INTRODUCTION TO SOME SPECIES 43 



the room being too small to permit of his turning around 

 in it. Thinking the nest might be occupied, in a ten- 

 tative way I tossed a small club up among the branches, 

 when to my surprise a magpie sprang out of the nest, 

 and, making no outcry, s\ning around among the trees, 

 appearing quite nervous and shy. When she saw me 

 climbing the tree, she set up such a heart-broken series 

 of cries that I permitted sentiment to get the better of 

 me, and clambered down as fast as I could, rather than 

 prolong her distress. Since then I have greatly regretted 

 my failure to climb up to the nest and examine its con- 

 tents, which might have been done without the least 

 injury to the owner's valuable treasures. A nestful of 

 magpie's eggs or bairns would have been a gratifying 

 sight to my bird-hungry eyes. 



One bird which is familiar in the East as well as the 

 West deserves attention on account of its choice of 

 haunts. I refer to the turtle dove, which is much 

 hardier than its mild and innocent looks would seem to 

 indicate. It may be remarked, in passing, that very few 

 birds are found in the deep canons and gorges leadino- 

 up to the higher localities ; but the doves seem to consti- 

 tute the one exception to the rule ; for I saw them in 

 some of the gloomiest defiles through which the train 

 scurried in crossing the mountains. For instance, in the 

 canon of the Arkansas River many of them were seen from 

 the car window, a pair just beyond the Royal Gorge 



