ixxiv INTRODUCTION 



BIRDS OF PINAL, PIMA, AND GILA COUNTIES, ARIZONA. 



From W. E. D. Scott, in The Aul\ vol. iii. 383, 421, 1886 ; vol. iv. 16, 196, 

 1887 ; vol. V. 29, 159, 1888. 



The region covered by Mr. Scott's paper extends eighty miles 

 north and forty miles south of Tucson. The Santa Catalina Moun- 

 tains form its backbone, and the Gila, Santa Cruz, and San Pedro 

 rivers flow through it. The region about Tucson is a plain of about 

 2300 feet altitude, arid and cactus-grown except where it is watered 

 by springs and sporadic streams which support cottonwoods and 

 other trees. The Florence region in the valley of the Gila is similar 

 to that about Tucson. At Riverside the valley is much narrower. 

 Mineral Creek rises at about 5000 feet altitude in the Pinal Moun- 

 tains. The birds of the entire region may be divided into birds of the 

 plains and valleys, birds of the oak belt, and birds of the pine re- 

 gions, though of course the species shift back and forth, the vertical 

 migration being here as important as the north and south migra- 

 tions. 



Podilymbus podiceps : Pied-billed Grebe. — Two taken by Mr. Herbert 



Brown near Tucson in February. 

 Gavia lumme : Red-throated Loon. — One taken in December near Tucson. 

 Merganser aviericanus : Merganser. — Seen at San Pedro River in Jan- 

 uary. 

 Lojjhodytes cucuUatus : Hooded Merganser. — One taken by Mr. BroAvn 



near Tucson in December. 

 Anas boschas : Mallard. — One of the commonest ducks about Tucson in 



fall and winter. 

 Chaidelasnius streperns : Gadwall. — One taken by Mr. Brown near Tuc- 

 son. 

 Mareca americana : Baldpate. — Found on San Pedro River in small flocks 



in January. 

 Nettion carolinensis : Green-winged Teal. — Abundant about Tucson at 



times during the winter (Brown). 

 Querquedula discors : Blue-winged Teal. — A few seen on San Pedro 



River; uncommon about Tucson (Brown). 

 Querquedula cyanoptera : Cinnamon Teal. — Common winter visitant about 



Tucson (Brown). 

 Spaitda clypeata : Shoveller. — Common about Tucson in winter (Brown). 

 Dajila acuta : Pintail. — Not uncommon on San Pedro River in March. 

 Aythya americana : Redhead. — Common about Tucson in winter (Bjown), 



and found in small flocks on San Pedro River in January. 

 Aythya vallisneria : Canvas-back. — A small flock seen on San Pedro in 



January. 

 Aythya marila : Scaup Duck. — Rather common on San Pedro River in 



winter. 

 Aythya affinis : Lesser Scaup Duck. — A few seen on the San Pedro in 



January. 



