152 ANIMAL LIFE OF CARLSBAD CAVERN 



A few of the uncrested Woodhouse jays were seen in 

 the brushy pit at the west entrance to the great cave, 

 and others along the canyons both above and below. 

 They were especially common in Slaughter Canyon a 

 little to the west, as they are all through the foothill 

 country of the Guadalupe and Sacramento mountains. 



White-necked ravens (Fig. 57), in size half-way be- 

 tween the common crow and common raven, are 

 abundant over the valley country, where they nest in 

 many of the tallest tree yuccas, and after the breeding 

 season gather in large flocks like crows. During 

 March and April they were mostly in pairs or small 

 parties of five or six scattered out over the country 

 and evidently looking for nesting places. One picked 

 up in the road on March 25, had been shot "just for 

 fun" by some passerby. It made a good specimen, 

 and its stomach was found well filled with ants and 

 beetles. At times these birds may do some mischief 

 to crops, but generally they are useful as insect de- 

 stroyers or scavengers. 



Western meadowlarks are common over the valley for 

 much of the year, and their rich song is one of the joys 

 of the roadside chorus. 



The commonest oriole about the cave is the large, 

 lemon yellow, black-headed Scott oriole, with its loud, 

 rich song, which was frequently heard along the can- 

 yons during April, as the birds were inspecting their 

 last year's nests in the tall yuccas, or catching insects 

 from the yucca and cactus flowers. Later, as the 

 century plants and lechuguillas blossomed, they would 

 find both food and drink, since they gather the rich 



