Oct. 1889.] 



AXD OOLOGIST. 



147 



171. Empidonaxobscurus (Swains.). Wright's 

 Flycatcher. Spring and summer visitant; com- 

 mon. Mr. Trippe found it abundant and 

 breeding at Idaho Spring. It breeds from 

 7,500 to 10,000 feet. 



172. Otocoiis alpp.^tri.'i leucolxBma (Cones). 

 Pallid Horned Lark. Winter visitant; mai'ked 

 by Anthony as abundant. Drew gives it as 

 breeding at 18,0!)0 feet, and a bird of high alti- 

 tudes the year round. If it can be considered 

 a resident at all it is probably in small num- 

 bers, a fact borne out by Mr. Trippe' s* notes, 

 who says they are abundant on the plains in 

 winter; it enters the mountains in the spring 

 and breeds up above timber line. 



173. Otocorit (ilpesfrl.s arenicohi (Hensh.). 

 Desert Horned I^ark. Summer visitant; abun- 

 dant. Found from the plains up to 7,0;)0 feet, 

 and breeds. 



174. Pica pica InttUonicAi (Sab.). American 

 Magpie. Resident; abundant; breeds. Tbis 

 bird is well known. Some discussion has 

 taken place in regard to the holes left in the 

 nest for entrance as well as for the accommo- 

 dation of its long tail. I have examined 

 several hundred nests, but the hole for the 

 tail I have never yet found, in many in- 

 stances, however, I have observed a hole for 

 entrance and exit, but eight out of every 

 ten nests examined the birds pass through 

 spaces just above the nest proper, and the 

 sticks of which the dome is built simply have 

 the appearance of being ratlier more loosely 

 put together at this part of the structure. I 

 am not fond of public argument Init I state 

 simply my experience, even if it differs greatly 

 from others. However, I will pay a good 

 pi-ice for a nest with the celebrated two holes, 

 and I don't believe there is one in existence, if 

 so I would like it. 



175. Cyannritta stellerl macroloplia (Baird.). 

 liOng-crested Jay. Resident and abundant in 

 south-western portion of the state. Reported 

 by Anthony as a winter visitant; tolerably 

 common. This refers no doubt to the vicinity 

 of Denver. This bird is truly a resident of 

 the state and simply makes a migration to 

 lower altitudes during the winter. Some 

 years they are abundant where the year before 

 not one was found, and vice ven^a. The nest 

 is placed in pine trees or in bushes. 



17(>. Apheloconia looodhou.'iei (Baird.). 

 Woodhouse's Jay. Observed by Drew and 

 Brenninger, and by myself in La Plata County. 

 A noisy bird and not very pleasant comjiany. 



* See Birds Xorth West, p. 'i."?!. 



Their movements are regulated somewhat by 

 the food supply, even more so than the pre- 

 ceding. 



177. Perisoreus canadensis capitalis (Baird.). 

 Rocky Mountain Jay. Resident and keeps 

 near timber line the year round (Drew). 1 

 found this species at 10,000 feet and not lower 

 in La Plata County. It often gets very tame 

 at the mining camps, but the miners suffer 

 from his company as he will steal anything 

 which lies about, rivalling even the magpie in 

 this. 



178. Corvus corax sinuatus (Wagl.). Ameri- 

 can Raven. Resident at high altitudes and 

 breeds, going down to below 8,000 feet in 

 winter, although some stay in the mountains. 

 Mr. Aiken's statement* that "the Ravens of 

 Colorado are chiefly C. cnjptoleucus'' is erron- 

 eous, as the fact is entirely the reverse, except 

 in certain localities on the eastern slope of the 

 mountains, and at low altitudes. 



170. Corrus cnjptiileucns (Couch.). White- 

 necked Raven. Xot fovuid above 5,0)0 feet in 

 winter according to Drew, and Mr. Trippe 

 says "it is common along the edge of the 

 plains in winter, not observed during spring 

 and summer." This makes me think it must 

 breed higher than Drew notes, viz. : from 

 4,000 to 6,000 feet. That it is a resident cannot 

 be doubted. Anthony says in speaking of this 

 species at Denver "This Raven was very 

 abundant here a few years (ten or twelve 

 years) ago, but have not seen it lately." 



180. Cnrvus ameriranus (And.). American 

 Crow. Noted by Drew, Brenninger, and An- 

 thony. The lirst named gentleman gives it as 

 breeding at 7,000 feet. Anthony records it as 

 a resident; abundant. I also observed it in 

 La Plata County, and also in Wyoming, in 

 this state at 8,500 feet. 



181. Picicorvuscolumbtanns (Wils.). Clarke's 

 Nutcracker. Resident; abundant; breeds up 

 to 12,000 feet and reaches 14,000 in autumn. 

 Not as common now as it has been in years 

 past. Breeds in April in La Plata County. 

 Not found below 7,000 feet. 



182. Cijanocephalns cyanncephalus (Wied.) 

 Pifion Jay. Resident; abundant. Breeds in 

 The piilons as high as 10,000 feet (Drew), 

 reaches higher altitudes in the autumn and its 

 abundance is regulated by the food supply. I 

 found it breeding just below 8,500 feet, but 

 secured but one egg which I broke by a fall 

 from the pifion in which the nest was placed. 

 This egg was much like those of Brewer's 



* American Xiitnralist. Vol. VII, \>. It;. 



