162 



ORNITHOLOGIST 



[Vol. 14-N(). II 



Cheyenne, and the ascent of the Kocky Moun- 

 tains began, I saw three vai-ieties of Hawks, 

 viz: Marsh, Pigeon, and Sparrow Hawks. The 

 two former were not abundant, and when 

 seen were wheeling over a deep chasm, or 

 near the point of a steep precipice. Tliere 

 were numbers of the latter, and as the train 

 thundered on they relinquished their places 

 on the tops of the telegraph poles with evi- 

 dent reluctance. On the ground nothing 

 was to be seen. On one occasion as a field 

 was passed (whi('h in Wyoming are widely 

 separated) Mourning Doves got up in num- 

 bers. Some time after passing Sherman, tlie 

 highest point in the Rocky Mountains on the 

 line of the Union Pacific K.R., the road takes 

 up with, and follows the bank of the most 

 charming of streams, the edges of which are 

 fringed with the tliickest growth of wild 

 willows imaginable. Here birds seemed to 

 revel, but (m account of the thick growth and 

 rapidly moving train much was lost. I found 

 it impossible to distinguish the si)ecies of 

 Warblers, of which I got many glimpses. I 

 noted, however. Magpies without number; 

 Great and Green Herons, Peeps, Lesser and 

 Greater Yellow-legs. Kildeer in numbers. Red- 

 wing Blackbirds, (irackles, Blue-wing Teal, 

 Grey and Mallard <lucks, and a family of Can- 

 ada Geese. Wliat struck me as particularly 

 remarkable and seemed worthy of a note in 

 italics, was the appearance of two or three 

 varieties of Gulls. Their pre.sence in tlie 

 centre of Wyoming, and so far inland com- 

 pletely mystified me. The explanation of a 

 fellow passenger seemed satisfactory. He 

 attributed their i)resence to the near prox- 

 imity of Great Bear Lake, ITtah. No doubt 

 they were on their way there. Idaho was 

 duly entered, and tlie stream then deserted us. 

 Idaho is indeed barren, otfering nothing bet- 

 ter to look at than a vast rolling prairie of 

 sage grass. The sight of a fiock of Mourning 

 Doves was indeed welcome, and the occasional 

 song of a Meadow Lark from such a desert 

 delighted the ear. As evening came on we 

 got into the hills, and in the twilight passed 

 a lake of surpassing beauty, that nestled like 

 a gem in the embrace of the hills. The sun 

 had sunk to rest some time before, and tliere 

 lingered in the west that tender and mysteri- 

 ous light which so influences our better na- 

 tures. The atmosphere was soft and still; not 

 a ripple disturbed the lake's surface, on which 

 the hills reflected themselves. The train's 

 thunder frightened five Mallards, and soon 

 thev were silliouettes in the sky. Had there 



been a deer in the vicinity Landseer's "Sanc- 

 tuary" would have been complete. 



A short time after entering the state of 

 Oregon the Blue Mountains are penetrated, 

 and the giant firs, for whicli Oregon and 

 Washington are noted, made their appearance. 

 It seems strange that in so much timber, birds 

 are rare. I noted only two varieties of Wood- 

 peckei-s. Hairy and Flicker; tlie latter were 

 comparatively abundant. The same can be 

 said of Washington. Here I have had ample 

 opportunity to observe and find bird life in tlie 

 timber confined almost exclusively to .lays and 

 Flickers. I have seen, however, a flock of 

 Yellow Rumps, Song and Field Sparrows, Blue 

 birds and Nighthawks without number. The 

 latter seem to be making their way to the 

 south-west. On Puget Sound and the Pacific 

 coasts, I have noted three varieties of Gulls, 

 Marsh and Great Terns, Semipalinated Snipe, 

 and Teal, Ducks, and Mallards in numbers. 

 The latter are on their Southern jour- 

 ney. 



In c(mclusion I beg to add that I have seen 

 all the birds 1 have mentiimed on (ialveston 

 Island, state of Texas, with the exception of 

 the Magpie and Roadrunner. Before return- 

 ing home California will be visited, wlien a 

 further opportunity to observe will be offered. 



]Si>!/fr (ioriznlen. 



(iiilveston. Texas. 



Leach's Petrel at Brockton Heights. 



On October KUh a boy brought me a Leach's 

 Petrel which he said a gentleman had shot 

 while resting on an apple tree (the gentleman 

 of course). This is the first time I ever heard 

 of a Petrel being twenty miles inland, in 

 Massachusetts at least. 



He was probably driven in- by the north- 

 east storm which existed at the time. But I 

 have always supposed that a Petrel could with- 

 stand the fury of the wildest tempest and this 

 was only an ordinary stf»rm. Still the fact re- 

 mains that this (»ne was twenty miles from 

 the nearest salt water and in an api)arently 

 exhausted condition when captured. I-et us 

 hear from others on the subject, and if it is a 

 common occurrence, I, at least, shall learn 

 something new. Ji- H. Carr. 



[One was taken in Boston, on October iSth, 

 in the Back Bay district, hung to the telegraph 

 wires. — -B.l 



