260 Dr. E. Coues. — From Arizona to the Pacific. 



where their large, stout legs enable them to run firmly and 

 rapidly. Their flight is swift and desultory, performed with 

 quick, jerking motions of their wings and flirting of their long 

 broad tails. I saw several other individuals, but was unable to 

 procure more than one. The irides were brown, the legs, feet, 

 and bill black. 



Fort Mojave, on the Colorado river, in about lat. 35°, is in- 

 teresting to us as the locality wheuce were lately procured two 

 rare and curious new birds by Dr. J, G. Cooper, so well known 

 as an indefatigable and accurate naturalist, and by him named* 

 Athene wldtneyi and Helminthophagu lucia. The Owl is a di- 

 minutive little species, about equal to Glaucidium gnoma in size, 

 but very widely difi^erentin form. Dr. Cooper told me that he 

 hardly thinks it is a true Athene, though it comes nearer to that 

 genus than to any other North American one. I have just now 

 carefully examined the type specimen, and find my friend^s views 

 fully confirmed. The bird is evidently generically distinct from 

 any other North American form, and I have elsewhere so published 

 it. The Helmintho'phaga is a queer little bird, nothing like any 

 of its congeners in its colours, which are rather those of a Foli- 

 optila than a Sylvicoline, being plumbeous-grey above and 

 white beneath, with a chestnut crown and rump. I had myself 

 rediscovered it during my stay at Whipple, and obtained several 

 specimens, among which was a fledgling just from the nest, 

 which diff'ered notably in colour from the adult, wanting the 

 chestnut crown — though the rump was of that colour — and 

 having the wing-coverts edged and tipped with very light ru- 

 fous. Both of us have very full notes of the habits of this in- 

 teresting little bird. 



While at Fort Mojave I gladly availed myself of a kind invi- 

 tation from the Commanding-General of the Territory to ac- 

 company him on a pasear down the Colorado river, as far as 

 Fort Yuma. This gave me exactly the opportunity I had been 

 df^siring, of adding to my list the many water-birds to be found 

 ill the Colorado basin. The month of September was consumed 

 in passing down the river to the point where the Gila mingles 

 its waters with those of the larger stream, which is the extreme 

 • Proc. Ciiliforn. Nat. Hist. Soc 1801, pp. 118 and 120. 



