152 



THE OREGON NATURALIST. 



Not uncommon. 



AGELAius TRICOLOR. Tricolored Blackbird. 

 A few have been seen in company with 

 Scolecophagus cyanocephalus, 



STURELLA MAGNA NEGLECTA. Western 



Meadow Lark. Exceedingly abundant. They 

 furnish us with superior songs nearly every day 

 in the winter, a rain storm seemingly making 

 no difference in this respect. They have two 

 songs, a bold rollicking one which has often 

 seen described, and a low song which much 

 resembles the song of Agelaius. The latter 

 song is not often heard. 



scoLECOPHALUS CYANOCEPHALUS. Brewer's 

 Blackbird. Common. A flock stayed with 

 me several weeks last winter while I was plow- 

 ing and with the help of robins and other birds 

 took care of a large number of angle worms 

 which were plowed up. 



SPINUS TRlSTis. American Goldfinch. 

 Occasionally seen in flocks about our orchards. 



ZONOTRICHIA LEUCOPHRYS GAMBELI. 



Gambel's Sparrow. For the most part this 

 species winters farther south, but one was seen 

 here February 4th 1895. 



JUNCO HYEMALis OREGONUS. Oregon Junco 

 One of our most abundant birds, alway in flocks 

 They seem to enjoy snow better than sunshine 



MELOSPIZA FASCIATA GUTTATA. Rusty 



Song Sparrow. The majority winter farther 

 south, but a few remain with us to enliven our 

 dreary, rainy winter days with their cheerful 

 appearance and soul-stirring song. There 

 were a pair staying about our premises last 

 winter and desiring a specimen, I took one of 

 them. For a time the lonely mate was about 

 daily giving me concerts, even when snowing 

 heavily, seemly to chide me with his beautiful 

 song for depriving him of his companion. But 

 in a short time a new mate appeared and now 

 these two are constantly about, as happy as 

 can be. 



PIPILO MACULATES OREGONUS. Oregon 

 Towhee. As is the case with above species, 

 the Oregon Towhee is not as common in the 

 winter as in the summer, but yet it is a common 

 bird, twitching about the bushes uttering his 



note of inquiry, "why"? 



ANTHUS PENSiLVANicus. American Pipit 

 Flocks of twenty to thirty are not uncommon. 



THRYOTHOROUS BEWICKII SPILURUS. 



Vigor's Wren. Not uncommon. Always in 

 pairs. 



ANOTHURA TROGLODYTES PACIFICUS. Wesl- 



ern Winter Wren. Common about brushy 

 localities, frequently entertaining you with their 

 very pleasing song which is as small as the bir il 

 itself. 



PARUS ATRICAPILLUS OCCIDENTALIS. 



Oregon Chicadee. Common. A hardy fellow, 

 cheerful at all times but at his best during a 

 snow storm. 



PARUs RUFESCFNS. Rare. Sometimes seen 

 in flocks in company with- /', atricapilltts 

 occidentalis. 



PSALTRIPARUS MINIMUS. Bush-tit. Not 



uncommon in flocks. 



REGULUS SATRAPA OLIVACEUS. Western 

 Golden-crowned Kinglet. Raie. Sometimes 

 seen in flocks, generally in company with /'. 

 minimus. 



REGULUS CALENDULA. Ruby crowned 



Kinglet. The only bird I ever saw of this 

 species was on January 26th 1895. While cut- 

 ting wood, a strange olive-colored bird alight- 

 ed on a branch a few feet from me, but was 

 gone again like a flash; that moment was long 

 enough, however, to make known the little 

 stranger, for the stripe of ruby on its crown 

 unmistakably pronounced its identify. 



MERULA MIGRATORIA PROPINQUA. West- 

 ern Robin. Abundant. One has_ been around 

 here nearly every day which has about half the 

 wings white. The first song of the season of 

 this species was heard on February 26th. 



HESPEROCICHLA NAEVIA. Varied Thrush. 

 Often called Alaska Robin. I have found this 

 bird rather rare in this county, seeing but a few 

 during the winter and these being shy and 

 staying for the most part in the thick fir 

 timber. During January and February of 

 1894, however, they were exceedingly abund- 

 ant, so much so their appearance was noted by 

 the causaul observer and heralded by the press 



