262 Dr. E. Coues. — From Arizona to the Pacific. 



another, P. mesoleucus, which is little less numerous, and to 

 which my remarks upon P. aherti equally apply, except perhaps 

 that it has a less powerful note. During the long moult, which 

 lasts from July far into October, both these birds suffer much, 

 and are in such wretched plumage as to be hardly worth pre- 

 serving. 



At Fort Yuma, in September, I was in time to catch Helmin- 

 thophaga celata on its southward journey. It was not very 

 rare, frequenting low trees, young willows and the like, as 

 well as brush-heaps and thickets ; I think that it is much less a 

 tree-species than are its Eastern congeners, and that it ap- 

 proaches Geothhjpis in its habits. At this season the head is 

 perfectly plain, and the bird looks very much like an autumnal 

 Dendroeca striata. It is partially gregarous at this season, and 

 its only note is a low, sharp " t'sip.^' 



All along the Colorado valley Lophortyx gamheli is singularly 

 abundant. This is a very easily pleased bird, and one by no 

 means fastidious in choice of a residence ; for it is equally at home 

 in scorched mezquite-thickets, dusting itself in sand that would 

 blister the naked feet (for the thermometer stood 117° Fahr. in 

 the shade while I was at Yuma!), and in the mountains of Northern 

 Arizona, where pine-boughs are bending under a weight of snow. 

 I have already enlarged on the habits of this bird [antetty 

 pp. 46-55], but I may now add that my friend Dr. Cooper, while 

 at Mojave, brought up young birds by placing the eggs under a 

 common hen, and that he found no difficulty in semidomesti- 

 cating them as they grew up, to the extent of their associating 

 freely with the barnyai-d fowls. The eggs, which are white or 

 yellowish-white, with brown spots, were hatched^in twenty-four 

 days. From twelve to seventeen have been found in a nest, 

 which latter is a rather rude structure, about eight inches wide, 

 hidden in the grass. 



One of the features of the scenery of Yuma is a bird known 

 as the " Colorado Turkey.^' As the order to which it belongs 

 could never be guessed from this name, I must explain that it 

 is the Tantalus loculator of Linnseus, though why called a 

 "Turkey" I know not. These birds are in sight at all times, 

 flying over head with outstretched necks, uttering their rough 



