1923 BIRDS OF THE SANTA RITA MOUNTAINS 37 



adults, July 1, 1S84, at Gardner's Ranch, They were found abundant by 

 Swarth in June. 1905. along the lower canyons, particularly in the deep ra- 

 vine below Madera Canyon. He thinks that they are restricted to the warmer 

 valleys in winter, which accords with our experience, only an occasional onic 

 being seen by us during the winter of 1920-1921 in the vicinity of 4,000 feet. 

 These were seen for a few moments as they stop})ed in passing, or were found 

 perching on viznaga heads leaning over the juicy yellow fruit, where they 

 were doul)tless both feeding on the seeds and drinking the water. The first 

 song was' heard on February 9, while snow was still lying on the cold side 

 of our tent. On February 24, and occasionally after that, the song was heard 

 in the trees about camp, and on May 3, several of the birds were seen in a 

 sycamore top between flights. But in the irrigated bottoms of the Santa Cruz 

 Valley near Continental, in March, they were congregated in the cottonwoods, 

 eating their ripe seeds, showers of cotton falling as they worked. On March 

 15, while we were watching a treetop noisy with their talk, about thirty of 

 them suddenly burst into the air, the only suggested explanation being the dis- 

 covery of the Short-eared OavI which, innocently enough, had shortly before 

 sent a neighboring flock of Red-winged Blackl)irds flying. Near Continental, 

 August 15-19, 1918. Howell found them particularly abundant. 



At Rosemont (5,000 feet), a flock of twenty-five to thirty was noted by 

 Taylor, January 15, 1923, taking shelter "in the l)rush at the bottom of a nar- 

 row canyon.'' At Vail, twenty miles southeast of Tucson, on January 17. he 

 found a number about a water car. At Gardner's Ranch at 5,200 feet, half 

 a dozen or more were noted about the buildings, and at 6,000 feet, in Stetson 

 Dam Canyon, a solitary female was secured. 



Loxia curvirostra stricklandi. Mexican Crossl)in 



A flock of six or eight was seen by Bailey, October 28. 1913, on the sum- 

 mit of the ridge above Stone Cabin Canyon at 8,000 feet. 



Astrag-alinus psaltria hesperophilus. Green-backed Goldfinch 



A gohlfinch of some species was seen, December 30, 1920, in the top of our 

 camp sycamore, and others were heard March 20, 23, and 25, 1921. On April 

 13 and May 4, hpspevopliilus was seen near enough for identification; on April 

 13, seen in an ocotillo between Nicholson's corrals and Madera Canyon. After 

 that, the soft lisping note was heard at intervals at camj). 



Passer domesticus domesticus. English Si)arrow 



A dozen or more were seen by Taylor on January 16, 1923. at Rosemont 

 (5,000 feet), "near and in an outbuilding" of the V R Ranch, and he was told 

 that they also occurred about the ranger station. At Vail, on January 17, 

 Tavlor found them abundant near the railroad station and about a water car. 



