piece of board along the outside to prevent the wind from blowing the materials away as fast as the birds could bring them. They were persistent, however, and not easily discouraged, working hard for a couple of days in trying to secure a firm foundation before I came to their assistance. Both birds were equally diligent in the construction of their home until it was nearly fin- ished, when the female did most of the arranging of the inner lining, and many 248 LIFE HISTOEIES OF NOETH AMERICAN BIRDS. a consultation was evidently indulged in between the pair before the nest was finally ready for. occupation, a low twittering being kept up almost constantly. It took just a week to build it, and an egg was deposited each morning after- wards until the set, which consisted of four eggs, was completed. After incubation had commenced, I noticed that the female left her eggs for an hour or more at a time, during the middle of the day, when the sun was shining on that part of the house, and. sat panting on the window sill or on a little cotton- wood tree close by, keeping watch over her treasures. I also observed her turning the eggs over and rearranging them occasionally when she returned to the nest. The nests of the Arkansas Kingbird vary greatly in bulk and size accord- ing to the situation, and are usually placed at no great height from the ground. Generally they are compactly built structures, the foundation and outer walls being composed of weed stems, fine twigs, plant fibers, and rootlets, intermixed with wool, cocoons, hair, feathers, bits of string, cottonwood, milkweed, and thistle down, or pieces of paper, and lined with finer materials of the same kind. A typical nest. No. 26036, United States National Museum collection, taken by Mr. H. W. Henshaw, near St. Ysabel, California, measm-es 6 inches in outer diameter by 3 in depth; the inner cup is 3 inches wide by If deep. It is princi- pally composed of the stalks of Stylodine arizonica and Micropus californicus, mixed and lined with cocoons and a little down. Nidification, even in the more southern parts of their range, rarely com- mences much before the middle of May, more generally during June, and near the northern limits not before the first week in July. From three to five eggs are laid to a set, four being the usual number. I have taken two sets of five each near Fort "Walla Walla, Washington, but such large sets are rather rare. Incu- bation lasts from twelve to thirteen days ; this duty is mostly performed by the female, but I have also seen the male on the nest, and he can generally be observed close by, on the lookout for danger. Both parents are exceedingly courageous in the defense of their nest and young, and every bird of this species in the neighborhood will quickly come to the rescue and help to drive intruders off as soon as one gives the alarm. The young grow rapidly and are able to leave the nest in about two weeks. They consume an immense amount of food, certainly fully their own weight in a day. I have often watched the familj^ previously referred to, raised on the sill of my attic window, and also fed them with the bodies of the large black crickets while one of the parents was looking on, and apparently approvingly, within a few feet of me. I have stuffed them until it seemed impossible for them to hold any more, but there was no satisfying them; it certainly keeps the parents busy from early morning till late at night to supply their always hungry family. They are readily tamed when taken young, and are very intelligent, making interesting pets. I believe that only one brood, as a rule, is raised in a season, excepting possibly in the extreme southern portions of their range, in southern Arizona and California, as I found fresh eggs on Rillito Creek, near Tucson, as late as July 20, in a locality where these birds THE ARKANSAS KINGBIED. 249 had not been previously disturbed, which seems to indicate that they occasion- ally may rear a second brood. The eggs of the Arkansas Kingbird do not differ in shape or coloration from those of the Kingbird, and the same description will answer for both; but they are a trifle smaller as a rule. The average measurement of one hundred and four eggs in the United States National Museum collection is 23.62 by 17.42 millimetres, or about 0.93 by 0.69 inch. The largest egg of the series measures 25.91 by 18.54 millimetres, or 1.02 by 0.73 inches; the smallest, 19.81 by 15.75 millimetres, or 0.78 by 0.62 inch. One of the type specimens. No. 20392 (PI. 1, Fig. 16), from a set of three eggs, shows rather heavy and handsome markings, and also a slightly pinkish ground color, while No. 20399 (PI. 1, Fig. 17), from a set of four (one of the largest specimens in the series) represents about an average-marked egg; both are from the Bendire collection; the former was taken at Fort Lap^\'ai, Idaho, June 16, 1871, and the latter at Fort Walla Walla, Washington, May 25, 1881. gi. Tyrannus vociferans Swainson. CASSIN'S KINGBIRD. Tyranmis vociferans SwAiNSON, Quarterly Journal of Science, XX, 1826, 273. (B 127, C 245, E 307, C 371, U 448.) Geographical range : "Western United States ; from the eastern slopes of t^e Eocky Mountains west to Califoruia; north to southern Wyoming; south through Colo- rado, New Mexico, northwestern Texas, Arizona, to Lower Califoruia, Mexico, and in winter to Guatemala and Costa Eica. Accidental in Oregon. Cassin's Kingbird, while fairly common in certain sections of its range, appears to be entirely absent in some of the intermediate regions. Eastward, so far as is known at present, its breeding range extends to the eastern bases of the Eocky Mountains in Colorado, and possibly to southeastern Wyoming, where Dr. C. Hart Merriam obtained a single specimen on May 27, 1872, near Chey- enne. In the Great Basin region, through Utah and Nevada to the eastern slopes of the Sierra Nevadas in California, it has not yet been met with, but it probably occurs in southern Utah; while in the coast districts of southern Cali- fornia and through the greater portion of Arizona and New Mexico it is a common summer resident, and it also probably breeds in limited numbers in northwestern Texas. In Oregon it can only be considered as a straggler, though Mr. A. W. Anthony observed a few specimens on May 5, 1885, in Washington County, in the northwestern part of the State. While the Arkansas Kingbird appears to shun the immediate coast districts, Cassin's Kingbird seems to prefer them. It is said to be quite common in many parts of Mexico during the breed- ing season, and in southern California it is partly resident. 250 LIFE HISTOEIBS OF NORTH AMEEICAlSr BIRDS. Mr. F. Stephens writes me: "Cassin's Kingbird is a winter resident in southern California, but it is not very common. I have failed to find them here during the breeding season, even in the mountains." It has not as yet been reported from southern Arizona as a winter resident. I failed to notice them after October in the vicinity of Tucson, and beheve they migrate regularly, returning from their winter homes in the south in March. Cassin's Kingbird is neither as noisy nor as quarrelsome as the preceding species, and appears to be more of a mountain-loving bird and to nest at higher altitudes. Dr. Edgar A. Mearns, United States Army, in his notes on Arizona Moun- tain Birds, says: "Cassin's Kingbird breeds commonly throughout the pine forests. I found it in the uppermost timber on San Francisco Mountain in June, the altitude being nearly 12,000 feet. This conspicuous species likewise breeds in the low valleys of Arizona, together with ^ the Arkansas Kingbird (Tyrannus verticalis), nests of both species having been found at the same time in one Cot- tonwood tree in the Verde Valley. On the Mogollon Mountains I saw them attack Crows and Western Red-tailed Hawks, and drive them from the neigh- borhood of their nests after the spirited fashion of the eastern Kingbird."^ Their food, like that of the other members of this family, consists princi- pally of insects, and is obtained in a similar manner. Their call notes do not differ very much from those of the other Kingbirds, but on the whole are perhaps less shrill and a trifle more melodious. While they are possibly more common in the oak and pine belts in Arizona, I found them by no means rare in the lowlands along the Santa Cruz River and Rillito Creek, near Tucson, Arizona, during the summer of 1872, where I took a num- ber of their nests. I consider them very late breeders, my earliest record being June 14, when I took a set of four fresh eggs; but it is possible that I may have overlooked the first broods entirely, as most all the nests found by me during the month of June (about a dozen) contained fresh eggs. The season of 1872 was a very backward one, however, and this may account for the late nesting, especially as Dr. Cooper is quoted in "History of North American Birds, 1874" (Vol. II, p. 328), as finding Cassin's Kingbird breeding at San Diego, California, as early as March 28. The earliest record I have is May 27, 1892 — a set of three eggs containing large embryos, taken at Dog Spring, Grant County, New Mex- ico, by Dr. E. A. Mearns, United States Army, and now in the United States National Museum collection. This nest was located in a hackberry tree, near a nest of Swainson's Hawk, containing two -eggs. The trees generally selected bythis species for nesting sites are pines, oaks, Cottonwood, walnut, hackberry, and sycamores, and the nests are almost inva- riably placed near the end of a horizontal limb, usually from 20 to 40 feet from the ground, in positions where they are not easily reached. All of the nests examined by me were placed in large cotton woods, with long spreading limbs, and were saddled on one of these, well out toward the extremity. The majority ' The Auk, Vol. VII, 1890, p. 255. CASSIN'S KINGBIRD. 251 could only be reached by placing a pole against the limb and ch'mbing to it. They are fully as demonstrative as the Arkansas Kingbird when their nests are disturbed, and are equally courageous in the defense of their eggs and young. The nests are large, bulky structures, larger than those of the preceding species, but composed of similar materials. An average nest measures 8 inches in outer diameter by 3 inches in depth. The inner cup is Sy- inches wide by If deep. Sometimes they are pretty well concealed to view from below, but they can usually be readily seen at a distance. From two to five eggs are laid to a set. Sets of three or four are most frequently found, while sets of two and five are rare, but I have found both, incubation having already commenced in the smaller set. This lasts from twelve to fourteen days, and is almost always, if not exclusively, performed by the female. I have never noticed the male on the nest. The eggs are similar in color and markings to those of the Kingbird and Arkansas Kingbird, and about the same size as the latter, but on the whole they are not quite as heavily spotted. The average measurement of forty-four eggs in the United States National Museum collection is 23.62 by 17.47 millimetres, or about 0.93 by 0.69 inch. The largest egg of the series measures 27.94 by 19.30 millimetres, or 1.10 by 0.76 inches; the smallest 22.61 by 16.26 milhmetres, or 0.89 by 0.64 inch. The type specimen. No. 20413 (PI. 1, Fig. 18), from the Bendire collection, was taken by the writer on Rillito Creek, Arizona, on July 15, 1872, and is a rather large-sized egg, while No. 26146 (PL 1, Fig. 19) was collected by Dr. Edgar A. Meams, United States Army, on the east side of the San Luis Moun- tains, New Mexico, on June 17, 1892. The two specimens represent about average-marked eggs of this species. 92. Pitangus derbianus (Kaup). DERBY FLYCATCHER. Saurophagus derbianus Kaup, Proceedings Zoological Society, 1851, 44, PI. XXXVI. Pitangus derbianus Sclateb, Proceedings Zoological Society, 1856, 297. (B _, C — , E 308, C 364, U 449.) GeoGtEAphical RANGE: North to the lower Eio Grande Valley in Texas; south through Mexico and Central America to Colombia, Venezuela, and Trinidad, South America. The Derby Flycatcher, also locally known as the "Bull-headed Flycatcher," "Mexican Pitangus," and "Rio Grande Flycatcher," can only be considered as a rather uncommon, summer visitor in the lower Rio Grande Valley, in southern Texas, where it breeds in very limited numbers, though in the adjoining States of Tamaulipas and Nuevo Leon, in eastern Mexico, it appears to- be fairly common, and it is equally so throughout the greater portion of the Mexican Republic, both in hot and tesaperate zones, where it sometimes reaches an altitude of 6,000 feet. It also breeds throughout Central America in suitable localities. 252 LIFE HISTORIES OF NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. Mr. Gr. B. Sennett, to whom we are indebted for a great deal of valuable information about the birds of the lower Rio Grande Vallej', added this large and conspicuous Flycatcher to our fauna, and says: "On April 23, 1878, a male and female of this species- were shot at Lake San Jose, a few miles from Lomita. Both were shot about 4 feet up on the trunks of small retama trees standing in the water, and were clinging to them and working their way down to the water, possibly to drink. They were not particularly shy. On May 3 another female was shot in a tree bordering the lake, yet not over the water. One or two more were observed in timber about water holes. In flight this Flycatcher resembles the Kingfishers. Dissection indicated the approach of the breeding season, and it undoubtedly nests in the large trees of the locality."^ Mr. E. W. Nelson writes me that he found the Derby Flycatcher rather common about reed patches bordering the salt lagoons, near Manzanillo, in Colima, Mexico. They usually perched on the tops of dead bushes or stout reeds, from which vantage points they made excursions in various directions after passing insects. He also met with them near Jalapa, Vera Cruz, where they frequented the scattered bushes on the borders of fields and along streams flowing through cultivated or inclosed lands. Mr. Charles W. Richmond has kindly furnished the following notes on this large Flycatcher, as observed by him in Nicaragua: "The name given this bird in Nicaragua refers to its note, which sounds like 'kiskadee,' several times repeated. They have another note, which they utter on some occasions, and also a note of distress, very different from either of the others. Although the food consists of insects, I have seen one specimen that had its mouth and throat full of ripe banana. The Derby Flycatcher is common along the streams, and almost invariably travels in pairs. The bird appears to be evenly distributed along the water courses, and two or three pairs may occupy perhaps a mile along the river front, which territory they go over every day. At the International Planting Company's Headquarters, where I collected for over eight months, there were two pairs on the river, one on each side, and another pair located on a creek close by. After shooting the two pairs on our side of the river, no others came about for a long time, although the pair on the opposite side of the river (about 300 yards wide at this point) passed up and down each day on their rounds. Their flight ordinarily is short, the birds stopping a short time in each place, picking up food as they move along." The most complete and interesting account of the general habits of the Derby Flycatcher is that published by the late George N; Lawrence, based upon collections and notes on the "Birds of Western and Northwestern Mexico,"- made by the late Col. A. J. Grayson, and pubhshed in the "Memou's of the Boston Society of Natural History" (Vol. II, p. 286). These are as follows: "This is a common and abundant species, inhabiting the western and north- western parts of Mexico ; I found it equally as common in Tehuantepec as in the region of Mazatlan, where its loud, shrill notes of 'hip-se-dee, hip-se-dee' ' Bulletin of the U. S. Geological and Geographical Survey, Vol. V, No. 3, 1879, pp. 407, 408. THE DBEBY FLYCATCHER. 253 may be heard at all seasons of the year, but more particularly during the breeding season, when it is excessively garrulous. It is more frequently met with in the neighborhood of fresh-water streams and lagoons, and I have often observed them dart into the water after water insects and minnows that were swimming near the surface, not unlike the Kingfisher; but they usually pursue and capture on the wing the larger kinds of Coleoptera and Neuroptera, swallow- ing their prey entire after first beating it a few times against their perch. They are usually in pairs, but I have also seen as inany as twenty about a stagnant pool, watching its turbid water for insects and small fish, for which they seem to have a great partiality. "The nest of this species is very large, and its construction differs from all the Tyrannidce of which I have any knowledge excepting M. texensis. It is dome-shaped or covered, with the entrance on the side, while the other species build a saucer-shaped nest. The nest of the Bull-headed Flycatcher is usually placed in the forks of the branches of very thorny trees, 25 or 30 feet from the ground. It is composed of very coarse materials, of either straw or lichens, sometimes of both, the lining, however, is of firmer and more elastic fibers. Other birds sometimes make their nests in the same or nearest tree, such as M. texensis, C. melanicterus, and I. pustulatus. The eggs of this Flycatcher are usually five in number; they are of moderate size, rather lengthened, of a light cream color, with a small reddish speck ; the shell is delicate and easily broken." Messrs. -Salvin and Godman make the following remarks about this species: "In Guatemala Pitangus derbimius builds its nest in April and May; one found at Duenas was a large, loose structure with a great deal of superfluous matter about it, its entrance being on one side; it was composed entirely of small twigs and placed at the end of a branch about 20 feet from the ground; another taken at San Geronimo had two openings, but one seems to be the rule. A favorite haunt is the banana groves, where the nest may be found wedged in among the clusters of fruit. The eggs are slightly pear-shaped, of a pale creamy -white color, spotted and blotched with brick red. They vary consider- ably in size and color, especially as to the magnitude and density of the spots. "We never noticed P. derbianus feeding on fish and water insects, as described by Grayson, but Mr. Hudson ascribes similar habits to P. sulphuratus in the Argentine Republic."^ There are three sets of eggs in the Ralph collection, taken in Cameron County, Texas, on May 9, May 27, and June 23, 1893, respectively. Each of these contained four fresh eggs when found; the last set was probably a second laying, the first having been destroyed. Two of these nests were located in a thicket of huisache trees (Acacia farnesiand), about 10 feet from the ground; the other in a large bunch of Spanish moss, pending from the limb of a large tree, about 14 feet up. The last-named is now in the collection here. The nest proper is an unusually bulky structxire, composed principally of gray Spanish moss, dry weed stems, pieces of vines, and swamp grasses, and lined with finer 'Biologia Central! Americani, Aves, Vol. II, 1889, p. 45. 254 LIFE HISTORIES OF NOETH AMBEIOAN BIRDS. materials of the same kinds, it measures 11 inches in outer diameter by 5 inches in height. The inner cup measures 5 inches in diameter by 2 inches in depth. The various materials are well interwoven and make a compact mass. The walls of the nest are imusually thick. The other nests were lined with wool, feathers, plant down, and Spanish moss. The number of eggs to a set is four or five, and probably only one brood is raised in a season. They vary considerably in shape; the majority may be called short ovate, others are ovate and elongate ovate ; the shell is close grained and but slightly glossy. The ground color is pale creamy white, and is spar- ingly spotted, principally about the larger end, with irregularly shaped splashes and minute specks of seal or liver-brown and different shades of lavender. The average measurement of eighteen eggs in the United States National Museum collection is 29.46 by 21.34 millimetres, or 1.16 by 0.84 inches. The largest egg measures 30.48 by 22.10 millimetres, or 1.20 by 0.87 inches; the smallest, 26.16 by 21.34 miUimetres, or 1.03 by 0.84 inches. The type specimens, Nos. 26342 and 26343 (PL 1, Figs. 20 and 21), both from sets of four eggs, Ralph collection, were taken in Cameron County, Texas, on May 27 and June 23, 1893, respectively, and represent the heavier and finer marked types of these eggs. 93. Myiozetetes texensis (Giraud). GIEAUD'S FLYCATCHER. Muscieapa texensis Gieatjd, Sixteen Texas Birds, 1841, PI. I. Myiozetetes texensis Sclatbk, Proceedings Zoological Society, 1859, SP (B _, — , R 309, — , U [4c50].) GbogkaphicaL range: Central America; south to Colombia, South America, north to northern Mexico (and southern Texas?). Giraud's Flycatcher is included in our fauna on Giraud's Texas record, but no other specimens have since been secured, and if it occurs at all in the lower Rio Grande Valley, in Texas, it can only be considered as an accidental strag- ler, and it is not probable that it breeds within our borders. Mr. Charles W. Richmond has kindly furnished me the following notes on this bird: "It is very abundant in Nicaragua. It is confined to the vicinity of water courses, and is evenly distributed in such localities. It is quite a stationary bird; pairs occupying a certain precinct may be found in the same place week after week, seldom wandering far away, according to my observations. The bird usually selects a tree overhanging the water for its perch, where it often sits for a considerable length of time, uttering its peculiar cry, which resembles that of a young chicken, only louder. The bird has other notes which it makes use of at different times. Occasionally it prospects around the outer branches of the tree for insects, making short flights from branch to branch in a leisurely manner, looking carefully about before proceeding to the next branch, and GIEAUD'8 FLYOATOHEE. 255 stretching its neck out, after tlie manner of a Dove. It frequently flies out from its perch after passing insects, like a Wood Pewee or Kingbird. This bird bathes frequently during the day if the sun is shining, flying down into the water with a splash, thea up to its perch again, where it dresses its feathers. This style of bathing I have noticed only in Griraud's Flycatcher. "The nest is a beautiful structure, roofed over, with the entrance at one side. It is usually profusely covered with living moss, and is generally placed in a bush or tree over the water, from 5 to 1 5 feet up as a rule. Nests are often placed in bunches of bananas, and I have found them in young lime trees, 4 feet from the ground. One nest, found in a clump of vines, was fully 30 feet from the ground. I found a nest May 13, containing three young birds fully fledged. The parent birds were very much excited while I remained in the vicinity. The species is known as 'Little Kiskadee' by the English-speaking people here, on account of its resemblance to the Derby Flycatcher." Mr. E. W. Nelson writes me: "I found Griraud's Flycatcher common along tall hedges bordering fields near Jico, Vera Cruz, Mexico, during June and July, 1893. They were also particularly common along streams bordered by a more or less straggling growth of tall bushes. They appeared to nest only in the latter situations — a dozen or more of their nests were found here, all similarly situated. They were placed in forks near the tops of tall, slender, and generally overhanging bushes, from 12 to 15 feet from the ground. In several instances the nests were placed in the tops of bushes overhanging streams. There was not the slightest attempt at concealment, and the nests were usually visible at a considerable distance, appearing like large, ragged handfuls of dry grass thrust carelessly into the forks of the bushes. They were still more conspicuous from the fact that they were usually built in the tops of bushes somewhat taller than the average, or apart from the general mass of surrounding vegetation. "Unfortunately, all of the nests examined were either occupied by yoxmg or had already been deserted; they were all lined with fine grass stems. The old birds were not at all shy, but watched my approach with considerable anxiet}' hovering about from the top of one bush to another, in the vicinity of nests containing young, uttering clear, plaintive, whistling notes of alarm, with occa- sional harsher, chattering cries. When undisturbed these birds perch quietly on conspicuous points, whence they dart off after passing insects or utter occasional mellow, whistling call notes. They are usually rather quiet birds, although always conspicuous from the nature of their surroundings. The upper limit of their range, near Jalapa, Vera Cruz, appears to be about 4,500 feet." Mr. Gr. K. Cherrie, of San Jose, Costa Rica, has kindly presented the United States National Museum with a well-preserved nest of this species, and also a handsome set of eggs, the first fully identified specimens in the collection. Since these have been received I find that the late Col. A. J. Grayson had taken the nest and eggs of Griraud's Flycatcher near Mazatlan, Mexico, years pre- viously, and a short but correct description of the nest is given in the Memoirs 256 LIFE HISTOEIES OF NOETH AMERICAN BIEDS. of the Boston Society of Natural History (Vol. II, p. 286). An egg taken by ' him at the time is now in the collection here, and undoubtedly belongs to this species. Giraud's Flycatcher begins nesting in Costa Rica about the first of April, and probably rears two broods in a season. The set of eggs presented by Mr. Cherrie was taken on June 30, 1890, and was, more than likely from a second laying. This gentleman describes a nest taken by him near Tala-manca, Costa Rica, on April 1, 1890, as follows: "It was placed in a thorny shrub, about 5 feet from the ground, the shrub growing in a clearing by the side of a river. It is composed entirely of dry grass, externally of rather coai'se stems, and Ened with "very fine, soft tops. It is somewhat retort shaped, resting in the forks of the limb, but is also bound to one of the branches of the fork for almost the entire length of the nest. Long grass stems hang from the front of the nest for 12 inches below the bottom; the nest measures externally 10 inches in depth by 6 inches in horizontal diameter." The one sent to the United States National Museum, taken at the same place on April 8, 1890, is similarly constructed; it resembles the nests of our Cactus Wren very much, and might readily be mistaken for one of them. The eggs are two or three in number, ovate in shape, rather thin shelled, and without luster; their ground color is a delicate creamy white with a faint pinkish tint, and they are sparingly marked, especially about the larger end of the egg, with minute spots of prune and heliotrope-purple and lavender. The average measurement of five eggs in the United States National Museum collection is 23.11 by 16.76 millimetres, or 0.91 by 0.66 inch. The largest egg measures 25.91 by 16.76 millimetres, or 1.02 by 0.66 inches; the smallest, 21.34 by 16.51 millimetres, or 0.84 by 0.65 "inch. The type specimen, No. 25283 (PI. 1, Fig. 22), from a set of three eggs, was taken by Mr. Greorge K. Cherrie, near San Jose, Costa Rica, on June 30, 1890, and represents an average-marked egg. 94. Myiodynastes luteiventris Sclatee. SULPHUR-BELLIED FLYCATCHER. Myiodynastes luteiventris Sclatbr, Proceedings Zoological Society, 1859, 42 (ex Bonaparte Compte Eenda XXXVIII,. 1854=, 657, nomea nudnm). (B— , 0—, E 310, C 365, U 451.) Geographical range: Mexico and Central America; north to southern Arizona; south to Panama. We are indebted to Mr. W. H. Henshaw for the addition of this handsome Flycatcher to our avifauna. He says: " This pecuhar Flycatcher appears to be a summer resident of the Chirica- hua Mountains in southern Arizona, where I obtained a pair of old birds, together with three young, August 24, 1874. These, though indistinguishable in size THE SULPHUR-BELLIED FLYCATCHER. 257 and perfection of plumage from the adult pair, were still the objects of their solicitous care, and were dependent upon them for food. Indeed, their jiresence might have remained unnoticed by me had I not been greeted, as I entered the . mouth of one of the deep, narrow canyons intersecting the mountains in every direction, by the shrill notes and angry cries of the old birds, who hovered in the air at a short distance, or flew restlessly from tree to tree endeavoring to distract my attention from the young, till, taking the alarm, they flew over into an adjoining ravine, where soon after I found the whole family assembled, the old birds having immediately rejoined their charges. The. following day Dr. Rothrock, while out botanizing, saw what he supposed to be a second family of six or seven of these birds, so that the occurrence of the species here is proba- bly to be regarded as by no means accidental."^ Since then Lieut. Harry C. Benson, United States Army, and Dr. A. K. Fisher have both taken this species among the oaks in some of the canyons near Fort Huachuca, and it rmdoubtedly occurs regularly throughout the mountain regions of southern Arizona during the breeding season. Mr. E. W. Nelson found it not uncommon about Jalapa and Jico, in Vera Cruz, ^vliere they were noted during June and July. They were found along hedges bordering the roadsides and fields, and also among bushes on the itiore open parts of the slopes of hills and canyons. In their general habits they closely resemble Myiosetetes texensis. Mr. Richard D. Lusk has recently sent me the following notes on the nest- ing of this species in southern Arizona, under date of October 14, 1894. He writes: "After watching every pair of Sulphur-bellied Flycatchers that came to my notice, all through the season, in the hope of discovering some actions that looked like nesting, I had given it up as useless, when, on the morn- ing of August 1, I saw one in the distance fly to a hole in the main stem of a sycamore tree, about 40 feet from the ground. The bird flew first to an outer branch of the tree and made a careful reconnoiter of the vicinity. I waited and watched quietly until the programme was repeated twice, and then, after going close to the tree and ascertaining the hole to be a natural knot hole, came to the conclusion that the bird must be building, for there had been none of the species in that vicinity a few days previous when I remained there for some time hunting. Two weeks later I returned to the tree and succeeded in reaching the hole, after some difficulty. It was about 4 inches in diameter, straight in, scarcely extending below the margin of the entrance, so that the bird, sitting on the eggs, could have easily looked out of the hole. Within was a nest, which, though exceedingly simple in construction, was certainly unique in material of composition, for there was not a vestige of anything in its struc- ture except the stems of walnut leaves, with which the bottom of the hole was hned for a depth of about half an inch. "Three years ago Mr. 0. C. Poling shot a specimen of this species of Fly- catcher which had a fully developed e^g in its ovary, as late as the last of Jul}-, • 1 Geographioal Surveys West of 100th Meridian, Vol. V, 1875, p. 347. 16896— No. 3 17 258 LIFE HISTOEIES OP NOETH AMEEICAN BIRDS. and last year, about the middle of July, I shot a female that was obviously laying. I conclude from these circumstances, coupled with my experience this season, that the bird is an exceptionally late breeder, which possibly may account for no one getting on the track of their nests before, as the bird is not very uncommon in some localities in this section. Regarding their notes, I think I have noted but two distinct kinds, their discordant screech and a single call. The screech, it seems to me, is not to be compared to any bird voice I have ever heard, but might perhaps be compared to the protest of a wagon wheel that needs oiling, varying in length, but always of the same incomparable quality of tone. Once heard, it is certain to live in the memory and be recognized even after the lapse of years. I could hardly describe their single note or call Avithout hearing it again. I only know that it does not closely resemble that of any other Fly- catcher, though it might not impress one as peculiar in itself, as does their other note. I do not think it is uttered nearly as frequently as the screech. "They are fully as quarrelsome as the average Flycatcher, at least about their nesting tree, always keeping up their discordant notes while so engaged, though if a man is about they are apt to make themselves scarce. They are much less inclined to seek an exposed, dead branch than some of the other members of this "family, and seem to me at least to be much less actively engaged in their legitimate calling of catching flies than any other Flycatcher. Moreover, I have seen them repeatedly flying into wild-cherry trees, loaded with ripe fruit, and though I have not happened to be close enough at the time to see them eating the fruit, I concluded that that was what they were doing. They frequent streams bordered with large trees, seeming always to prefer sycamores, and I have rarely seen one more than 50 yards from a stream. The extreme width and size of their bills, together with their short necks, give them a peculiar appearance- even at a distance." This nest, when taken on August 15, 1894, contained three well incubated eggs, these being the first ones actually found within our borders. They were obtained in Ramsey's Canyon, in the Huachuca Mountains, and are now in the United States National Museum collection. As the plates for this volume had already been made up and were then in the lithographer's hands, none of them can be figured. They are broad, ellip- tical ovate in shape; the shell is^ close-grained, strong, and only slightly glossy. Their ground color is rich, creamy bufi", and they are profusely blotched and spotted, principally about their larger ends, with dark pansy purple and lighter shades of lavender; these markings do not resemble the streaky pattern found in the eggs of the genus Myiarchus. They measure 27.18 by 19.05, 26.42 by 18.80, and 24.64 by 18.54 .millimetres, or -1.07 by 0.75, 1.04 by 0.74, and 0.97 by 0.73 inches. The specimen figured on PL 2, Fig. 7, was kindly loaned by Mr. William Brewster, as there were no eggs of this species in the collection at the time the plates were made up. It was taken by Mr. R. R. McLeod, near Carmen, Chihuahua, Mexico, on May 26, 1885, from a cavity in 'a tree. THE SULPHUE-BELLIED FLYOATCHEE/ 259 It resembles the eggs previously described in shape and ground color, but the markings are somewhat brighter and lighter colored, and it measures only 24.89 by 19.56 millimetres, or 0.98 by 0.77 inch. The female parent, No. 23643, Brewster collection, was secured at the same time. 95 Myiarchus crinitus (Linnaeus). CRESTED F].YCATCHER. Muscicapa crinita LiNN^us, Systema Naturse, ed. 12, 1, 1766, 325. Myiarchus crinitus Lichtenstein, Ifomenclator Museo Berolineasis, 1854, 16. (B 130, 247, E 312, 373, U 452.) G-EOGEAPHiOAx, KANGE : Eastern United States; north to the Provinces of New Brunswick, Quebec, Ontario, and Manitoba, Dominion of Canada; west to Minnesota, eastern Nebraska, eastern Kansas, eastern Indian Territory, and slightly beyond the eastern half of Texas; south in winter through eastern Mexico to Panama and Colombia, South America. The Crested or Great Crested Flycatcher is a common summer resident in suitable locahties throughout the eastern United States, and breeds from Florida and the Grulf Coast northward, including the southern portions of the Dominion of Canada. The western limit of its breeding range in Texas extends some- what beyond the eastern half of the State into Tom Green County, and thence in a northeasterly direction to Minnesota and southern Manitoba. While the majority of these birds pass beyond our borders in winter, not a few remain on the Florida peninsula and the adjacent keys throughout this season, probably buds from the extreme northern portions of their breeding range. The nnajority reenter the United States between March 25 and April 10, moving leisurely along, and usually amving on their breeding grounds in the Middle States about the latter part of April, and correspondingly later farther northward. In north- em New York and thence west to Minnesota they are rarely noticed before the middle of May. The return migration from their breeding grounds in the extreme northern limits of their range commences in the latter part of August, and few of these birds remain into September. The Crested Flycatcher, though not particularly rare along our northern border, is far more common in our Middle and*Southern States, though perhaps not as often observed as its abundance would warrant. Its characteristic call notes may generally be heard in any piece of woods containing some dead tim- ber and situated not too far from water. During the mating season it is one of the noisiest of our Flycatchers, and its loud, ringing call notes can be heard quite a distance. It utters a variety of sounds; the most common is a clear whistle like "e-whuit-huit," or "wit- whit, wit- whit," repeated five or six times in a some- what lower key, and varied to "whuir, whuree," or "puree," accompanied by various turnings and twisting of the head. Its alarm note is a peneti-ating and far-reaching "wheek, wheek," and it took me some time to make sure that it was made by this species. I had previously attributed it to a Shrike; but one 260 LIFE HISTORIES OF NOETH AMERICAlf BIRDS. morning, while making observations, I found a brood of young Crested Fly- catcbers, barely able to fly, which the parents vainly tried to coax away from the neighborhood, and I identified the makers of this note fully. The depressed crest was raised while uttering it, and the calls were repeated for minutes at a time, as the young were not inclined to leave the trees they were in. Mr. J. W. Preston writes me: "I heard a peculiar note of this Flycatcher one evening at sunset. The singer was perched in the top of a tall tree, and along with the ordinary song it uttered a clear, liquid 'birdie-birdie,' with much the same tone and energy of the Cardinal's song." I consider this Flycatcher much shyer and generally more retiring than other species of this family, like the Kingbird, "Wood Pewee, Phoebe, etc., and, although probably equally abundant in some sections as the species mentioned, it is not nearly as often noticed. It appears to me to be rather unsocial in its habits, and one will rarely see more than a pair together excepting during the migrations. From my own observations, I take it also to be more intolerant toward smaller birds generally than other Flycatchers, but not as pugnacious as the Kingbird toward larger birds. Among each other they are rather quarrelsome, and after a pair has selected a nesting site no intruders are allowed to encroach on their range. The late Colonel Gross says: "They fight fiercely for a mate, and they have a habit that I have not noticed in other birds, of plucking, if possible, the tail feathers of a rival, in order to disfigure him, so that he will not be looked upon with favor by the opposite sex ; and when lucky enough to pull a feather, it is amusing to see them fuss over it, picking, pulling, in fact fighting it, forgetting for the time the owner in their exultation over the capture."^ Its favorite haunts are the heavily timbered bottom lands along the banks of streams and the borders of timbered tracts contiguous to water, and generally at some little distance from human habitations. Sometimes an exception is found to this rule, and pairs of these Flycatchers have been known to nest in close proximity to dwellings, and even in such artificial nesting sites as martin boxes, etc. From an economic point of view the Crested Flycatcher must be considered an extremely useful bird. Its food consists mainly of insects, such as beetles, various species of flies, grasshoppers, butterflies, moths, and larvae, varied in the late summer with wild berries of different kinds. Its flight is strong, swift, and graceful, but rarely protracted. Each bird has a few favorite perches within its range, generally a dead limb near the top of a tree on the edge of a wood, whence it darts after passing insects, which seldom escape capture; these are then carried to the nearest perch and devoured at leisure. I have seen it double in the chase with as much ease as a Falcon, and the sharp snapping of its mandibles indicated plainly that its sudden dash was successful. Nidification commences ordinarily some two or three weeks after its arrival on the breeding grounds, each pair of birds selecting a suitable nesting ' History of the Birds of Kansas, 1891, p. 360. THE CRESTED FLYOATOHER. 261 site, consisting usually of a natural cavity in some tree near the borders of a forest, in an old orchard, or in a dead stump leaning over water, and frequently an abandoned excavation of one of the larger Woodpeckers is used. Natural cavities are preferred, however, where such are obtainable, even should these be much more extensive than are really needed, as instances are known where openings in hollow limbs fully 6 feet deep have been filled up with rubbish to within 18 inches of the top before the nest proper was begun. Both sexes assist in nest-building, and it takes sometimes fully two weeks before their task is completed. The finishing and lining of the nest is generally completed by the female. In Florida and other Southern States nidification begins ordinarily during the first two weeks in May; in the Middle States, in the latter half of this month and the first week in June; and in the more northern portions of its breeding range, rarely before the middle of this month, or not until the weather has become quite warm. The nests of the Crested Flycatcher vary greatly in bulk and composition according to the localities in which they are placed. The trees most frequently used for nesting sites are old apple or pear trees, different species of oaks, maple., ash, Cottonwood, and pines. A nest taken by Mr. J. W. Preston on June 3, 1881, near Eldora, Iowa, from a dead stump about 6 inches in diameter, stand- ing on the banks of the Iowa River, and which filled 8 inches of the cavity, began with a base of coarse trash and was finished with fine twigs, bunches of cattle hair, pine needles, dry leaves and grasses, the tail of a rabbit, pieces of Catbirds' eggshells, exuviae of snakes, owl and hawk feathers, tufts of wood- chucks' hair, and fine grass roots. Another nest, taken by Dr. W. L. Ralph, near San Mateo, Florida, on May 16, 1892, was placed in a hole in the side of a rotten stump in low, flat pine woods, and was composed of dry cypress leaves, pine needles, grasses, sphagnum moss, dead leaves, bunches of hair, snake exuviae, strips of cypress bark, weeds, grass roots, palmetto fiber, and feathers; it was lined with bunches of hair, feathers, sti-ips of cypress bark, and pieces of snake skin. Exuviae of snakes seem to be present in the majority of the nests of this species; they are sometimes incorporated in the nest proper, and again they are placed around the sides of it, in all probability for protective purposes, and are changed and rearranged from time to time. But few nests are found which do not contain more or less of this material, and occasionally whole skins enter into their composition. Mr. W. E. Loucks, of Peoria, Illinois, writes me: "I found a very remark- able nest of the Crested Flycatcher some years ago. The curious feature about it was that the birds had taken an enormous snake skin, probably that of a black- snake, and had so an-anged it within the entrance of the cavity that the greater part of it hung outside. What other motives could the birds have had than that of alarming intruders? Although usually a bird of the woods, I have foimd their nests in a summerhouse on a picnic ground. The house was quite large and fre- quented nearly every day by crowds of people ; nevertheless this did not disturb 262 LIFE HISTORIES OF NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. the birds in the least. They had selected a corner inside under the eaves, and on a shelf-like projection reared their young in perfect safety." I know of an instance where a pair built their nest in the open end of a stovepipe running out from the side of a cabin near Washington, District of Columbia, and also where these birds built in a stack of railroad ties close to the track over which a number of trains passed daily. The Crested Flycatcher builds at various heights ranging from 2 to 60 feet, but usually not much over 20 feet from the ground. The nesting cavities selected are ordinarily from 18 to 30 inches deep and others are considerably deeper, while occasionally one is quite shallow. The .inner cup of the nest varies from 2 f to 3 1 inches in diameter and from 1 J to 2 inches in depth. The eggs vary from four to eight in number, sets of five being perhaps most often found, while those of six are not particularly rare. Mr. J. W. Preston, of Baxter, Iowa, writes me that he took a set of seven eggs on June 6, 1886, from a hollow in a dead limb which had been broken off, and in falling lodged against some small saplings. The eggs were fresh and warmly covered with duck feathers. The oological collection in the Academy of Natural Sciences, Phila- delphia, Pennsylvania, contains a set of eight eggs, which I have personally examined. The parents are usually not very demonstrative when their nests are disturbed, and but rarely scold at the intruder. As a rule but one brood is reared in a season, and incubation lasts about fifteen days ; the female attends to these duties almost exclusively, but is not a very close setter, and it is not un- common to find addled eggs in the nests of this species. An egg is deposited daily until the set is completed. The young are fed principally on insects of various kinds, and are able to leave the nest in about two weeks; they are cared for by both parents until expert enough to care for themselves. The eggs of the Crested Flycatcher and those of the remaining members of the genus Myiarchus are most peculiarly marked, and differ in this respect from all other North American species, excepting the White-necked Raven, whose eggs resemble these somewhat in the style of markings, but not otherwise. Their ground color varies from creamy to vinaceous buff, and this is overlaid with irreg- ular blotches, longitudinal streaks and scratches, fine hair lines of different shades of claret, liver brown, purple, and lavender, as if done with a pen, giving the egg a unique appearance. In the majority of specimens these markings are heaviest about the larger axis of the egg; in others they are more evenly distributed, and in an occasional set the smaller two-thirds of the eggs are nearly unspotted, and but few streaks and scratches are noticeable, as shown in one of the figured types; but such instances are rare. They are mostly ovate or short ovate in shape, varying occasionally to elliptical or elongate ovate. The shell is close grained, rather firm, and slightly glossy. The average measurement of ninety-one eggs in the United States National Museum collection is 22.54 by 17.47 millimetres, or about 0.89 by 0.69 inch. The largest egg of the series measures 24.38 by 17.78 millimetres, or 0.96 by 0.70 inch; the smallest, 20.57 bv 16.24 miUimetres, or 0.81 bv 0.60 inch. THE CRESTED FLYCATCHER. 2f58 The type specimen, No. 20436 (PI. 2, Fig. 8), from a set of four eggs, Ben- dire collection, was taken in Black Hawk County, Iowa, June 19, 187(); and No. 26262 (PI. 2, Fig. 9), also from a set of four, near Richmond, Virginia, June 7, 1879, by First Lieut. Wirt Robinson, United States Army. The first represents one of the heavier, the latter one of the least marked types. g6. Myiarchus mexicanus (Kaup). MEXICAN CRESTED FLYCATCHEE. Tyr[annula] mexicana Kaup, Proceedings Zoological Society, 1851, 51. Myiarchus mexicanus Laweence, Annals Lyceum, New York, IX, May, 1869, 202. (B 132, C — , R 311, C 374, U 453.) Gbogeaphical KANGrE : Lower Rio Grande Valley in Texas ; south through eastern and southern Mexico, and in winter to Guatemala and Salvador, Central America. The Mexican Crested Flycatcher is a common summer resident of the table-lands of eastern and southern Mexico, and reaches the northern limits of its breeding range in the lower Rio Grande Valley, in Texas, beyond which it apparently does not pass, but here it is not at all rare in suitable localities. Dr. James C. Merrill, United States Army, while stationed at Fort Brown, Texas, first discovered this species as a summer resident of our fauna, and described its nest and eggs in the Bulletin of the Nuttall Ornithological Club (Vol. Ill, 1878, p. 100), from specimens taken on May 10, 1877. The nest was placed in the end of a broken branch of an anacahuite tree, about 10 feet from the ground. It was made of locks of wool and hairs, and contained five eggs, slightly advanced. He informs me that there is but little difference in the gen- eral habits, food, and call notes of this species from those of the better-known Crested Flycatcher of the eastern United States. Like this, it is only a summer resident within our border, arriving in the lower Rio Grande Valley about the beginning of April and returning to its winter home in Central America the latter part of September. It nests mainly in natural cavities in mesquite trees or in old rotten stumps, and occasionally in abandoned holes of some of the larger Woodpeckers, in telegraph poles, and in open woods, from 5 to 20 feet from the ground. The nests, according to Sennett, are composed of a matted felt consisting of soft strips of bark, feathers, hair, and wool, with sometimes bits of snake skins intermingled, but this material is apparently not nearly as generally used by this species as seems to be the case with our eastern bird. Nidification commences sometimes before the middle of April and lasts through May. The latest date I have is June 5; the earliest, April 18, when a set of five fresh eggs was taken. Probably but one brood is raised in a season. Mr. G. B. Sennett flushed a male from a nest containing six eggs on May 16, 1878, which shows that it assists, occasionally at least, in the duties of incubation. The number of eggs laid to a set varies from four to six, sets of five being most frequently found. They resemble the eggs of the Crested Flycatcher very 264 LIFE HISTOEIES OF NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. closely in size, shape, and style of markings, and can not be positively dis- tinguished from them; on the whole, however, they are not quite so heavily marked, and the ground color is frequently more of a light cream tint than a cream buff. The average measurement of seventy-seven eggs in the United States National Museum collection is 22.35 by 17.53 millimetres, or 0.88 by 0.69 inch. The largest egg of the series measures 23.88 by 18.29 millimetres, or 0.94 by 0.72 inch; the smallest, 19.81 by 17.02 millimetres, or 0.78 by 0.67 inch. The type specimens, Nos. 24939 and 25318 (PI. 2, Figs. 10 and 11), both from sets of five eggs, Ralph collection, were taken near Brownsville, Texas, the former on June 5, 1891, the latter on May 7, 1892, and represent the average and lighter styles of coloration. 97. Myiarchus mexicanus magister Ridgway. AEIZONA CRESTED FLYCATCHER. Myiarchus mexicanus magister Ridgway, Proceedings Biological Society, Washington, II, April 10, 1884, 90. (B _, — , R — , C — , U 453a.) Geogeaphical range: Western Mexico; north to southern Arizona and south- western New Mexico; south in winter to Tehuantepec, Mexico. The Arizona Crested Flycatcher is the largest representative of the genus Myiarchus found within our borders, and its breeding range seems to be confined mainly to the giant cactus belt of southern Arizona, where it appears to be a rather irregular summer resident, not uncommon in some seasons and rare in others. I failed to notice it while collecting in the vicinity of Tucson, in the spring and summer of 1872, and Mr. Herbert Brown, who tried to secure the nest and eggs for the United States National Museum, in 1893, was equally unsuccess- ful, while Mr. F. Stephens reported them as rather common in the same locality in the latter part of May and throughout June, 1881, securing over a dozen specimens during the time. Mr. William Brewster, in a paper on "A Collection of Arizona Birds," makes the following remarks on this subspecies: "The collector's notes (F. Stephens) relating to the habits of this Flycatcher are disappointingly brief It frequented low mesquites, and was tame and rather noisy, having a variety of loud calls, some of which resembled those of Myiar- chus cinerascens, while others were 'almost Thrasher-like.' Its food seemed to consist largely of beetles. On June 27 a nest was found at Camp Lowell. 'Both parents were distinctly seen and positively identified. The nest was in an old Woodpecker's hole in a giant cactus, about 18 feet from the ground. It was lined with soft, downy weed seeds, and contained two young just hatched and an addled egg.' The egg, unfortunately, is so badly broken that accurate meas- urements are impossible, but an approximation would be 1.04 by 0.74 inches. In ground color and markings it closely resembles the eggs of Myiarchus crinitus, THE ARIZONA CRESTED FLYCATCHER. 265 the shell being a dull, clayey buff, over which are numerous longitudinal lines and dashes of purplish brown or lavender. These markings are pretty evenly distributed, but are coarsest at the larger end of the egg."^ Mr. Stephens has kindly furnished me with some additional notes on this subspecies, and says-: "The Arizona Crested Flycatcher seems to breed only in the giant cactus, and is rather common in certain localities. A set of five eggs, taken May 24, 1884, near Camp Lowell, was found in an old Woodpecker's hole in an arm of a giant cactus, 20 feet from the ground. The female was on' the nest, and was shot. Incubation had just commenced. The nest was lined with hair of various kinds, mixed with bits of snake and lizard skin." Mr. W. E. D. Scott also met with this Flycatcher about Tucson, Florence, Riverside, and in the foothills of the Catalina Mountains, up to about 4,500 feet. He states: "In the Catalinas, altitude 4,000 feet, this subspecies arrives about April 20, and remains until late in August or early in September. I found a nest at this point built in a deserted Woodpecker's hole in a dead sycamore stub. It was entirely similar in construction to that of Muscicapa crhntus, even to the traditional snake skins, and contained five eggs nearly ready to be hatched, very similar to those of Muscicapa criuitus, save that they are a little larger. But one brood is reared in the Catalina region."^ From three to five eggs seem to constitute a set. Nidification commences sometimes during the latter part of May, but more frequently in the beginning of June. Judging from the only specimen in the United States National Museum, the egg of the Arizona Crested Flycatcher resembles that of Myiarchus mexi- canus closer than that of Myiarchus crinitus. It is not as heavily marked as the average eggs of the latter; the ground color is more of a creamy buff'; the mark- ings are not quite so profuse, and resemble those of the first more. The only egg of this subspecies in the United States National Museum collection is the figured type. No. 25195 (PI. 2, Fig. 12). This was taken by Dr. A. K. Fisher, June 12, 1892, on Rillito Creek, near Tucson, Arizona, from an old Woodpecker's hole in a giant cactus, about 8 feet from the ground. The nest contained one young bird just out of the shell, three eggs on the point of hatching, and an addled egg, the only one that could be saved; this measures 25.65 by 18.03 millimetres, or 1.01 by 0.71 inches, and is elliptical ovate in shape. The shell is strong, feels smooth to the touch, and is somewhat glossy. 1 Bulletin Nuttall Oruitholofjical Club, Vol. VII, 1882, p. 203. 2 The Auk, Vol. IV, 1887, pp. 17, 18. 266 LIFE HISTOEIES OF NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. 98. Myiarchus cinerascens Lawkence. ASH-THROATED FLYCATCHER. Tyrannula cinerascens Lawrence, Annals Lyceum of Natural History, New Tork, Y, 1851, 121. Myiarchus cinerascens Laweekcb, Annals Lyceum of Natural History, New Tork, VII, May, 1860, 285. (B 131, 248, R 313, C 375, U 454.) Geographical range: Western United States; north to southern Oregon, Nevada, Utah, and southern Oolorado: east to New Mexico and southwestern Texas; south through Arizona and Lower California, and over the table-lands of Mexico ; in winter to Guatemala, Central America. Within the United States the Ash-throated Flycatcher is only a summer resident, and its breeding and geographical range correspond. It returns from its winter haunts in Guatemala and southern Mexico to southwestern Texas and southern Arizona about the beginning of March, and reaches the more northern points of its range about a month later. Climatic conditions do not seem to affect the Ash-throated Flycatcher to any extent, for it is as much at home in the mountain fastnesses of the southern Sierra Nevadas, where Lieutenant Benson found it breeding commonly in the Sequoia National Park, in Tulare County, California, at an altitude of 9,000 feet, as in Death Valley, probably the hottest place in the United States, where a pair of these birds were seen at Furnace Creek, on June 21, 1891, by Dr. A. K. Fisher. It is fairly common at Redding and Baird, in Shasta County, and at Red Bluflf, Tehama County, California, and reaches about the northern limits of its breeding range in southern Oregon, where it is rare. I found a single nest of this species contain- ing five young birds about ten days old, in a natural cavity in a juniper tree near Gamp Harney, Oregon, on June 20, 1876, but they appear to be very rare there, as no others were noticed. The Ash-throated Flycatcher is rather retiring in its habits, and is oftener heard than seen. In the vicinity of Tucson, Arizona, in the season of 1872, I found it quite common and examined a number of nests. Their favorite haunts were the denser mesquite thickets in the creek bottoms, oak groves along hill- sides, and the shrubbery in canyons leading down from the mountains, but I also saw them occasionally on the more open plains covered with straggling mesquite trees and patches of cholla and other species of cacti. It is not nearly as noisy a bird as Myiarchus crinitus, but otherwise resembles it in its general habits. Its principal call note is a clear "huit, huit," a number of times repeated, which sounds very much like the ordinary call of the Phainopepla; it also utters some low, whistling notes which are not at all disagreeable to the ear. In the spring of 1872 it became abundant about the latter half of March, and several of these birds might be seen chasing each other through the mesquite forests in almost every direction, within a few hundred yards of my camp on Rillito Creek, but nidification did not appear to begin till near the end of May. THE ASH-THKOATBD FLYCATCHBfi. 267 The Ash-throated Flycatcher is quite expert on the wing, but never indulges in protracted flights if it can help it. It seems to be rather quarrelsome and intolerant in its disposition toward other birds, and will not allow any to nest in close proximity; in fact, I am inclined to believe that it not infrequently dispos- sesses some of the smaller Woodpeckers, like Bryohates scalaris bairdi, of its nesting sites, as I have found its nests on two occasions in newly excavated holes, the fresh chips lying at the base of the tree, showing plainly that they had only recently been removed. Its food consists mainly of beetles, butterflies, grasshoppers, flies, moths, and occasionally of berries, especially those of a species of mistletoe (a parasitic plant) growing abundantly on many of the trees found in southern Arizona. By the beginning of May most of the birds are mated, and nidification begins shortly afterwards. The nests are usually placed in knot holes of mes- quite, ash, oak, sycamore, juniper, and cottonwood trees, as well as in cavities of old stumps, in Woodpeckers' holes, and occasionally behind loose pieces of bark, in the manner of the Creepers. On two occasions, near Tu cson, I found the Ash-throated Flycatcher using abandoned nests of the Cactus Wren, and Mr. A. W. Anthony found them nesting in the dry blossom stalks of the yucca and Agave americana in southwestern New Mexico. They also nested in similar localities in Lower California, in the San Pedro Martir Mountains, where he observed them at altitudes of 9,000 feet. In a letter dated July 8, 1894, he informs me that this Flycatcher was the most common species about his camp south of San Quentin, Lower California, and that many nested there, as well as about the Mission of San Fernando, in holes made by Woodpeckers in the giant cactus. Mr. H. P. Attwater reports this bird as common about San Antonio, Texas, and in this locality it reaches about the eastern limit of its range in the United States. Mr. Robert Ridgway met with it in various places in Nevada, and as far east as the Wasatch Mountains in Utah. The Ash-throated Flycatcher nests at various heights from the ground, rarely, however, at greater distances than 20 feet. The nest varies consider- ably in bulk according to. the size of the cavity used. Where this is large, the bottom is filled up with small weed stems, rootlets, grass, and bits of dry cow or horse manure, and on this foundation the nest proper is built. This consists principally of a felted mass of hair and fur from different animals, and occasionally of exuviae of snakes and small lizards; but these materials are not nearly as generally used as in the nests of our eastern Crested Flycatcher — in fact, it is the exception and not the rule to find such remains in their nests. Among about fifteen nests of this species examined by myself I oidy found it in three cases. As nearly as I have been able to observe, I think the female does most of the work on the nest, but the male follows her around while in search of material, and apparently guards and sings to her. I have known a pair of these birds to finish a nest in one day. This was placed in a knot hole in a mesquite stump, about 8 feet from the ground, and composed entirely of deer hair. Some of my Indian guides had dressed a couple of skins near by, and this furnished the 268 LIFE HISTORIES OF NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. bii'ds an abundant supply of suitable building material, of which they promptly availed themselves. While the walls in some nests are thick and well lined, in others there is but little attempt at lining the sides of the cavity, and only a small amount of hair is placed in the bottom of the hole on which the eggs are deposited. It depends entirely on the araoimt of room, and it is surprising how little space is really required by them in which to rear a family. The inner cup of a well-preserved nest of this Flycatcher, placed behind a loose piece of bark of an old Cottonwood stump, measures about 2 J inches in diameter by 2 inches in depth. The walls of this nest are composed exclusively of cattle hair, which is well quilted together and forms a fairly strong felt. The base is formed of dry grass roots, and it was placed between the soft inner and the outer bark of the tree, which kept it intact and held it firmly in position. I discovered the first nest of this species in a dense piece of mesquite woods on May 26, 1872, and between this date and June 24 I found fifteen others, with eggs, and several with young birds, some of these being fully fledged. Not one of these nests contained more than four eggs, quite a number only three, and I do not believe that more than one brood.is raised in a season. The female, I think, attends to the duties of incubation exclusively, which lasts about fifteen days. She is not a close sitter, and often leaves the nest for hours, especially during the heat of the day, but remains close by. The young are fed on the soft portions of insects, and leave the nest in about two weeks, following the parents about for some time before they are able to care for themselves. This Flycatcher leaves for its winter home about the latter part of September. The number of eggs to a set ranges from three to six, but sets of the latter number are very rare; four are more frequently found; and an egg is deposited daily. The ground color varies from a light cream to a pinkish buff, and this is covered more or less profusely with fine longitudinal streaks and hair lines of dark purple and lavender, rarely with large, irregularly shaped blotches. The general pattern of these matjkings is finer than in the eggs of Myiarclius crinitus, and the majority can be readily distinguished from those of the latter, but not so easily from the lighter-colored types of Myiarclius mexicanus. In shape they vary from ovate to elliptical ovate. The shell is fine-grained, rather strong, and slightly glossy. The average measurement of fifty-four eggs in the United States National Museum, collection is 22.40 by 16.51 millimetres, or about 0.88 by 0.65 inch. The largest egg of the series measures 23.88 by 17.78 millimetres, or 0.94 by 0.70 inch; the smallest, 20.32 by 15.24 millimetres, or 0.80 by 0.60 inch. The type specimen, No. 25218 (PI. 2, Fig. 13), is from a set of five eggs, and was taken by First Lieut. Harry C. Benson, United States Army, in Sequoia National Park, Tulai-e County, California, on May 25, 1892. NUTTING'S FLYOATCHEE. 269 gg. Myiarchus cinerascens nuttingi (Ridgway). NUTTING'S FLYCATCHEE. Myiarchm nuttingi EidgwAY, Proceedings U. S. National Museum, V", 1882, 394. Myiarchus cinerascens nuttingi ALLEN, Bulletin American Museum Natural History, IV, December, 1892, 346. (B 131, part; 248, part; E 313, part; 375, part; U 454ci.) Geographical kange: Arizona and southward through western Mexico; in winter to Costa Eica, Central America. Nutting's Flycatcher has only recently been added to our avifauna. Dr. A. K. Fisher, while on a collecting- trip through Arizona, for the United States Department of Agriculture, in the spring and summer of 1892, stopped a few days at Tucson and visited Rillito Creek, on June 12, 1892, in company with Mr. Herbert Brown, who acted as guide. "While driving about among the groves of mesquite and giant cactus a Flycatcher was flushed from an old Wood- pecker's hole in a giant, cactus. The bird was secured, as well as a set of four fresh eggs. On comparing the specimen with the type in the United States National Museum, it proved to be Myiarchus cinerascens nuttingi, a small southern representative of Myiarchus cinerascens, not yet recorded from the United States. Subsequently Mr. J. Alden Loring took another female at Prescott, Arizona, on June 22 ; and in the U. S. Department of Agriculture collection there is still another specimen, taken by Mr. Vernon Bailey at Oracle, Arizona, June 15, 1889.1 As yet little is known about the range and general habits of this sub- species, but it would appear from the above that it is pretty generally distributed over at least the southern half of this territory, and the most surprising thing is that it has been overlooked so long. It probably differs but slightly in its food and call notes from the other members of the genus Myiarchus, and its nesting habits seem likewise to be similar. Its nest, which in construction resembles that of the preceding species, was placed in an old Woodpecker's hole in a giant cactus, about 4 feet from the ground, and contained four fresh eggs. These do not materially differ in appearance from the eggs of the Ash-throated Flycatcher. They are elliptical ovate in shape, and measure 24.38 by 17.02, 24.13 by 16.76, 24.89 by 17.02, and 23.88 by 17.53 millimeters, or 0.96 by 0.67, 0.95 by 0.66, 0.98 by 0.67, and 0.94 by 0.69 inch. The type specimen, No. 25194 (PI. 2, Fig. 14), is the last one whose meas- urement is given, and was. taken as already stated. 1 See The Auk, Vol. IX, 1892, p. 394. 270 LIFE HISTOEIES OP NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. 100. Myiarchus lawrenceii (Giraud). LAWEENCE'S FLYCATCHER. Musoicapa laiorenceii GiRAUD, Sixteen Species of Texas Birds, 1841, 9 (by actual counting, the text not being paged). Myiarchus lawrenceii Baied, Birds of North America, 1858, 181. (B 133, 248, E 314, C 376, U" [455].) Geographical range : Eastern Mexico ; north to the lower Rio Grande Valley, in Texas ; south to Guatemala, Central America. Lawrence's Flycatcher holds a place m our avifauna on Giraud's record from the lower Rio Grande, in Texas, but it has not since been obtained there by any of the numerous collectors who have visited this region. At best it can only be regarded as a rare straggler within our borders. Although a common species in many parts of eastern Mexico, very little has been written about its general habits, which probably differ but .slightly from those of its somewhat better-known western representative, Myiarchus .lawrencei olivascens. There is a short reference to the eggs of this species, in the " Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London, 1859 " (p. 384), based on specimens taken by M. A. Boucard, at Talca, Oaxaca, Mexico. They are described as. pure white, with spots of two shades of brown, principally toward the larger end, where they form a ring, and measure 0.70 by 0.525 inch. I doubt this identification, for so far as known none of the genus Myiarchus lay eggs in which the ground color can be called pure white, and their small size also renders it probable that they are not of this species. loi. Myiarchus lawrencei olivascens Ridgway. OLIVACEOUS FLYCATCHER. Myiarchus lawrencei olivascens Ridgwat, Proceedings Biological Society, Washington, II, April 10, 1884, 91. (B _, C — , R — , C — , U 455a.) Geographical range: Western Mexico; north to southern Arizona; south in winter to southern Mexico, including Yucatan. Accidental in Colorado. This interesting subspecies, which is the smallest of the Myiarchi found within our borders, was first discovered as a summer resident in the Santa Rita Mountains, Arizona, close to the Mexican boundary line, by Mr. F. Stephens, in the spring of 1881, and added to our fauna by Mr. William Brewster shortly afterwards.^ Mr. Stephens sent me the following notes on the Olivaceous Flycatcher: " I have seen this bird only in the Santa Rita Mountains, where it is common. I have taken incubating females in May and June, but never saw their eggs. 1 Bulletin of the Nuttall Ornithological Club, Vol. VI, 1881, p. 252. THE OLIVACEOUS FLYCATCIIEE. 271 I suppose they breed in knot holes, Woodpecker's holes, etc., and I opened many such where they were present, but found no eggs, and but one hole that seemed to be occupied by them; this was an old Woodpecker hole well lined with hair." Mr. William Brewster, in a paper on Arizona birds, based on material collected by Mr. Stephens, makes the following observations: "This pretty Myiarchus, scarcely larger than our common Phcebe, was met with only among the Santa Rita Mountains, where it was apparently not uncommon, although its distribution seemed to be very local, most of Stephens's specimens being taken in a single canyon. They haunted the banks of streams, perching on dead limbs, and taking frequent flights after insects. The only note heard was a short, mournful 'peeur.' No nests were found, but a female, shot May 17, was laying."^ Since then the Olivaceous Flycatcher has also been taken in the Huachuca Mountains by Lieut. H. C. Benson, United States Army, as well as by Dr. A. K. Fisher, who tells me that they frequent the low scrub oaks in the canyon bottoms, where they are moderately common in both these and the Chiiicahua Mountains. Mr. W. E. D. Scott likewise obtained specimens in a canyon of the Catalina Mountains, at an altitude of 5,000 feet, on June 13, 1884; and a straggler has also been recorded from Colorado, taken by Capt. P. M. Thome, Twenty-second Infantry, United States Army, near Fort Lyon, May 11, 1884. Its breeding range evidently extends through the mountain regions of southern Arizona, where it appears to be confined to the numerous canyons, whose bot- toms and sides are covered with low shrubbery; it seems to avoid the larger river valleys and the open cactus and mesquite covered plains. The late Col. A. J. Grayson says : " This little Flycatcher is very abundant in the Marias, where I met with them every day in all parts of the woods. The islands must be their most natural and favorite abode." ^ Nothing positive seems to be known about the eggs of the Olivaceous Fly- catcher. There is a set of four eggs in the United States National Museum collection. No. 13327, taken by Dr. E. Palmer, near Camp Grant, Arizona, in 1867, entered as Myiarchus mexicanus, which I believe belong to this subspecies. They resemble the eggs of the Ash-throated Flycatcher very closely, but are somewhat smaller than the average egg of this species. ' Bulletin Nuttall Ornithological Club, Vol. VII, 1882, pp. 204, 205. ^Proceedings Boston Society of Natural History, 1871, p. 278. 272 LIFE HISTOEIBS OF NORTH AMEEICAlJf BIRDS. 102. Sayornis phoebe (Latham). PHCEBE. Muscicapa phcebe LATHAM, Index Ornithological, 11, 1790, 489. Sayornis phoebe Stejnbgee, Auk, II, Jan., 1885, 51. (B 135, 252, E 315, 379, U 456.) Geographical range : Eastern North America; north to New Brunswick and the Provinces of Quebec, Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and southern Athabasca to Great Slave Lake, Forts Eae, Simpson, and Eesolution, Northwest Territory, Dominion of Canada; west to eastern North and South Dakota, eastern Nebraska, Kansas, the Indian Territory, and western Texas; casual to eastern Colorado and British Columbia; south in winter to eastern Mexico and Cuba. The Phoebe, also locally known as the "Phoebe Bird," "Pewee," "Bridge," "Barn," or "House" Pewee, "Pewit Flycatcher," and in the Piedmont region of South Carolina as " Gnatcatcher," is pretty generally distributed as a summer resident, and breeds throughout all the States east of the Mississippi River, except- ing Florida and the southern portions of South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, and Mississippi, where it is only found in the mountainous parts. It has been recorded as breeding in southern Louisiana and portions of Texas. The most southern breeding records I have been able to find are those given by Dr. Lev- erett M. Loomis, in Pickens and Greenville counties, South Carolina, in "The Auk" (Vol. VII, 1890, p. 39, and Vol. VIII, 1891, p. 328); by Mr. Frank M. Cooms, in St. Mary's Parish, Louisiana, in "The Auk" (Vol. IX, 1892, p. 205); and by Mr. H. P. Attwater, in canyons along the mountain streams in the hilly country west of San Antonio, Texas, in "The Auk" (Vol. IX, 1892, p. 236). Longitude 100° (west of Greenwich) marks about the western limits of its breeding range in the United States, but in the Northwest Territory it reaches west to nearly 122° at Fort Simpson, on the Mackenzie River, in latitude 62° 12' N., where Mr. B. R. Ross, of the Hudson Bay Company, obtained a female, No. 22613, in May, 1861, which is now in the United States National Museum collection. This point, as far as yet known, marks both the western and north- ernmost limits of its range. Its nests and eggs have also been taken on Lesser Slave Lake, in southern Athabasca, by Mr. S. Jones; and near Fort Rae, Great Slave Lake, by Mr. R. MacFarlane; it has also been obtained by Mr. James Lockhart, at Fort Resolution; and Mr. A. McKay found the Phoebe common about Pelican Narrows, Keewatin, in June, 1891, sending several sets of eggs from there to the United States National Museum collection. He says in his notes accompanying them that "here they build in natural cavities in trees and in crevices of rocks. The Indians call them 'Moose-birds,' as they often use moose hair in lining their nests ; they lay in June, and are very bold for their size, often chasing Hawks and Crows." Many of these birds remain in Florida and the Southern States bordering the Gulf coast during winter, but the majority pass beyond to Cuba and eastern Mexico. Their flight is swift and strong when in pursuit of an enemy or while TDE rUCEBE. 273 in quest of food, but ordiuaril}' it consists of slow, fluttering movements from point to point, especially during the mating season, and it is then never protracted. The Phoebe, like our u(|ually well-known Robin and BlueVjird, is one of the first migrants to return from its winter home, and is quite as well known and fully as popular. It usualh' arrives in our Middle States during the first half of March, and a little later farther north, although occasional stragglers have been observed in Maine and northern New York during the first week in this month. The males precede the females by about a week or ten days, and move direct to their breeding grounds; mating and nest building usually beginning about a month later. Few of otir native birds are more esteemed than the homely and plainly colored Pha'be, and its return to the old haunts is generally looked for with pleasure Nd bird is more attached to a locality once chosen for a nesting site, and no reasonable amount of annoyance and disturbance will cause it to forsake its old home. It niay possibly change the location for good cause, but if it does, it will usually select another in the immediate vicinity. It would be difficult to name many nati^'e birds who do more good in a general way and less harm than the Phoebe. Its food consists mainly of small beetles, flies, moths, butterflies, etc., of which it destroys an enormous number, as it is scarcely ever at rest, darting after passing insects and catching them both on the wing and on the ground. It seems to be always hungry, and invariably finds room for another choice morsel. It is said to help itself occasionally to trout fry, but the damage caused in this respect must be very trifling, and is fully compensated for by the good it does through the destruction of many noxious insects ; and, in my opinion, it deserves the fullest protection. After the berry season commences it also feeds to some extent in summer on raspberries, straw- berries, mulberries, and pokeberries, and in winter on cedar berries, palmetto ber- ries, smilax berries, and wild grapes. It is one of the most restless little creatures I know ; even while perching on a fence post, the gable of an outbuilding, or a a weed stalk, its crest is often raised and lowered, its tail is forever twitching, and it appears to be unable to remain motionless for more than a minute at a time. Dr. Ralph tells me that in Florida the Phoebe frequently alights on the backs of cattle and follows them around, catching the flies on these animals, and fluttering above them in search of insects. Then- rather plaintive call notes, given by most writers as "phoebe, pe-wee, phe-be," and "pe-weet," do not sound to me in that way; they appear rather to approach the words "see-hdd, see- h66," and are sometimes varied to "see-h66" or "see-whd^," with the accent on the last syllable; this call is occasionally followed by a rattling note. Its alarm note sounds like "tchak-tchak," and during the mating season the male indulges now and then in a low, twittering warble. It utters its calls very frequently and persistently in the early spring and for some time after its arrival, but less often during the breeding season, when the cares of housekeeping absorb more of its time. Mr. Eugene P. Bicknell makes the following pertinent comments on its 'It is one of those which appeal to the sympathies rather than to the ear, 16896— No. 3 18 274 LIFE HISTORIES OF NORTH AMERIOAJST BIRDS. fully making up in sincerity what it lacks of music. Still it must be reluctantly admitted that later, when more graceful and gifted songsters are with us, the plain Phoebe does appear a trifle unsophisticated and its notes may grow monot- onous. Nevertheless, their jerky character seems to be held in high opinion by their author, and is admirably seconded by its tail."^ In well-settled sections it loves to frequent outhouses, bams, etc., in close proximity to human habitations situated near springs, etc. ; here it becomes very gentle, tame, and confiding when not molested. I have frequently seen one alight within a few feet of my head and fly back and forth from its perch after passing insects, as undisturbed as if I had not been there. In mountain regions and thinly populated tracts it is often found about rocky cliffs, along water courses, and almost invariably near the point where a bridge spans a stream. The Phoebe is the earliest of our Flycatchers to breed, nidification beginning sometimes in the first week in April, but ordinarily not much before May 1, and in the northern parts of its range rarely before June. "While generally of an amiable disposition toward other birds, often nesting in close proximity to the Barn Swallow, Robin, and Chimney Swift, it will not allow any of its own kind to occupy a site close to its own, fighting them persistently until driven off, and should one of the earlier arrivals presume to appropriate its old nest, war is at once declared. Such a case is recorded in the "Scientific American" (April 22, 1882, p. 245), by Mr. E. H. Davis, of Avon, New York, who writes as follows: "I have noticed communications in late issues of your journal upon the subject of two and three storied birds' nests. Permit me to relate the following, which I will personally vouch for. Some years ago a Phoebe Bird had built her nest on a small projection under a piazza of my father's house, and occupied the place for several successive years unmolested. One spring a Robin took possession of it before the arrival of the rightful owner, and would not give it up. The quarrel between the birds was noted by the members of the family, but nothing more was thought about it until fall, when the peculiar shape of the nest attracted attention. Upon examination it proved to be a double nest, one built upon the other, and in the lower one was found the vandal Robin, dead. The Phoebe Bird had built another nest, completely inclosing the Robin, and reared her young upon the grave of her enemy." The same pair of birds, apparently, return to their old haunts from year to year, and if they do not always occupy the same nesting site, they usually select one near by. Occasionally they build a new nest on the top of the old one, and this is sometimes done to get rid of Cowbirds' eggs that may have been deposited by these intruders, but ordinarily they do not appear to object much to such additions, and care for them as faithfully as if they were their own. Their favorite nesting sites are under bridges and culverts, even when they are barely large enough for a person to crawl through, provided a suit- able place can be found on Avhich to place the nest; next, outbuildings, such as barns, sheds, etc., are frequently made use of; porches of houses, window sills, 'The Auk, Vol. II, 1885, p. 254. THE PHCEBE. 275 etc., occasionally furnish suitable sites; overhanging rocky shelves, especially in quarries, upturned roots of trees in woods, projecting banks of small streams, caves, and more rarely the sides of open wells are likewise utilized for such purposes. Their nests vary considerably in shape as well as in the manner of con- struction. If attached to the side of an overhanging rock, it is necessarily semicircular, and mainly composed of mud pellets mixed with moss, a little grass, and occasionally a few feathers, somewhat resembling the nest of our well- known Barn Swallow. If placed on a flat beam, or rafter, or on top of a post, it is circular, and sometimes but little or no mud is used in its construction. A well-preserved nest. No. 25587, taken by Dr. William L. Ralph, near Floyd, Oneida County, New York, on May 17, 1890, was found in a swampy part of a large wooded tract, about 5 feet above the ground, and underneath the roots of a partly overturned tree; the upper parts of the roots had fallen over and the nest was behind this, placed on two small, swing-like roots that crossed each other at right angles. It is mostly composed of mud and partly covered on the outside with moss, dead leaves, a little fern down, and a few pieces of grass, and lined with horsehairs, fine roots, dry mosses, grasses, etc. It measures 4^ inches in outer diameter by 4 inches in height, the inner cup being 2 J inches across by If inches in depth. It is a neat, symmetrical, and compactly built structure. Mr. J. W. Preston, of Baxter, Iowa, writes me: "A pair of PhoEfbes have a nest on a post in our barn, just below the hay, over the feed room, to which they return year after year, having varying success and exhibiting a rare persistence of purpose. One season the eggs were destroyed by mice, and yet a second attempt was made, and the brood came oft" rather late. Then another season the young died in the nest from some cause, or were killed, and the parents crowded them onto the outer walls, where they hung for more than a year, seemingly not at all in the way of the old birds." When the nest is repeatedly used, the old inner lining is mostly removed and replaced by new material. Incubation lasts about twelve days, and the female performs the greater part of this duty, while the male remains in the vicinity of the nest on the watch for possible intruders. The female is a close sitter and is loath to leave her nest. Dr. Ralph tells me of an instance where he found a Phoebe sitting on a couple of eggs and a small pebble, which had accidentally fallen into the nest and cracked some of the eggs. The young are large enough to leave the nest in about two weeks, and a second brood is usually reared throughout the greater part of their range. The nesthngs are fed entirely on insect food, and consume an enormous quantity daily. The female rarely leaves the nest to go any considerable distance to gather the necessary supplies, but the male makes more extended excursions. I have observed a pair of these birds feeding their young; one seemed to require eonsiderable coaxing to take the proffered morsel, and although some of the others clamored loudly for it the parent would not let them have it, and gently touched the sides of the bill of the sleepy youngster several times rmtil it finally 276 LIFE niSTOEIES OF NOiri'H AMEEICAN BIEDS, opened its mandibles to be fed. I was standing within 4 feet of the nest all the time. The moth of the cutworm seems to be one of the favorite foods of the young. The Phoebe is one of the last of our Flycatchers to leave its summer home, usually remaining in our Northern States till the latter part of September, and in favorable seasons even later. Mr. R. M. Kirby Smith writes me from Sewanee, Tennessee, that he noticed this species at different times during the months of January, February, and March, and believes that some winter there, which is quite probable, as numbers remain in Florida and the Grulf Coast generally throughout this season. The number of eggs to a set varies from three to eight; sets of five are most commonly found, while the extremes are very rare; an egg is deposited daily, and the Phoebe is not infrequently imposed upon by the Cowbird, where this pest is common. There are several sets in the United States National Museum collection containing one or two of these parasitic eggs. The Phoebe's egg is usually pure white in color; the shell is close-grained, smooth, and moderately glossy, which gradually disappears in time, leaving the shell a dull chalky white. Occasionally some of these eggs are more or less perceptibly spotted, with a few specks of reddish brown about the larger end, but usually only one or two in a clutch are so marked, while the majority of sets are inunaculate. The eggs are mostly ovate in shape. The average measurement of one hundred and twelve eggs in the United States National Museum collection is 19.05 by 14.48 millimetres, or 0.7/) by 0.57 inch. The largest egg of the series measures 20.32 by 14.99 millimetres, or 0.80 by 0.59 inch; the smallest, 16.76 by 13.72 millimetres, or 0.66 by 0.54 inch. The type specimen, No. 25587 (PI. 1, Fig. 28), from a set of five eggs from the Ralph collection, slightly spotted, was taken near Floyd, Oneida County, New York, May 17, 1890, and the nest, of which measurements and a detailed description have been given above, is the one from which this egg was taken. 103. Sayornis saya (Bonaparte). SAY'S PHCEBE, Iltiscieapa saya Bonapaktb, American Ornithology, 1, 1825, 20. Sayornis sayus Baird, Birds of North America, 1858, 185. (B 136, 250, E 316, 377, U 457.) Gbogeaphioal range: Western North America; eastward to western Saskatchewan and Assiniboia, Dominion of Canada, and in the United States to eastern Montana, western South Dakota (?), western Nebraska, western Kansas, and western Texas; north to Fort Yukon, Alaska, and Fort Simpson, Northwest Territory, Dominion of Canada; south to Lower California and through Arizona, New Mexico, and western Texas; in winter to Puebla and Vera Cruz, Mexico. Accidental in Massachusetts. Say's Phoebe, a somewhat larger bird than the eastern representative of this genus, and which it replaces in western North America, has likewise a wide distribution, the northern limits of its breeding range in Alaska reaching within SAY'S PHGEBE. 277 the Arctic Circle. Mr. Lucien M. Turner obtained .several specimens near Fort Yukon, in about latitude 67° north, in the latter part of May, 187G, and Mr. B. R. Ross, of the Hudson Bay Company, took it at Fort Simpson, on the Mac- kenzie River, in July, 1861, where our common Phoebe was also found by him. Skins from both places, where both of these species are known to breed, are now in the United States National Museum collection. It will undoubtedly be found in the vast intervening territory north of our border and east of the Rocky Mountains, in Athabasca and Alberta, as it is recorded from western Saskatchewan and from British Columbia. In the United States it lias been taken at various points on the eastern slopes of the Rocky Mountains, but there it appears to be considerably rarer than farther west. Its breeding- range in the United States is coextensive, with its geographical range, excepting the south- western parts of Texas. Say's Phoebe seems to be more at home in rather open country, and is rarely found in heavily timbered regions; still it occurs in such localities at times, as I took a male near Fort Klamath, Oregon, on March 28, 1883, and saw a few others subsequently. During my various wanderings in our Western States and Territories I generally found Say's Phoebe rather uncommon, except- ing at Fort Lapwai, Idaho, where several pairs were breeding within the limits of the garrison, as well as at the adjoining Nez Perce Indian Agency, and I met with it also at Fort Custer, Montana; Camp Harney, Oregon; Forts Colville and Walla Walla, Washington; Camp Independence, California; and near Tucson, Arizona. Its general habits and actions resemble those of the eastern Phoebe; like it, it is one of the earliest spring migrants to return from its winter haunts, and it is equally attached to its old home, to which it regularly returns from year to year. It appears to be much more tolerant in its disposition toward other members of its kind than the Phoebe, as I have found several pairs breeding within 100 yards of each other, apparently in perfect harmony. Its manner of flight is also similar, but its ordinary call note differs somewhat, and sounds really pathetic; a plaintive "phee-eur," frequently repeated, expresses it tol- erably well, always accompanied with a twitch of the tail and a raising and lowering of the crest. Besides this note, during the mating season it gives A^ent occasionally to a short, plaintive, twittering warble. I consider it a more rest- less bird than the Phoebe, if that is possible ; for it is never idle, but constantly darting back and forth from its perch after passing insects, which form the bulk of its food and of which it never seems to get enough. I have repeatedlj- seen it catching good-sized grasshoppers on the wing, as well as different species of beetles, flies, moths, and butterflies. It has a habit similar to the Owls of ejecting the indigestible portions of its food in the shape of pellets. My .atten- tion was drawn to this fact by observing several such lying on the porch of my quarters at Fort Lapwai, Idaho, where a pair of these birds nested over the door. It is not nearly as partial to localities near water as is our Phoebe, and it is not unusual to find it nesting fully a mile from such places. At this Post they 278 LIFE HISTORIES OP NOETH AMERICAN BIRDS. generally arrived during the third week in March, the males preceding the females about a week, and nest repairing or building commenced about the latter part of this month. I have taken a full set of eggs, containing small embryos, on April 17, 1871. Here they nested mostly under the eaves of outhouses and stables; but one pair selected the plate or rail over the main door of my quarters, and another a corner on the hospital porch. In this vicinity I also found a pair occupying an old Cliff Swallow's nest attached to an overhanging ledge of rock in Soldiers' Canyon, on the road to Lewiston, Idaho, and another in a very unusual position in the same canyon, in an old Robin's nest, placed in a syringa bush, about 4 feet from the ground. Mr. R. S. Williams found Say's Phoebe nesting in a deep canyon near the Crooked Falls of the Missouri, Montana, and sent two sets of eggs to the United States National Museum from there. These nests were placed on a slightly pro- jecting ledge of rocks, and were well pi'otected by overhanging walls. The first, containing six eggs, was taken May 21, 1888; the other was obtained on June 3, 1889. Mr. W. Gr. Smith reports Say's Phoebe as common in Larimer County, Colo- rado, where it usually nests under bridges and in sheds and barns. He says it builds a bulky nest, mostly composed of wool, and if its eggs are taken or destroyed it often lays three clutches during a season, and not infrequently in the same place. In Colorado it reaches an altitude of about 7,000 feet, and here Mr. J. Alden Loring reports it as not uncommon at Grand Junction, and Mr. Denis Grale found it breeding near Gold Hill on June 25, 1885; but it is evidently much more com- mon throughout the Great Basin region in southern Idaho, Utah, Nevada, and eastern California, where its center of abundance occurs. While Say's Phoebe is fairly common in suitable localities in northern California, as in the vicinity of Red Bluff, Tehama County, Mr. F. Stephens reports it as a rare summer resident in the southern parts of this State, and says: "It is more common in winter, though scarcely common then. It breeds early along the western borders of the Colorado Desert, where I have found nests containing young in the latter part of March. The nests were placed on shelves under overhanging parts of cliffs, in shallow caves and similar places; the eggs usually numbered four; the nests were built of soft fibers; no mud was used; and I have seen none near water. These birds are generally seen singly except in the breeding sea- son; they inhabit open country and are never seen in forests. On June 1, 1893, I flushed a Say's Phoebe from a nest containing fresh eggs near Witch Creek, California. The nest was placed under a shelf of rock on a small cliff over a brook. The nest, of mud, looked like the nest of Sayornis nigricans, and perhaps was an old one of that species relined. This is the first time I have found this species nesting on the west side of the mountains, while on the desert, side they breed regularly." Mr. John Swinburne found this species nesting at St. Johns, Apache County, and Mr. W. E. D. Scott gives it as a rather rare summer resident in the Catalina Mountains, Arizona, while I observed it in the vicinity of Tucson in winter only. SAY'S PH(EBE. 279 Mr. A. W. Anthony writes me: "I found Say's Phoebe breeding in compara- tive abundance near Apache, in the extreme southwestern corner of New Mexico, in the midst of a very dry and barren range of hills, in May, migrating after the first brood was raised, about June 20, and not seen again until September. Old tunnels and abandoned mining shafts are favorite nesting sites with them, nests having been found by me in Lower California, 25 feet from the surface, in prospect holes. At Apache I took a nest with four fresh eggs on May 23, 1886, and near San Diego, California, I found one in an old embankment, on August 8, containing young and eggs." A nest taken by Mr. J. A. Loring, in Nephi, Utah, July 1, 1893, was placed in the top of an old straw hat. Both Mr. L. Belding and Mr. A. "W. Anthony have met with this species in Lower California, during the breeding season; and it probably breeds also in northwestern Texas and northern Mexico. It returns from its summer haunts in the northern parts of its range usually about September, and winters to some extent in the southwestern parts of the United States; the majority, however, pass south into Mexico. In the more southern portions of its breeding range Say's Phcsbe begins nesting early in March ; in the middle parts rarely before May 1, and in the extreme .northern limits of its range not until June. Two broods are usually raised in a season, and, under favorable* circum- stances, possibly even three. This species is fully as much at home about human habitations, and seems to adapt itself even more readily to the changed condi- tions of its surroundings than its eastern relative, and about every cattle ranch, stage station, or mining camp a pair or more of these birds will sm'ely select a nesting site, if a suitable location can be found. Besides the various localities already mentioned in which Say's Phoebe has been found nesting, burrows of Bank Swallows are also occasionally occupied. Ordinarily mud is not used "in the construction of their nests; which are rather flat structures; the base usually consists of weed stems, dry grasses, moss, plant fibers of different kinds, wool, empty cocoons, spider webs and hair, the inner lining being generally composed of wool or hair alone. A well-preserved nest, now before me, from the Crooked Falls of the Missouri, Montana, taken by Mr. R. S. Williams, June 3, 1889, measures.5J inches in outer diameter by 2^ inches in height, the inner cup being 2^ inches hj 1^ inches in depth. This is a com- pactly built structure, the materials composing it being well worked together, and it is warmly lined with cattle hair. The number of eggs to a set varies from three to six; usually four or five are found, and one is deposited daily. Incubation lasts about twelve days; the young are fed entirely on insects, mainly on small butterflies, which are abuii- dant about that "time, and they are ready to leave the nest in about two weeks, when the male takes charge of them, the female in the meantime getting ready for a second brood. The eggs are ovate and short ovate in shape, and resemble those of the common Phoebe in every respect excepting that they are a trifle larger in size. The average measurement of forty-four eggs in the United States National Museum collection is 19.50 by 14.90 millimetres, or about 0.77 by 0.59 inch. 280 LIFE HISTOEIES OF NOUTH AMERICAN BIRDS. The largest egg of the series measures 21.59 by 15.49 millimetres, or 0.85 by 0.61 inch; the smallest, 18.03 by 13.97 millimetres, or 0.71 by 0.55 inch. The type specimen. No. 20553 (PL 1, Fig. 29), from a set of four eggs, Ben- dire collection, taken by the writer at Fort Lapwai, Idaho, April 24, 1871, is an average-sized egg, and one of the usual unspotted types. 104. Sayornis nigricans (Swainson). BLACK PHGEBE. Tyrannula nigricans SwAiNSON, Philosophical Magazine, I, May, 1827, 367. Sayornis nigricans Bonapaetk, Collection Delattre, 1854, 87. (B"131, C 251, R 317, C 378, U 458.) Geographical kange : From Mexico and Lower California north through western Texas, lifew Mexico. Arizona, and California into southwestern Oregon, west of th(>, Cascade Mountains; east to western Texas, southern llfew Mexico, Arizona, and southern California. Casually to Washington. The breeding range of the Black Phoebe, also known as the "Black Fly- catcher," is much more restricted within the United States than that of the two preceding species, but in Mexico it has a widely extended distribution. In southwestern Oregon it has been observed in the Umpqua Valley by Dr. J. S. Newberry ; and Prof 0. B. Johnson reports seeing a single specimen near Salem in July, 1879. These points mark about the northwestern limits of its range, and none have as yet been observed east of the Cascade Mountains at points farther south in this State. Its center of abundance is evidently that part of California west of the Sierra Nevadas, where it has been recorded from many places throughout the year. Mr. Lyman Belding reports it as a common and constant resident at Stockton, Murphys, and Marysville, and as a summer resident near Big Trees, Calaveras County, where it frequents the willows near sti-eams. Mr. Charles H. Townsend found it breeding near Baird, Shasta County, and it seems to be pretty generally distributed throughout southern California as well. While apparently not reaching the eastern slopes of the Sierra Nevadas in the northern parts of this State, it has been observed as far east as Furnace Creek, Death Valley, Hot Springs, in the Panamint Valley, and Shepherd Canyon, in the Argus Range, in southeastern California, by different members of Dr. C. Hart Merriam's exploring party in the Death Valley country, in the spring of 1891; but it appears to be somewhat rare everywhere east of the Sierra Nevadas. Mr. A. W. Anthony writes me: "The Black Phoebe breeds throughout Lower California, from latitude 28° northward wherever water is found, build- ing under the eaves of adobe houses when near human habitations, and on the sides of ledges along streams in the unsettled parts." In southern Arizona this species is resident throughout the year, and I have observed it at all seasons. It is, however, more common in winter than in summer, the majority of these birds evidently retiring to the -canyons in the foothills of the mountains to breed. I found but a single nest; this was placed THE BLACK PIICEBE. 281 in an abandoned well, in a small cavity in the side, caused by a bowlder drop- ping out, about 4 feet below the surface of tlie ground. It contained young, nearly full grown, on April 24, 1872. Mr. W. E. D. Scott reports this species as not uncommon in the Santa Catalina Mountains to an altitude of 4,000 feet. Dr. Edgar A. Mearns, United States Army, informs me that he found a pair breed- ing at the reservoir from which the town of Tombstone derives its water supply, in Millers Canyon, Huachuca Mountains, southern Arizona, on July 31, 1894. This is located in the Douglass spruce zone (Pseudotsuya taxifolia), at an altitude of -about 8,000 feet. I also met with the Black Phoebe in southwestern New Mexico, on the Mimbres River, and Mr. William Lloyd gives it as a rare summer visitor in Tom Green County, Texas, where he found it breeding on April 4. Although a good many of these birds winter within our borders, even in locali- ties where snow occasionally falls, the majority migrate south into Mexico in October, and return again early in March. In its general habits the Black Phoebe resembles the common Phoebe more than Say's ; like the former, it is usually only found near water, and its call notes are also very similar. Mud seems to enter largely into the construction of its nests, and I believe is invariably used. These are located in similar situations to those of the two preceding species. It is equally attached to a locality once chosen for a nesting site ; and instances are recorded where four clutches of eggs have been laid in one season, the three previously laid having been taken. Two broods are generally reared in a year, and perhaps three. The exterior of the nest consists of small pellets of mud mixed with bits of dry grass, weed fibers, or hair, and somewhat resembles that of a Barn Swallow; the outer mud wall is carried up to the rim. Inside it is lined with weed fibers, fine roots, strips of bark, grass tops, hair, wool, and occasionally feathers. If their eggs are taken, they generally lay another set within two weeks. A nest now before me, taken by Mr. H. W. Henshaw, at Santa Ysabel, California, on April 28, 1893, measures 5 inches in outer diameter and 3^ inches in height; the inner cup is 2| inches in diameter and 1 J inches in depth, and is lined with plant fibers and fine grass tops. In the southern part of its breeding range nidification begins usually in the first half of April, rarely before, and correspondingly later farther northward. The number of eggs to a set varies from three to six, usually four or five. They resemble the eggs of the two preceding species in color, but generally average a trifle smaller. Judging from those before me, the markings on the spotted specimens are coarser and more pronounced, but the proportion of spot- ted eggs is no greater. The eggs are generally ovate in shape. The average measurement of fifty-nine specimens in the United States National Museum collection is 18.73 by 14.36 millimetres, or about 0.74 by 0.57 inch. The largest egg of the series measures 20.32 by 15.24 millimetres, or 0.80 by 0.60 inch; the smallest, 17.78 by 13.21 millimetres, or 0.70 by 0.52 inch. The type specimen, No. 20556 (PI. 1, Fig. 30), from a set of three eggs, Bendire collection, was taken at Nicasio, California, May 5, 1877; this repre- sents a well-spotted and average-sized specimen. 282 LIFE HIST0EIE8 OF IfORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. 105. Contopus borealis (Swainson). OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHER. Tyrannus borealis Swainson, Fauua Boreali Americana, II, 1831, 141, PL 35. Contopus borealis Baikd, Birds of North America, 1858, 188. (B 137, C 253, R 318, C 380, U 459.) GEoauAPHiCAL eangb : North America; north in the eastern parts of the Dominion of Canada to about latitude 50°, in the interior of the Hudson Bay country to about lati- tude 61°, and iu Alaska to latitude 63° N. ; south in winter through the higher mountains of Central America to Colombia, South America. Accidental in Greenland. The breeding range of the Olive-sided Flycatcher in the eastern parts of the United States is confined to the coniferous forest regions of our northern border from northern Massachusetts and northern New York westward to Minnesota, and probably also to some of the higher moimtain peaks south of these States; in Connecticut, Pennsylvania, the Virginias, and western North Carolina, etc., where it has occasionally been taken during the breeding season and possibly nests in limited numbers in suitable localities. It has also been observed in the mountains of western Missouri by Mr. W. E. D. Scott in the spring, and possibly breeds there; and the late Col. N. S. Goss reports that he found it nesting near Wallace, Kansas, on May 27, 1883, an unusually early date for this species. In the eastern provinces of the Dominion of Canada it breeds up to about latitude 50° N., while in the interior it appears to be fairly common in the provinces of Manitoba and Saskatchewan, the type coming from Cumberland House, in latitude 54°. It extends north at least to Fort Resolution, Great Slave Lake, in latitude 61°, where Mr. R. Kennicott took a male on June 20, which is now in the United States National Museum collection. On the Pacific Slope it has been taken by Mr. F. Bishofi" at Fort Kenay, Alaska, in latitude 61°, and Mr. E. W. Nelson obtained a single bird on the Lower Yukon, in latitude. 63°, which marks, as far as known, the northern limit of its range. Mr. J. E. McGrath also took a specimen at Camp Davidson, Alaska, on May 18, 1891, which, together with the Bishoif skin, is now in the United States National Museum collection. These records show that the Olive-sided Flycatcher is pretty generally distributed over the southern coast districts of this territory. From Alaska its breeding range extends southward through British Columbia, Alberta, the forest and mountain regions of the western United States, including the Rocky, Cascade, and Sierra Nevada mountains, with their tributary spurs and outlying ranges, to southern Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, the San Pedro Martir Mountains in Lower California, the Sierra Madre in northern Mexico. It passes thence south in winter through the higher mountains of Central America to Colombia, South America. West of the Rocky Mountains the Olive-sided Flycatcher seems to be generally distributed throughout the forest and mountainous regions to the Pacific coast, although it is nowhere very common. Mr. S. F. Rathbun, of Seattle, THE OLIVE-SIDBD FLYCATCHEB. 283 Washington, writes me: "This Flycatcher may be called common around Seattle as a summer resident, arriving about May 1 and remaining into Septem- ber. It is very evenly distributed, not i-ndiscriminatelj scattered, as are some species, but along the shores of Lake Washington about every one-half to three-fourths of a mile you can hear these birds and find a pair. They evince a fondness for the watered regions in preference to the high lands, not necessarily along the water's edge, but only a short way back in the woods, and prefer the rather open timber where most of the original forest has been cut away." In northern and central California it appears to be moderately common throughout the mountainous portions, judging from the numerous records. Mr. L. Belding found it breeding in Calaveras County, and took a nest and tliree eggs on June 17, 1883, these being now in the United States National Museum collection; while from southern California Mr. F. Stephens writes me: "It is a somewhat rare summer resident in coniferous forests, seeming to prefer the firs. I found a nest on June 5, 1889, in a large fir, at about 7,500 feet altitude in the Cuyamaca Mountains; it was placed about 40 feet from the ground and 8 feet from the trunk, near the extremity of a limb. It consisted of little more than a lining of stiff moss, laid in a thick bunch of living leaves, and contained three eggs. While taking these the parent came repeatedly, almost within reach of my hand, snapping her bill and scolding me. Lower down in the same tree was a nest of the Louisiana Tanager containing young." There are also records from Arizona and New Mexico showing that the Olive-sided Flycatcher breeds, to some oxtent at least, in the higher mountain regions there, and in Colorado it may be called fairly common. Mr. Denis Gale writes me from Gold Hill, Colorado, in 1889: "I have found a nest or two of Gontopus borealis almost every season, but always with young, until this year. Their nests are very small and fragile in appearance for so large a bird, but the wiry character of the material used in their composition is so deftly fitted and fastened to and about the rasping sprays of our spruce trees that you could scarcely displace the nest if you should thrash the ground with the bough upon which it is placed." A nest with three eggs, taken on July 3, 1889, was kindly presented to the United States National Miiseum collection by Mr. Gale, and this is the frailest-built structure I have yet seen of these birds. In Colorado the Olive-sided Flycatcher reaches an altitude of 9,000 or 10,000 feet in summer. In the San Pedro Martir Mountains, in Lower Califoi'nia, Mr. A. W. Anthony informs me that this Flycatcher was occasionally observed by him up to 11,000 feet, and evidently nesting. I have met with this species in the pine forests of the Bitter Root Mountains in Montana and Idaho, in the numerous parks in the Blue Mountains, and at Fort Klamath, Oregon, where several pairs nested within a couple of miles from the Post, in large spruce and pine trees which were practically inaccessible. In suitable localities in the southwestern parts of the Adirondacks, in Herkimer County, New York, they are not uncommon, and I observed several pairs in this vicinity. Their habits seem everywhere to be alike. 284 LIFE HISTOEIES OF NORTH AMEEICAN BIRDS. Although the Olive-sided Flycatcher is rather evenly and widely distributed, it can not be called a very common bird anywhere during the breeding season, which is due perhaps more to its unsocial and quarrelsome habits than to any- thing else. While it appears tolerant enough toward other species, it will not allow any of its own kind to nest in close proximity to its chosen home, to which it returns from year to year. Each pair seems to claim a certain ra»nge, which is rarely less than half a mile in extent, and is usually located along some stream, naar the shore of a lake, or by some little pond; generally coniferous forests saem to be preferred, but mixed ones answer their purposes almost equally well as long as they border on a body of water or a beaver meadow and have a few clumps of hemlock or spruce trees scattered tlurough them, which furnish suitable perches and points of lookout. In such situations one is reasonably certain to find this species. Like all Flycatchers, their food consists almost exclusively of winged insects, such as beetles, butterflies, moths, and the numerous gadflies which abound in the places frequented by these birds. A dead limb or the decayed top of some tall tree giving a good outlook close to the nesting site, is usually selected for a perch, from which excursions are made in different directions after passing insects, which are often chased for quite a distance. This Flycatcher usually arrives on its breeding grounds in the northern parts of the United States about the middle of May, and its far-reaching call notes can then be heard almost constantly in the early morning hours and again in the evening. Unless close to the bird, this note sounds much like that of the Wood Pewee, which utters a note of only two syllables, like "pee-wee," while that of the Olive- sided Flycatcher really consists of three, like "hip-pui-whee." The first part is uttered short and quick, while the latter two are so accented and drawn out, that at a distance the call sounds as if likewise composed of only two notes, but this is not the case. Their alarm note sounds like "puip-puip-piiip," several times repeated, or "puill-puill-puill;" this is usually given only when the nest is approached, and occasionally a purring sound is also uttered. Nidification rarely begins anywhere throughout their range before June 1, usually not before June 10, and in some seasons not before July. Tall ever- green trees, such as pines, hemlocks, spruces, firs, and cedars, situated near the edge of an opening or clearing in the forest, not too far from water and com- manding a good outlook, or on a bluff along a stream, a hillside, the shore of a lake or pond, are usually selected as nesting sites by this species, and the nest is generally saddled well out on one of the limbs, where it is difficult to see and still more so to get at. Only on rare occasions will this species nest in a decid- uous tree; one instance has been recorded of a pair nesting in an apple and another in a cottouwood tree, but these must be considered as exceptional cases. While on a collecting expedition with Dr. William L. Ralph, in Herkimer County, New York, a nest of this species was found on June 18, 1892, in a spruce tree, 45 feet from the ground, containing three eggs about one-third incubated. The nest was placed on a horizontal limb, on some thick, leaf-covered twigs. THE OLIVE-SIDED FLYOATGIIER. 285 about 5 feet from the trunk; the tree grew ou a liillside near a Httle swamp, and several tall dead stumps were still standing ou the partly cleared hills in the vicinity. Tlie birds betrayed the location of the nest by their excited actions and incessant scolding. They were very bold, flying close ai'ound the climber's head, snapping their bills at him, and uttering angry notes of defiance rather than of distress, sounding like "puy-pip-pip" or "wiip-wup-wlip." They could not possibly have been more pugnacious. This nest, which is now before me, is a well-built structure, and measures 4| inches in outer diameter by If inches in depth ; the inner cup is very shallow, measuring 2| inches in diameter by 1 inch in depth. It is outwardly composed of fine, wiry roots and small twigs, mixed with long, green moss ( Usnea), and lined with fine roots and moss. It is securely fixed among a mass of fine twigs growing out at that point of the limb, which is only half an inch thick under the nest. During the first week of June, 1893, we visited the same locality again, but these birds did not make their appearance at the old nesting site until about June 15, and showed no desire to nest up to the time we left, June 28. Two other pairs were also located, but no nests were found. I am of the opinion that, as the season was unusually late, they postponed nidification until at least three weeks later than usual. Mr. Belding states: "In California its nests are usually 40 or 60 feet from the ground, rarely as low as 20 in cone-bearing trees, and are mostly composed of yellow lichen {JEvernia vulpina) ,\m.e(i sparingly, in several instances, with fine, wiry rootlets."^ The nest is usually placed at a considerable height from the ground, say from 40 to 60 feet, and always out on a limb; occasionally one is found not over 20 feet up, but such instances so far as I. know are not common. The nests are generally hard to get at, and as they are so shallow the contents are frequently lost in trying to secure them. The Olive-sided Flycatcher usually nests late, rarely before the middle of June, and sometimes not until the begin- ning of July. Only a single brood is reared in a season ; but if the eggs are taken a secojid set is laid, and not infrequently in the same nest, if this has been left. They are very much attached to localities once selected, and are loath to leave them. The return migration to their winter haunts begins in the latter part of August, and, as far as known, all of these birds pass beyond our border. It does not take very long to build the nest, and incubation lasts probably not over fourteen days. The young are said to remain in the nest about three weeks. The eggs are usually three in number, rarely more or less. Possibly about one set in twenty will contain four eggs, and although it has been stated that from three to five are laid, I do not believe that a set of five has ever been taken. The shape of these eggs is mostly ovate; the shell is delicate and not lustrous. The ground color varies from a pale to a rich cream, with a pinkish tint, and they are usually spotted and blotched with different shades of chestnut, ferruginous, heliotrope purple, and lavender, these markings generally forming an irregular wreath about the larger end of the egg. 1 Land Birds of the Pacific District, 1890, p. 97. 286 LIFE HISTORIES OP NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. The average measurement of thirty-two eggs in the United States National Museum collection is 21.51 by 16.10 millimetres, or about 0.85 by 0.63 inch. The largest egg of the series measures 23.11 by 17.27 millimetres, or 0.91 by 0.68 inch; the smallest, 20.32 by 15.24 millimetres, or 0.80 by 0.60 inch. The type specimen. No. 23891 (PI. 2, Fig. 15), from a set of three eggs taken by Mr. Grale, near Gold Hill, Boulder County, Colorado, on July 3, 1889, represents one of the richer-colored eggs, while No. 25685 (PL 2, Fig. 16), from a set of three, Ralph collection, also from Colorado, taken June 16, 1892, shows a paler-colored example; they also show the difference in size. io6. Contopus pertinax Cabanis. COUES'S FLYCATCHER. Myiarchus pertinax LiCHTENSTEiN, Nomenclator Mueso Beroliuensis, 1854, 16 (nomen nudum). Contopus pertinax Cabanis, Museum Hemeanum, II, Sept. 30, 1859, 72. (B— , C 254, R 319, C 381, U 460.) Gbogeaphical RANGE: Highlands of Guatemala and Mexico; north to Arizona and southwestern New Mexico. Accidental in Colorado. The breeding range of Coues's Flycatcher is eoextensive with its geo- graphical distribution in the United States, where it, is only a summer visitor. It was added to our avifauna by Dr. Elliott Coues, who took a specimen near Fort Whipple, Arizona, on August 20, 1864; and since then it has been found to be generally distributed throughout the mountains of the southern half of Arizona and southwestern New Mexico, although nowhere very common. The best account of its general habits is that of Mr. H. W. Henshaw, who says: "In 1873 I obtained a pair of old birds, which were accompanied by several young, in the White Mountains, near Camp Apache, and, not meeting with it elsewhere, supposed it to be rare. Such, however, proves not to be the case, as the past season it was found to be one of the most numerous and char- acteristic of the Flycatcher tribe, being seen everywhere in the mountainous districts from Camp Apache to the border line. " In general appearance as well as habits it is quite similar to the Olive- sided Flycatcher, and shows the same proclivities for inhabiting the pineries, often on the edge of an opening, or where the country is diversified and cut up by rocky ravines and the pines are interspersed with oak woods. In such places the species is sure to be present, and may be seen circling about the high pine stubs or descending to the lower trees, as the oaks, and launching itself out from the branches in vigorous pm-suit of flies or beetles, which it hunts with the greatest energy and perseverance. The notes are loud and very forcibly given, possessing the same character as the call of the Olive-sided Flycatcher, but are readily distinguishable. They resemble the syllables 'pe-wee-ee,' great emphasis being laid on the middle syllable, while the last is quite prolonged and in a slightly raised key. Each pair apparently takes GOUES'S FLYOATOnEK. 287 possession of a large area, and allows no intrusion of their kind within the limits. Having spent a few moments in one spot, the bird makes a hun-ied dash, and in a few moments its voice can be just distinguished as it is sent back from afar in answer to the mate near by. A short interval elapsing, it will suddenly reappear from among the trees, and, with an exultant whistle, settle firmly down on some perching place, giving short, nervous jerks of its long tail and turning its head quickly here and there, every motion betraying the nervous activity of its nature. These sudden erratic flights from point to point are quite characteristic of the bird. By the middle of July I found the young well fledged and quite numerous.- Thus the eggs are probably deposited in the first part of June. By the latter part of September many individuals had passed to the southward, but at Mount Grraham at this time the species was still present. I noticed them on several occasions on the outskirts of the flocks of Warblers and. Nuthatches, which were moving slowly onward. They appeared to be migrating in their company, forming, as it seemed to me, a very" incongruous element in these soci able gatherings. Their call notes at this time were* given almost as incessantly as during the- summer." ^ Mr. F. Stephens writes me: "I have taken this species in the mountains north of Fort Bayard, New Mexico, and in the Chiricahua and Santa Rita Mountains, in southern Arizona, in all parts of which it is a rare summer resi- dent. The female of a pair taken June 27, 1880, in the Chiricahua Mountains, was incubating." Mr.'W. E. D. Scott .also observed them in the Santa Catalina Mountains in April, and Dr. Edgar A. Mearns, United States Army, in the MogoUon Range> Arizona, during the months of July and August, where a pair were seen feeding their young on Baker's Butte. He says: "Its habits resemble those of the smaller species of this .genus rather than of the Olive-sided Flycatcher."^ The nest and eggs of Coues's Flycatcher were first described by Mr. Samuel B. Ladd, West Chester, Pennsylvania, in "The Auk" (Vol. VIII, 1891, p. 315). "The nest, placed on an oak limb 20 feet from the ground, is compact, and reminds one of the nest of our Contopus virens, excepting in size. Out^side diam- eter, 5 inches by 2 inches high'; inside diameter, 3 inches by 1 inch deep. The body of the nest seems to consist of the web of some spider, intermingled with the exuviae of some insect, fragments of insects, and vegetable matter, such as staminate catkins of Quercus-emoryi, a pod of Hosackia, and some leaves of Quercus emoryi and Quercus undulata. The interior of the nest is made up of grasses, principally of two species of Poa, also some fragments of a Bontelona and a Stipa. The eggs, three in number, were slightly incubated. The ground color is cream buff, spotted in a ring around the larger end with chestnut and lilac-gray. Measurements: 0.63 by 0.86, 0:62 by 0.83, 0.61 by 0.83 inch; average, 0.62 by 0.84. Collected June 17", 1890." Through the kindness of Mr. E. W. Nelson I am enabled to figure an Qg^ of this species and add the following information about their nesting habits. 1 United States Geographical Surveys, Vol. V, pp. 352-3. 2 The Auk, Vol. VII, 1890, p. 256. 288 LIFE HISTOEIES OF NOETH AMERICAN BIRDS. He says: " Contopus pertimx is a sparingly distributed summer resident in the pine-forested mountains of south central Mexico, between 8,000 and 12,000 feet altitude. At Los Vigas, Vera Cruz, on June 14, 1893, a nest containing two fresh eggs was found in a pine tree at an altitude of about 8,000 feet. The nest was about 15 feet from the ground, on the outer end 'of one of the lower branches. It was placed upon a small fork of the main branch. The nest is outwardly composed of grass tops, which are covered with fragments of moss and lichens, and it is lined with the fine heads (seed tops) of a species of grass growing all about under the pine trees of the vicinity. 'The locality was on a gentle slope at the northeast base of the Cofre de Perote, near Los Vigas, in a thick growth of small pines. The parent birds paid but little attention to the nest, but were quite shy, so that some trouble was experienced in obtaining one of them; each time, however, the birds returned to .the vicinity of the "nest after a long detour through the woods. So far as I saw them, these birds are very quiet during the breeding season." The nest, which is now before me, is a compact and neatly built structure, and measures 4^ inches in outer diameter by 2 inches in height. The inner cup is 2 J inches wide by 1^ inches deep. Coues's Flycatcher leaves its summer home in southern Arizona and New Mexico- about October 1, and apparently none winter within our borders. The eggs are ovate in shape; the shell is frail andwithout luster, of a rich cream tint, and is sparingly spotted, principally about the larger end of the egg, with differ- ent shades of chestnut, ferruginous, and lavender. They resemble very much the eggs of the Olive-sided Flycatcher, but. average a trifle smaller, measuring 21.08 by 16.51 and 19.56 by 15.75 millimetres, or 0.83 by 65 and 0.77 by 0.62 inch, respectively. The type specimen. No. 26222 (PI. 2, Fig. 17), United States National Museum collection, the smallest egg of the two, was taken by Mr. Nelson, as already stated, on June 14, 1893, near Los Vigas, Vera Cruz, .Mexico. 107. Contopus virens (Linn^us). WOOD PEWEE. Muscicapa virens Linnaeus, Systema Naturte, Ed. 12, I, 1766, 327. Gontonus virens Gabanis, Jouri)al fiir Oinithologie, III, Nov., 1855, 479. (B 139, C 255, R 320, 382, TJ.461.) Geographical range: Eastern North America; north to the southern portions of the Dominion of Canada, from New Brunswicli to Manitoba; west to eastern North and Soutli Dakota, eastern Nebraska, Kansas, the Indian Territory, and Texas; soutli in winter through eastern Mexico and Guatemala to Colombia and Ecuador, South America. The breeding range of the "Wood Pewee, also locally known in Soutli Carolina as "Dead-limb bird," extends through the eastern United States north into the southern parts of the Dominion of Canada to about latitude 46° N., west to western Manitoba, the eastern parts of North and South Dakota, THE WOOD TEWEE. 289 Nebraska, Kansas, the Indian Territory, and somewhat beyond tlie eastern half of Texas, where it has been found breeding in Bexar and Tom Green counties. In the extreme southern parts of its breeding range, in Florida and the Gulf Coast, it is rather rare, and this is also the. case north of latitude 45°, in southern New Brunswick and the provinces of Quebec and Ontario, while in Manitoba it appears to be tolerably common up to latitude 50°. The Wood Pewee, as its name implies, is a common summer resident throughout all the wooded portions of its range as indicated above, and is one of the more tardy migrants to arrive on its breeding grounds, reaching them in the more southern States in the first half of April, and in Pennsylvania, New York, etc., about a month later. It shows a decided preference for open, mixed woods, free from underbrush, and frequents the edges of such as border on fields, clearings, etc., either in dry or moist situations. In Oneida and Herkimer coun- ties, New York, I found the Wood Pewee common everywhere, both in the more extensive forests, as well as in orchards or shade trees along the country roads, and even in the villages. Its plaintive call notes could be heard at all hours of the day and often in the night as well. Its song, if it may be called such, is uttered in a sleepy, listless manner, while perched on some horizontal limb or branch, usually one of the lower dead ones of a wide-spreading tree, on which its sits very erect and alert, and from whence it darts every little while after some passing insect, in the capture of which it is as expert as any of our Flycatchers. The ordinary call note sounds like "pde-a-w^^" or "sdd-d-w^d," long drawn out and plaintive in sound. Occasionally a short note like "p^^-ddr," "phdd-h^d," or "hde-^^" is also given, this, if possible, in a still more mournful strain than the former, but it is not as frequently heard. I find it very difficult to reproduce the various calls on paper, and am perfectly well aware that no two persons would put them down exactly alike. The male Wood Pewee, during the mating season, gives vent occasionally to a low, twittering warble, possibly an indication to its mate that all is well. Its food, like that of all Flycatchers, consists almost entirely of winged insects, but I have seen now and then a Wood Pewee fluttering about a leaf or small twig, as if it was picking off minute caterpillars or plant lice. Mr. George A. Seagle, superintendent of the Wytheville (Virginia) Fish Commission station, states: "This little bird has frequently been seen to catch young trout from the ponds soon after they had been transferred from the hatching house." It is possible that it may occasionally do a little harm in this manner, but, on the whole, it certainly is an exceedingly useful bird, fairly well behaved toward its neighbors, as long as they do not encroach too close on its nesting site, and it deserves protection. It nests rather late; throughout our Middle States rarely before the first week in June, and somewhat later farther north. In the vicinity of Washington, District of Columbia, full sets of eggs may be looked for in the first half of June, while in the more northern States iiidification is at its height during the latter part of this month and the first week in July. In the choice of nesting sites the Wood Pewee is not very particular; it is equally at home among human habitations, in villages or near farmhouses, as 16896— No. 3 19 290 LIFE HISTOEIES OP NOETH AMEEIGAF BIEDS. amidst the extensive forest regions of the Adirondacks and similar tracts. The trees most frequently selected for nesting are oak, elm, ash, maple, hickory, pine, locust, poplar, cedar, and apple, the nests being placed from 6 to 50 feet from the ground, ordinarily from 12 to 20 feet up. These are rather neat and hand- some structures, consisting generally of thick side walls and very thin bottoms; they are sometimes securely saddled on a horizontal limb, but more frequently at the point of juncture of a fork on the same, and generally some distance out from the main trunk. According to my observations, decayed moss and Kchen covered limbs, growing out horizontally from the trunk, appear to be their favorite nesting sites, but many of their nests are built on live limbs, especially in oak, locust, and old apple trees. The .nest is not readily discovered on account of its peculiar construction giving it the appearance of a knot, and the bird is exceedingly alert and usually slips off before one sees her, and, although she remains close by, flying from place to place and uttering her plaintive calls, she will not reveal its location by returning to it while the intruder is in the neighborhood. Mr. J. W. Preston, of Baxter, Iowa, writes me: "A pair of Wood Pewees built on a horizontal branch, 12 feet above a path over which I traveled several times each day, and, though the female became more and more accustomed to my presence, she never remained on the nest while I passed. She would fly to a certain dead snag and peer down on me with her large eyes; but the young, after leaving the nest, became quite tame." Fine grasses, small pieces of moss, thin strips of bark, rootlets, and plant fibers constitute the body of the nest, which is coated externally with bits of lichens found on rotten limbs, and which are fastened to its sides with spider webs and cocoons, similar to those of the Blue-gray Grnatcatcher and Euby- throated Hummingbird. All the different materials are well interw:oven, and the inner cup of the nest is usually lined with finer materials of the same kind, and occasionally with a little wool, down of plants, a few horsehairs, and bits of thread. An average and typical nest of the Wood Pewee measures 2f inches in outer diameter by If inches in depth; the inner cup is about If inches wide by 1 J inches deep. Mr. J. L. Davison, of Lockport, New York, kindly sent me for examination a unique nest of this species, taken by him from a horizontal limb of an apple tree, about 8 feet from the ground, which well deserves mention. This nest, which is well preserved, is exteriorly composed entirely of wool. It measures 2 J inches in outer diameter by 2^ inches in depth; the inner cup is If inches wide by 1 inch deep. It is very sparingly lined with fine grass tops and a few horse- hairs, while a single well-preserved apple leaf Hes perfectly flat and exactly in the center and bottom of the nest. It contained three eggs when taken, and bears not the slightest resemblance to any other nest of this species I have ever seen. I believe that ordinarily but a single brood is raised in a season; but there are probably exceptions, as Mr. Frank H. Hitchcock informs me that at Somer- ville, Massachusetts, on September 8, 1890, he found a pair of Wood Pewees THE WOOD PEWEE. 291 caring for a brood of newly hatclied young in a small grove near his home. If the first nest and eggs are taken they will promptly build a new one, and even a third, frequently in the same tree. An egg is deposited daily. Incubation lasts about twelve days. I have never seen the male assist in this duty, but he stays close by the nest and guards it. The young leave the nest in about six- teen days, and are cared for by both parents. From two to four eggs are laid to a set, generally three, and sets of four I consider rare. They usually start on their return migration in September, and I do not beheve that any winter within our borders. The eggs of the Wood Pewee vary in shape from ovate to short or rounded ovate; the shell is close-grained and without gloss. The ground color varies from a pale milky white to a rich cream color, and the markings, which vary considerably in size and number in different sets, are usually disposed in the shape of an irregular wreath around the larger end of the egg, and consist of blotches and minute specks of claret brown, chestnut, vinaceous rufous, helio- trope, purple, and lavender. In some specimens the darker, in others the lighter shades predominate. In very rare instances only are the markings found on the smaller end of the egg. The average measurements of seventy-two eggs in the United States National Museum collection is 18.24 by 13.65 millimetres, or about 0.72 by 0.54 inch. The largest egg of the series measures 20.07 by 13.97 millimetres, or 0.79 by 0.56 inch; the smallest, 16.51 by 12.95 millimetres, or 0.65 by 0.51 inch. The type specimen. No. 25414 (PI. 2, Fig. 18), from a set of three eggs, taken by Dr. A. K. Fisher, near Sing Sing, New York, June 15, 1879, represents one of the larger and well-marked eggs of this species, while No. 25584 (PI. 2, Fig. 19), from a set of three eggs, Ralph collection, taken near Holland Patent, New York, June 30, 1882, represents one of the smaller-sized and oddly marked specimens. io8. Contopus richardsonii (Swainson). WESTERN WOOD PEWEE. Tyrannula richardsonii Swainson, Fauna Boreali Americana, II, 1831, 146, PI. 46, lower fig. Contopus richardsonii Baird, Birds of S^orth America, 1858, 189. (B 138, 255a, R 321, C 383, U 462.) Geographical range: Western North America; north to British Columbia, the Provinces of Alberta and Saskatchewan, and probably farther in this direction; east to Manitoba, western North and South Dakota, western Nebraska, Kansas and Texas; south to Lower California, and in winter through Mexico and Central America to Ecuador and Bolivia, South America. The Western Wood Pewee, also known as "Richardson's" and "Short- legged" Pewee, is a common summer resident and breeds in suitable localities throughout the western United States from the western edge of the Great Plains 292 LIFE HISTOEIES OF NOETH AMERICAN BIRDS. to the Pacific Ocean. It ranges northward, as far as known at present, to British Columbia, Alberta, and northern Saskatchewan, and will probably be found in still higher latitudes. Southward it is found during the breeding season in Arizona, New Mexieo, and western Texas, and in the mountain regions of Lower Cali- fornia. In eastern Manitoba, according to Mr. Ernest E. Thompson, it overlaps the range of the Wood Pewee, both species being found in the vicinity of Winnipeg, and it is "not rare in other localities in this province. None winter within our borders. In its general habits the Western 'Wood Pewee resembles the preceding species very closely, but not in its call notes. These are shorter, much harsher^ and are uttered with much more emphasis — not in the plaintive, listless manner of the former. They resemble the sounds "pee-ed" or "pee-der," occasionally varied to "pee-ah." Dr. James C. Merrill, United States Army, gives the note as "tweer" or "deer." On the whole, the Western 'Wood Pewee is not as often found in extensive forests as the preceding species. It prefers the less heavily timbered creek bottoms, the edges of mountain parks, and generally more open country, but avoids the dry, arid plains and desert regions. It has been found at altitudes up to 11,000 feet in summer. Its food consists of insects of different kinds, and in southern California, Mr. F. Stephens informs me, this species is occasionally very destructive to honey bees. He says: "I have known apiarists to be compelled to shoot a great many to protect their bees; one in San Diego County told me that he shot several hundred in a season. They capture both workers and drones, and I have examined many stomachs which had stings sticking in them." Such conduct on their part is probably exceptional. Dr. A. K. Fisher, in his Report on the Ornithology of the Death Valley Expedition, says: "One day, when the wind was very high, a number were seen sitting on the bare alkaline flats near Owens Lake, where they were picking up from the ground the flies which swarmed there, as grain-eating birds do seeds." ^ Mr. R. H. Lawrence writes me: "At Humptulips, Washington, this Fly- catcher would rarely come within proper range of my shotgun until well along in the morning, say half past 9 o'clock, when they came down lower in the trees. Probably they sought the upper stratum of air in the early hours because the sunlight set the insects stirring there b'efore it did those of the undergrowth. This was seen to be so on my trips to the little prairies, where a comparatively extended view could be had. I noticed this in May and June, 1891." The Western Wood Pewee arrives rather late on its breeding grounds; even in the southern portions of its range it is rarely seen before the last half of April, and not until a month later in the more northern localities, while nidifica- tion rarely begins anywhere before June 1. Mr. Robert Ridgway makes the following statement regarding the position of the nests of the Western Wood Pewee: "The nest of this species, as is well 'North American Fauna, No. 7, 1893, p. 64. THE WBSTEEN WOOD PEWEE. 293 known, differs very remarkably from that of Contopus virens, being almost inva- riably placed in the crotch between nearly upright forks, like that of certain Empidonaces, as Empidonax mhumiis and Empidonax obscurus, instead of being saddled upon a horizontal branch, etc."^ My observations regarding the position of the nest of the Western Wood Pewee are radically different from the above, and all that I have seen, some twenty in number, were saddled directly on limbs, or at points where branches forked, and never in crotches; and the seventeen specimens now before me were all similarly placed. Among these is one collected by Mr. Ridgway himself, No. 15200, United States National Museum collection, collector's No. 1282, from Parley's Park, June 25, 1869, which is catalogued in the above- mentioned report as "Nest in crotch of a dead aspen along stream," but which shows distinctly that it was saddled on a horizontal fork and not in an upright crotch. If the Western Wood Pewee places its nest occasionally in a crotch, which I do not deny, it is exceptional and not the rule, and the many records I have of its nesting from Texas, Arizona, Nevada, Utah, Colorado, California, and Oregon confirm my assertions fully, and show conclusively that this species does not differ in this respect from the Wood Pewee. The nests, however, do not resemble those of the former; they are better and more solidly constructed, and are usually deeper. The outer protective coating consisting of bits of lichens is dispensed with ; decayed grass, wood, plant fibers, down, fine strips of the inner bark of juniper and sage, as well as the tops of wiry grasses, enter largely into their composition. These materials are compactly interwoven, and the outside of tJie uest is occasionally well covered with spider webs. They are usually lined with fine grass, down, and plant fibers, and rarely with a few feathers. A handsome nest, No. 24285, United States National Museum collection, taken May 31, 1891, by Capt. W. L. Carpenter, United States Army, near Prescott, Arizona, containing two eggs of this species and one of the Dwarf Cowbird, measures 2 J inches in outer diameter by If inches in depth; the inner cup is 2 inches wide by 1| inches deep. Although the walls of this nest are very thin, it is a well-built structure, and apparently stronger than many bulkier nests. It was placed on a limb of a cottonwood tree, about 10 feet from the ground. Nests of this species may be looked for in pine, cottonwood, tamarack, aspen, alder, maple, oak, hackberry, ash, and orchard trees, from 6 to 40 feet from the ground. In the vicinity of Fort Klamath, Oregon, where it is a common summer resident, the nests were usually placed on horizontal limits of black pine trees, both on liv