The Audubon Societies 



237 



With the Field-Agents 

 BIRD-FRIENDS IN ARIZONA 



By WILLIAM L. and IRENE FINLEY 

 Illustrated frcm photographs made by the author 



AlONG the birds 

 about Tucson, 

 Arizona, the last 

 of March and 

 the beginning of 

 April is the love- 

 season; and the 

 amount of bird- 

 life around this 

 charming town 

 would astonish 

 many a bird-lov- 

 er unacquainted 

 with the wild life of the desert. The most 

 abundant bird here, perhaps, is the Red- 

 headed Linnet, or House Finch, and we 

 never tire of seeing it. We used to watch 

 a pair daily, as we sat looking through 

 the Virginia creeper that shaded our ver- 

 anda. 



One morning, early, we saw them look- 

 ing critically at an old nest near the win- 

 dow. He of the red head turned around 

 and around on the remains of last 3'ear's 

 habitation, as if saying, "Come on, we 

 can fix it up a little and have a modern 

 house." But this did not suit the lady, 

 for she flew away in disgust, and he, 

 forsooth, must follow; yet in a little 

 while both were back again, discussing 

 the same question. In the end, however, 

 they built a new nest about six feet away. 

 Occasionally, when weary, perhaps, of 

 hunting straws and strings, they pulled 

 some of the material out of the old nest. 

 Only when the last straw was used did 

 they cease to do this. 



The University campus at the edge of 

 town is an oasis in the desert, for here are 

 plenty of trees and flowers and water. 



THE DESERT SPARROW AT HOME ON MR. FINLEY'S CAMERA 



