ARIZONA PYRRHULOXIA 33 



amounting to 28.81 per cent was made up almost exclusively of harm- 

 ful species, among which are the most important pests of the cotton 

 plant, the cotton worm and the cotton boll weevil. Caterpillars, 

 grasshoppers, and weevils are its favorite insects. Practically seven- 

 tenths of the food consisted of weed seeds, the pernicious foxtail and 

 burr grass amounting to 43.59 per cent of the food." 

 Behavior. — Elsewhere, Mrs. Bailey (1902) writes: 



Though not so brilliant as the Cardinalis group, the pyrrhuloxias when among 

 their nati^'e mesquites seem even more beautiful. The rose-colored vest that 

 lights up their soft gray plumage gives an exquisite delicacy and freshness that 

 adds charm to their individuality and sprightliness. Their expression changes 

 astonishingly with the movement of their crest. When it is flattened the short 

 curved bill and round head suggest a bored parrot in a cage, but when the crest is 

 raised to its full height and thrown forward, the beautiful bird is the picture of 

 alert interest and vivacity. * * * 



A pair whose nest was stumbled on in the mesquite showed their mutual solici- 

 tude in such a charming manner, the male bursting into song to draw our atten- 

 tion from his mate and nest, that it seemed as if rare pleasure lay in store for the 

 bird student with leisure to study their attractive ways. 



Along the RiUito Valley, at the north edge of Tucson, Ariz., there 

 are many homes scattered among the mesquites, still undisturbed by 

 the expanding real estate boom. Here the pyrrhuloxias are often 

 found around the dooryards. They hop about on the ground 

 searching for food beneath the shrubbery, and are easily attracted to a 

 feeding table by various kinds of kitchen scraps. The nmnerous 

 house sparrows do not bother them because the pyrrhuloxia is a 

 larger bird and the sparrows wait their turn. Occasionally a pyr- 

 rhuloxia takes a bath in a pool, and less frequently it dips its bill for a 

 drink. Like most desert birds they probably depend upon insects to 

 satisfy their water requirements during the spring and summer. Loss 

 of water is reduced by keeping in the shade as much as possible. 



The flight of the pyrrhuloxia is noisy and undulating like that of 

 the cardinal — a few wing beats, then a glide, a few more wing beats, 

 then another brief ghde. Flights are usually short, but once I saw a 

 female take off across the street, above the telephone wkes, for a dis- 

 tance of 200 feet. When flushed suddenly from a mesquite row they 

 flutter noisly out a bit, then turn rapidly in again, sometimes gliding 

 beautifully into the safety of the tangle. 



Various observers have described the pyrrhuloxia as a shy bird. It 

 invariably seeks cover when disturbed on its feeding grounds, or when 

 pressed too close while singing. 



Voice. — Mr. Bent writes: "The loud whistling caUs of the pyrrhu- 

 loxia are among the most delightful voices of the birds to be heard in 

 the mesquite forest and gulches. One note is somewhat like the 

 whistle of the canon towhee, and others suggest some of the loud 



