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CENTRAL P/ 



^^ NEW YORK. ^' 



NOTES ON THE BIRDS OF OKANOGAN CO., 

 WASHINGTON. 



Any mention of the a-i'i'fauncx of Okanogan Co. would be incomplete 

 without a general statement of the physical conditions. Okanogan Co. 

 is pre-eminently a mountain county, so that in an area almost equal to 

 the State of New Jersey the only level spots are the usually narrow ter- 

 races or benches, of the Columbia, Okanogan, and tributary rivers. 

 The climate varies from semi-arid in the south-eastern portion to very 

 moist in the glacier-scored peaks of the north Cascades in the western 

 part. The vegetation in turn passes from the sage-brush and bunch- 

 grass of the terraces and foothills, through the pines of the lower ranges 

 to the dense fir forests of the higher altitudes, above which the bare 

 aiguilles tower. Thus it may be readily seen that the region is one of 

 transition, receiving as it does the hardiest birds of the south-eastern 

 sage-plains, besides an overflow from the Puget Sound region in the 

 spring, and affording a summer home for birds which frequent higher 

 altitudes. 



The most important physical modification of this mountain county is 

 Lake Chelan, which extends for a distance of sixty-five miles from the 

 low sage hills of the east into the very heart of the wildest mountains of 

 the Cascade Range. This provides a winter retreat for the hardier 

 water-fowl. 



The central station for the observations taken, is the town of Chelan, 

 situated on a low terrace at the foot of the lake. The birds noted be- 

 low represent all the species found under the head indicated, during a 

 residence of fourteen months in Okanogan county. 



SUK-FAMILV TkTRAONINAE, GrOUSE. 



Sooty Grouse. Dendvaifapiis obscnrus fidiginosiis. — The spring-bird 

 of the lower foot-hills. They appear to move down from their winter 

 home in the fir trees of the higher slopes, during the last week of March. 

 At this time, and, indeed, until after the breeding season, they are quite 

 unwary. The males, especially, appear so engrossed in their sole occupa- 

 tion of hooting, that they may be easily approached, and studied at close 

 range — say thirty feet, if one is lying on the ground. One such I spied 



