214 



ZOOLOGY— BIRDS. 



Proijuc purpurea, VVooDll., Sitgreave's Exp. Zufii & Col. Riv., 18.'»4, Co. — Newb., P. R. 

 R. Rop., vi, 18rj7, 79.— Bd., Bird-s N. A., IS.jS, 314.— 7rf., Pioc. Acad. 

 Nat. Sci. Pliila., ISolt, .303 (Cape Saiut Lnt-as).— Xantvs, Proc. Acad. Nat. 

 Sci. Phila., 1S50, 191 (Fort Tejon, Cal.).— IIkkkm., P. R. R. Rep., x, pt. ii, 

 1S59, ,'5.->.— Bd., U. S. & Mex. Bound, yurv., ii, i)t. iv, 1859, Birds, 11.— 

 Hknry, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila., 1859, 100 (New Mexico).— Coop. & 

 SucKL., P. R. R. Rep., xii, pt. ii, 1800, ISO.- IlAVi)., Trans. Am. Pliil. Soc. 

 xii, 1802, Kil*.- Cooi'EU, Birds Cal., 1870, 113.— COUES, Key N. A. Birds, 

 1872, 114.— Snow. Birds Kan., 1872, 8.— COUES, Birds Northwest, 1874, 91. 



I'nxjnc chalyheaf, Newb., P. R. R. Rep., vi, 1857, 79. 



This species is universally distributed thi'oughout all the United States, 

 and in the West its abundance appears to be fully as g-roat as in the East. 

 It occurs throughout Utah, being found in the vicinity of the towns, and 

 breeding plentifully in boxes placed for its convenience, as at Salt Lake 

 City, or retiring in large colonies to the solitudes of the mountains, where, 

 in the old pine and aspen woods, it finds abundant accommodation for 

 rearing its young in the abandoned Woodpecker's holes. Wherever found, 

 it is never content to remain isolated in pairs, but associates together in 

 colonies of greater or less number. Farther south, in New Mexico and 

 Arizona, they are of no less common occurrence, but seemingly are more 

 confined to the mountains, though this perhaps is due to the lack of timber 

 in the lowlands, and a consequent want of the necessary facilities for rearing 

 the young, rather to any natural preference for high regions. About the 

 middle of August, while in extreme Southeastern Arizona, I noticed each 

 evening immense numbers of these birds and the Cliff" Swallows flying 

 swiftly overhead, their course leading them directly south. They only 

 paused now and then to catch an insect, immediately resuming their onward 

 flight. All the actions of these birds seem to indicate that the migration at 

 this early date had fairly begun, yet I have found in quite a number of 

 instances the parents feeding the just fledged young as late as August 22. 



