34 . PACIFIC COAST AVIFAUNA. [No. 4 



a flock calling as they passed by, but was unable to catch sight of them 

 on account of the thick trees in which I was standing. These are the 

 only occasions on which I have met with the species in this region. 



Molothrus ater obscurus (Gmelin). Dwarf Cowbird. 



About the first of May, Cowbirds begin to appear in small numbers 

 along the base of the mountains, but they never become at all abundant. 

 Occasionally I have seen them as high as 5500 feet, but as a rule they 

 do not venture far up into the mountains ; remaining more at the base 

 of the hills and in the mouths of the canyons. They are most numerous 

 about the middle of May, and leave early in the summer; I saw none in 

 the Huachucas after the middle of July. 



Sturnella magna subspecies ?. Meadow Lark. 



T have seen a few meadow larks in various places along the base of 

 the Huachucas, usually in the tall grass in enclosed pastures, but they 

 are anything but abundant, and those I saw were so wild as to be utterly 

 unapproachable, so I was unable to secure a single specimen. I have 

 seen them at various times through the spring and summer, so the few 

 that are there undoubtedly breed in the locality. As I unfortunatelv 

 failed to secure any it is, of course, impossible to say whether those I 

 saw were ncglccta or hoopcsi, either or both of which may occur in this 

 region. 



Icterus parisorum Bonaparte. Scott Oriole. 



A most abundant summer resident, principally frequenting the 

 lower parts of the mountains, though I have occasionally seen it as high 

 as 8000 feet. The earliest date at which I have seen any was March 31, 

 1903, when a male was secured ; no more being seen until April 5, after 

 which date they were abundant. Until' nearly the end of April small 

 flocks of from six to a dozen birds could be found along the canyons, 

 usually below 5000 feet, feeding in the tops of the trees, where, in spite 

 of the brilliant plumage and loud, ringing whistle of the male birds, they 

 were anything but conspicuous. In feeding they sit quietly on the limbs 

 prying and peering into such buds as are within reach, any necessary 

 change of position being accomplished by clambering along the branches 

 with hardly any fluttering of the wings ; and as their plumage, though 

 bright, harmonizes exceedingly well with the surrounding foliage, they 

 could be easily overlooked were it not for the loud notes to which the 

 males give utterance at frequent intervals. The first to arrive were the 

 old, bright plumaged males, then a week or so later some females began 

 to come in, and finally toward the end of April, what few flocks were 

 seen were composed of females, and males presumably of the previous 

 year, in every stage of plumage, most of them indistinguishable from the 

 more highly colored females. The males in intermediate stages of plu- 

 mage were very abundant for a time, and as specimens were secured in 

 every phase from those absolutely indistinguishable from some females, 

 up to the fully mature male, I should think it very probable that two 

 years, at least, are required to obtain the perfect plumage. The dullest 

 colored male I secured has the black restricted to the lores, cheeks, 

 throat and upper breast, while the top of the head and sides of the ne'ck 

 are olive-green slightly specked with black. Some others are much like 

 this one, but with the top and sides of the head more or less uniform, 

 though dull, black. In all but one of these the tail is precisely as in the 

 female, plain yellowish-olve, but little darker toward the tip ; the excep- 

 tion has three rectrices bright yellow, the terminal third abruptly darker, 



