The Birds of Rock Canyon, Arizona G9 



specimen observed near camp during the latter part of May. Prob- 

 ably the same bird in each case. 



Otus a. cineraccus — Mexican Sceech Owl. Rare. An adult 

 female taken at camp by Mr. Figgins, May 27th, the only record. 



Micropallas wMtneyi — Elf Owl. Common. The most plentiful 

 raptore. Secured a good series of adults with three downy young. 

 The latter taken May 29th. Nest in old Flicker or Gila Wood- 

 pecker holes in the sahuaros. Their food seems to consist entirely 

 of insects as, beetles, caterpillars, etc. All specimens but one se- 

 cured after dark and they are evidently entirely nocturnal. 



Buho V. pallesccns — Western Horned Owl. Probably not uncom- 

 mon in the cedar zone above the desert country, as we would hear 

 them occasionally, but always above us. The Mexicans, however, 

 report them as not infrequent in the lower foothills and canyons. 



Geococcyx californiamis — Road-runner. Not common; but three 

 examples noted. One secured. One that I followed near the Santa 

 Rita, ran up a sloping tree trunk and endeavored to hide in the 

 foliage. Failing in this it made a short flight, or rather glide, to 

 the earth and again took to its legs to escape. 



Dryohates s. cactophilus — Cactus Woodpecker. Rare; only ones 

 noted being a pair that had a nest in a willow at the upper water- 

 hole. 



Centurus itropygialis — Gila Woodpecker. Plentiful; more so than 

 any other Picidae. Almost every sahuaro of any size contained 

 their drillings or nests. Extremely pugnacious, the approach of 

 one to a water-hole being sufficient to drive all other birds congre- 

 gated thereabout into the trees. Much of their food at this season 

 seems to be derived from the flowers of the sahuaros. The young 

 keep up an incessant whining or buzzing noise, which is quite ven- 

 triloquil and weird when one stands at the foot of the cactus con- 

 taining the nest. 



Colaptes chrysoides — Gilded Flicker. Common. Nest very early, 

 as fully fledged young were flying about at the first of May. 



PJialaenoptilus n. nuttalli — Poor-will. Rare. On the evenings of 

 the 11th and 12th one was repeatedly heard near camp, but all sub- 

 sequent work failed to flush the specimen. 



Chordeiles a. texensis — Texas Nighthawk. Common; especially 

 so in the evenings around the water-holes and camp. Flushed one 

 pair evidently preparing to nest. The male kept close to and a 

 little above the female, at times so close as to touch her with the 

 tips of his wings. Almost no note at all. No boom as with vir- 

 ginianus. 



Aeronautes melanoJeucus — White-throated Swift. Common. Nests 

 in the cliffs higher in the canyon, but descends to the mouth reg- 

 ularly in the evenings to feed. 



