Dr. E. Cones. — Fioin Arhunu to the Pacific. 263 



cries, or statelily promenading the banks of the little lagunas 

 and sequestered pools that fill the river- bottom. Unlike most 

 large GraUeey they do not much affect the open sandbars or even 

 the mud-flats of the river itself, but fairly deserve their common 

 name of " Wood-lbis,^^ by their partiality for densely wooded 

 pools and swamps. They have also a peculiar habit of congre- 

 gating in large numbers high up in the air, where with scarcely 

 any visible motion of their broad wings they circle in majestic 

 sweeps. Their pure white plumage and glossy greenish-black 

 wing-tips form a superb contrast ; and their beauty renders more 

 ugly by comparison the dull sombre hues of the Turkey-Buz- 

 zards, with which at such times they freely associate — though 

 the Vulture and the Wader may vie with each other in ease and 

 elegance of flight, each sailing and circling with that " poetry 

 of motion" which only some longipennine Natatores can surpass. 



Here is a simple list of some other water-birds of the river, 

 named somewhat in their order of abundance. Such familiar 

 friends will be recognized in all of them, that I need do no more 

 than mention their names. Ardea lierodias, Grits canadensis, 

 Garzetta candidissima, Herodias egretta, Butorides virescens, Re- 

 curvirostra americona, Himantopus nigricoUis, Botaiirus lentigi- 

 nosus, Ardetta exilis, Nyctiardea gardeni, Chroicucephalus Phila- 

 delphia, Fulica americana, Pelecanus trachyrllyyichus, Phalarojms 

 wilsoni, and Podilymbus podiceps. 



I saw many Ducks, but only identified three species — Dafila 

 acuta, Nettion carolinensis, and Querquedula cyanoptera. It was 

 a little too early in the season for the immense flights of Geese 

 and Ducks which a little later would cover the water. For the 

 first time in my life, I saw our two North American Kingfishers 

 {Ceryle alcyon and C. americana) together ; I believe the latter 

 has not been before recorded from the Colorado river. It is 

 surprising that I did not meet with Auriparus flaviceps, since, 

 as Dr. Cooper informs me, it is abundant at Fort Mojave and 

 elsewhere in the valley. Melospiza fullaw (at best doubtfully 

 distinct from M. melodia) is a common Sparrow here. 



Before we finally bid good-bye to the river I must advert to 

 the immense numbers of Hirundo hmifrons that make its some- 

 times precipitous and rocky sides their breeding-places. So 



