MAR., 1902. ( THE CONDOR 37

In some respects the Oregon song sparrow is a remarkable form. It is darker than the races north and south of its range, and duplicates in coloring the sooty song sparrow of the Sitkan District. The races along the coast seem thus to alternate light and dark. But whilephea is nearly identical with ru@a in color, it is conspicuously smaller, and the ranges of the two are separated by several hundred miles. The present form occupies a strip along the coast from the northern limit of the redwoods (?) or at least from Rogue River north to Yaquina. The specimens from Crescent City are probably migrants as the breeding birds seem nearer deonensis (tho not precisely typical). The area ofi intergradation between cdeonen- sis and phcza is probably small, extending perhaps from Crescent City to Chetco R. (northern limit of Sequoia sempervivens). Lack of specimens prevents the exact determination of the limits of$hcPa at the north. I am indebted to Mr. Robert Ridgway and to Dr. C. Hart Merriam forthe use of specimens and types in the collection of the National Museum and in that of the Biological Survey.

Winter Observations on the Colorado Desert.

IT. S. DAGGETT, PASADENA, CAL.

ROM Oct. 27 to Nov. 16, 1901, I dead birds floating on its surface, was spent at the American Girl Gold the cyanide tanks, two in number, con- F Mining Co.s‘ camp, located in the taining a strong solution of cyanide of Cargo Murchacho Mts on the Colorado potassium. Birds that essayed to Desert, five and one-half miles north- quench their thirst at this fount top- east of Ogilby, Cal., and some sixteen pled over dead in an instant. miles west of Yuma, on the Colorado When I arrived in camp I found sev- River. The westward trend of the river eral American pipits, three interme- below Yuma, however, brings the diate sparrows (Z 2. gam6eZi) and stream within eleven miles of camp to another variety of sparrow too soaked the southeast. by solution for identification, besides From a bird standpoint, or any other, many that rested on the bottom of the for that matter, it is a most uninviting tank. The most common and the only spot. The camp is located in a dry resident bird, the rock wren, seemed to gulch formed by ridges of barren rock avoid this danger entirely, it being at- north and south of it. At one time the tractive only to thirsty migrants. That wash at the “ottom of the gulch sup- there is a migration across the desert is ported a few stunted palo Verde. iron evident from the fact that such birds, wood and mesquite trees, but they have as mentioned above, are found so far long since been cut for fuel.. The only from their natural environment. A water obtained is from a pipe line small horse and a larger mule corral, reaching the Colorado River eleven with its scattered hay, offers some at- miles away. The pipes are carefully traction for birds in the way of seeds watched for leakages so the birds have and grain, but only once did I see them scant supply from that source, but a take advantage of it, when three juncos floating board in the reservoir at the were seen on the ground near the end of the pipe line furnishes a possible baled hay at daylight one morning. watering place. I often saw them at There were about a dozen rock the tub in the horse corral and about wrens (Sal&i&es obsozetus) about camp. the seepage at the end of the kitchen They were very tame in the vicinity of drain. Another place, and a most building, wood and lumber piles, but deadly trap it proved judging from the very wary and secretive among the 38 THE CONDOR I Vol. IV rocks beyond the limits of the camp. flight along the ridge. Nov. 2, a Say On a previous trip in July, when the phoebe (Sayornis saya) remained about thermometer registered I 20 degrees in camp all day and again on the 13th I the shade and the rocks were so heated saw it on the slope of the southern that one could not hold the bare hand ridge. A small hawk, about twice the upon them, these birds worked over size of our desert sparrow hawk circled them as unconcernedly as in winter. over camp twice and then departed On October 28 I saw a western black towards the river through the reservoir phcebe (Szyurnis nigvicans semiatra) in gap. On the r3th, a mourning dove a side canyon close to camp. (Zeenaidura’ macvozrra) came swiftly up On the 29th several juncos ( JUYZCO the gulch, alighted at the drain a few hyemalis thurberi) flew from the rear of moments, and departed as quickly in the store when I approached, where the direction of the river. they had been inspecting some sweep- In July I have seen several turkey ings and went up the same side canyon. vultures (Cathartes aura) sail over This same side canyon, by the way, camp, coming from the river and going was the only place where I succeeded towards the Golden Cross mine, where in getting specimens of this bird. They a horse or mule is sometimes hauled would keep along the bottom of this out for them to feast upon, a rather wash beyond reach, but by concealing difficult task in this dry region where a myself and firing one barrel of the gun carcass is more apt to dry up than to the echoes would so confuse the birds decay. The above includes all the that one was sure to fly within range birds seen in the desolate region men- of the other barrel. The juncos were tioned, during over three weeks obser- in camp every day of my stay but I vation. never saw more than six at one time. On Nov. 4 I drove down to the pump- October 30 I saw two intermediate ing plant situated at the other end of sparrows, (2. Z.gambeli) at the outlet of the pipe line, on the California side of kitchen drain. They would dodge the Colorado River, one and one-half under a flat-growing weed a few feet miles above the Mexican boundary and away and peer out. If I made no some ten miles below Yuma. No birds motion, one of them a young bird of the were seen until among the brus?r- year with brown stripes on the crown, studded sand dunes which lie between would come out and hop about the the real desert and the rank growth of moist spot, but the old bird with white the moist river bottom. Here a lot of stripes was always shy, in fact I only phainopeplas (Phai~zopela nitens) had saw it for one day, although the congregated on the palo Verde and other remained ten days. The store- mesquite which grew in the washes. keeper called my attention to a wren We arrived at the plant at dusk, and that had come in the open door and in order not to disturb the domestic ar- caged itself among the rafters. It had rangements of the engineer, spread our no white superciliary stripe, so I took blankets on the sand among the mes- it to be the Parkman wren. quite near the river bank. The next Nov. I, three ravens (Corvus coyax morning, (Nov. 5,) at first streak of sinuatus) flew along just under the top dawn I was awakened by a tremendous of the ridge south of camp. Once after clucking and chatter, coming from the that I saw two others flying along the other side of the clump of mesquite, same route, and again- on Nov. I I when not ten feet away. It proved to be a they changed their course and flew flock of forty to fifty gambel partridges down the side canyon, -over the mule (Loplzovtyx gambeli) on their morning corral and the mexican quarter and foray along the river bank. There was back again, resuming their westward no sleep after that, so I spent a couple MAR., 1902. 1 THE CONDOR 39 of hours loitering among the mesquite same spot and I had another good view clumps within half a mile of the plant. of him. Other birds noted, and of The old Hanlon ranch with its huge which I secured specimens, were the date palms loaded with ripening fruit, verdin (Aurijavus javiceps)’ cactus is located here. There are also some wren, (Heleodytes b7znneica~iZhs) cow- other fruits in their season. The Mexi- bird, (Molothyus ater) house finch, (Car- can in charge complained that the birds p0dacus mexicanus frontalis) sharp- damaged his frnit and he constantly shinned hawk, (Acciiter’ veZoon) and made pot shots among them. red shafted flicker; (Cohzjtes cafer col- I saw half a dozen western gnat- lads). Also. noted a flock of seven catchers (PoZiofitila cam&a obscura) western bluebirds, (Sialia mexica)La gleaning insects which had adhered to occidentaLis), white rumped shrikes, the sticky surface of the dates. (Lanius haovicianus’ excubitorides) and It was here that I saw my first Gila rock wrens, the latter about the gravel- woodpecker (Melanevfles uvopygiah). covered slopes leading up from the river He flew from these same palms to a bottom to the main desert. I was pre- stub sticking out of a mistletoe-covered vented by serious illness from making mesquite. The mistletoe was white a more extensive examination of this with berries and he may have been field, but I am convinced that that part after these, hut catching a glimpse of of California which lies next to the me, scarcely fifty feet away, he gave Mexican boundary has much in store several decided jerks of his head and for ornithologists who may investigate then flew back to the palms. About it in the future. fifteen minutes later he came to the

A Few Notes on the Nesting of Trochilus alexandri.

R. C. WUESTE. SAN DIEGO, CAL. T would be hard to find an individ- shown perhaps a necessary partiality. ual displaying no interest at the However where cotton-woods and syca- I sight of a member of the family un- mores are found, they are not despised. der discussion tonight. Ornithologists TWO cases in which a weed stalk and a and laity alike seem always imbued wild grapevine were used have even with enough of the aesthetic to grant come under my notice. By the side of these little gems a warm spot in their such willow patches, strips of wild to- hearts. Personally, I will say at least, bacco often run, and it is then that we that I have found their acquaintance have found an ideal nesting ground. most fascinating. Nest building commences during the I have chosen the black-chinned latter half of April and during May hummingbird (ir. alexandri) because of nesting is in full swing. During this a greater experience with the species month their purpose to perpetuate their and also because I consider it the char- kind is deeply seated; in one case the acteristic form of this locality; certainly domicile and contents of a pair were it is the most abundan tnesting spec- taken three consecutive times from the ies I have observed here. Although I identical position; the fourth nest and have met with this hummingbird forty eggs were allowed to remain in the miles inland, nearly all of the nests and possession of the ambitious though un- eggs in my possession have been col- wise little mother. The nest is a dainty lected within two miles of the sea and cup-shaped affair placed at heights practically at sea level. The small varying from two to twenty feet. It is patches of willows which here and composed only of plant down and spider there dot dry, sandy water-courses are webs, with never a lichen or feather to