r.ri.urnx Xo. iv.). .) 



tailed Hawk was harrying a rabbit within fort>- yards of the 

 passing train. At Ribera the Long-tailed Chats gave lis a spe- 

 cial matinee. Here was the place we onght to have stopped 

 instead of at Thornton as we had planned. At Rowe, Arkan- 

 .sas Goldfinches were filling the air with their penetrating 

 sweet notes. 



TIIOKXTOX AXI) THK KIO C, KAX I)i:. 



We fonnd Thornton to be a desolate little "dobe" village 

 about two miles from the Rio Grande. The country surround- 

 ing was ver}' di.sappointing, inasmuch as it was almost entirely 

 destitute of vegetation. However, we were in for it, so we 

 packed up our knapsacks and struck out for the distant fringe 

 of green. It, and especially the bleary ej^e of the river, seemed 

 ever to recede across the barren sands. W^e came up with it 

 long after sunset and simultaneousl}- with a sandstorm. 



Huddling on the .sand, behind the clump of osiers on the 

 river bank, we ate a very dusty " snack " and cherished grave 

 misgivings for the night. But never w^as a serener .sky than 

 that which greeted us at the time of the first turn-over in bed. 



The Rio Grande is a very insignificant stream at this time 

 of year. We w'aded its ten rods or .so of muddy water repeat- 

 edly, having a care for the quicksands and holes. The west 

 bank was well wooded with a dwarf cotton wood, and it was 

 here that we made our principal finds. 



The early morning hours were busy ones. Old bird notes 

 were refreshed in my mind and new ones disentangled. Prom- 

 inent among these latter were those of the Western Blue Gros- 

 beak. In seeing and hearing this bird one gets the impression 

 of an Indigo Bunting on a larger scale. The song is, however, 

 more varied as well as stronger. 



The Long-tailed Chat is the great mimic here. Nuthatch, 

 Oriole and Flicker notes were distinctly traced to his door. 

 The imitations were remarkably clo.se. One bird reproduced 

 the ' ' Klyak ' ' note of the Flicker so perfectly as to ([uite deceive 

 us for a while. 



Arkansas Goldfinches were common. This species .seems 

 to emphasize the connection between Goldfinch and Siskin. 

 A yellowish-white spot on their wings shows conspicuously in 

 flvins:, an illumination something after the fashion of vSi.skin. 



