262 



THE MUSEUM. 



or slept or caught insects as we pleas- 

 ed. From the way our limbs ached 

 each night it may readily be guessed 

 how the time was spent. 



A few remarks on the effects from 

 the high altitude. To sit or lie is a 

 great comfort; but the least exertion is 

 fatiguing. To fetch a bucket of water 

 for breakfast was a task and made one 

 pant for breath. To collect firewood 

 was almost as bad, while to chase 

 butterflies or follow up a bird was al- 

 most an impossibility. If they came 

 by all right they were likely our meat; 

 but if not they were safe. Gradually 

 one gets accustomed to it, but it is al- 

 ways fatiguing work; and the fellow 

 who plans to travel like he does on 

 the level plains of Illinois will find his 

 number of miles traveled not very ex- 

 tensive when night comes. Usually 

 we we were much swollen on arising, 

 and it was often with difficulty that 

 we put on shoes. But such things 

 are of little moment. It is impossible 

 to have everything to the taste. 



Birds were not very numerous, yet 

 during our stay a number were taken. 

 They seemed wary and were hard to 

 get. For the first time I saw the 

 beautiful Red-shafted Flicker, Colaptcs 

 Cafcr. A single flock, and they 

 seemed to flock, was observed, and 

 chase made. I followed for two hours, 

 trying in vain to get near enough for a 

 shot. They finally flew over camp, 

 and one of the boys who didn't care a 

 rap for a bird seized a gun, bagged 

 one, and then wouldn't trade, give or 

 sell it. As the grass was wet and rain 

 falling it was good on the temper to 

 dry out while the Flicker was being 

 skinned. It was a pure Redshaft, 

 showing no indications of being a .hy- 

 brid. 



Blue birds were more plentiful and 

 their mournful note was frequently 

 heard, and several were taken. The 

 camp robber, Clarke's Crow, Picicor- 

 vns cohimbiamis, was a frequent vis- 

 itor near camp and several fine speci- 

 mens were secured. i must here ex- 

 press my amazement on one occasion. 

 A bird was heard at a distance mak- 

 ing a great racket. I was sure I had 

 something new. I cannot say what 

 the noise or call was like, but it was 

 kept up until I got close enough for a 

 shot. As this was in the aforemen- 

 tioned forest it took some little time 

 to do this, and on picking up the spec- 

 imen it was found to be a camp rob- 

 ber. They are good fliers and are 

 found on the highest parts of the 

 mountains. They are frequently in 

 numbers on the craggy sides of Pike's 

 Peak far above timber line. The Blue 

 Crow Cyanoccphalns cyanocephaliis, 

 was also seen, and a couple added to 

 our stock. It took a good deal of 

 courage to shoot one of the famous 

 Ouzels, and its loud cry of 

 alarm still sounds in my ears as it 

 dashed into the water to escape. 

 Alas, the aim was too true and it fell, 

 but I had wished it might escape. 



Some Ravens w re occasionally seen 

 soaring overhead, once we saw a 

 Western Jay — when we didn't have a 

 gun— and several times Magpies were 

 having a noisy time not far off, but 

 they were too wary. A flock of the 

 huge Spruce Grouse, Dcndragapus 

 canadensis, were stumbled upon one 

 day, and not only added a skin to our 

 collection, but a single specimen made 

 a good mess, considering the way our 

 victuals were going. Far up on Pike's 

 Peak, above the saddle back on the 



