BENDIRE'S THRASHER 385 



branches spreading and open. The cholla is the characteristic cactus of the 

 desert. It is a mass of barbed spines and is the favorite nesting place of H. 

 palmeri, but not of H. tendirei. Taking 50 nests in succession 34 of them were 

 placed in tasajas, 11 in chollas, 3 in tesota bushes, 1 in a mesquite tree and one 

 in a willow tree. These results are from the Fort Lowell district. In other 

 sections of country less characteristic of the cacti I have found them largely 

 inclined to tree nesting, but never at any great height from the ground. This 

 was Capt. Bendire's experience also. The highest I ever saw one placed was 

 in a willow about 20 feet up. I also saw one in a tasaja the bottom of which 

 was not more than 6 inches from the ground. * * * 



The nest is small and daintily constructed by comparison with those of other 

 thrashers. It is less compactly built than that of H. palmeri, but the manner 

 of construction is common to all Arizona thrashers. There is an external nest 

 of sticks, few or many, the nest proi)er of grass and lined with any soft material 

 conveniently obtainable. 



M. French Gilman (1909) has published a comprehensive paper 

 on the thrashers of Arizona, in which he says of this species : 



A great range in choice of nesting sites was noticed. Of the thirty-nine nests, 

 thirteen were in I/ycium bushes; three in mistletoe, in mesquite and catsclaw 

 (Acacia greggli) ; three in palo verde, two in catsclaw, two in Sarcohatus, one 

 in screw-bean, and one in a salt-bush. The average height was 5 feet, and the 

 extremes 3 feet and 10 feet. Two nests, deserted as far as the thrashers were 

 concerned, were found, each containing an egg of Gambel Partridge. * * * 



The nests are much finer in material and workbirdship than those of most 

 thrashers. They are smaller, more compactly built and very symmetrical in 

 their cupped shape. Finer twigs are used in the outside and they are fitted 

 closely together. The lining is variously composed of horse-hair, thread, twine, 

 pieces of cloth, grass, weeds, rootlets, fine bark, wool and cotton from bed- 

 quilts, etc., etc. Most of them contain more or less horsehair, and if near an 

 Indian home, as is often the case, twine and material from the bed covers 

 enters largely into the lining. One nest I noticed was built against a Verdin's 

 nest, the wall of the latter in fact forming part of one side of the thrasher's 

 nest. Both nests contained eggs, so the proprietors were on very neighborly 

 terms, even tho I could discover no doorway between the apartments. 



F, W. Braund has sent me the data on a nest he found near Tucson 

 on May 7, 1935, that was lined with creosote blooms, weed stems, and 

 seed pods. 



Dr. Friedmann (1934) mentions only one case where Bendire's 

 thrasher has been a host to the dwarf cowbird. 



Eggs. — Mr. Brown (1901) has seen so many eggs of Bendire's 

 thrasher, that I cannot do better than to quote his full description of 

 them as follows : 



With rare exceptions four eggs are the maximum number laid. I have exam- 

 ined probably 500 nests, two only of which contained more. They had five eggs 

 each. Four is not an unusual number, but three is a normal set. * * * 



The ground color in the majority of the 148 specimens varies from a pale gray 

 green to a greenish white, the former predominating. In a single set it is a clear 

 pale green with a bluish tinge. Most of the eggs are irregularly spotted and 

 blotched with well-defined markings of tawny ecru drab, fawn color and 

 vinaceous buff. These markings are generally heaviest about the larger end of 



