370 ORNIXnOLOGY. 



36. Antelope Island, Great Salt irtAc( Juno 4-8, 18G9). — Antelope Island, 

 tlie largest of the islands in the Great Salt Lake, appears as a long range of 

 barren mountains, rising from the water. The island is about fifteen miles 

 in length, by about three in width at the broadest part, while its longitudinal 

 axis culminates in a broken rocky ridge, the highest peak of which is, per- 

 haps, some 1,500 to 2,000 feet above the surface of the lake. Some yeai*s 

 ago, when the Salt Lake Valley was first settled by the Mormons, this island 

 was indeed a part of the mainland, a strip of low ground then connecting 

 it with the shore. The gradually increased annual rain-fall, brought about 

 by the careful cultivation of the country by the early settlers, first by 

 artificial imgation, but in time aided by more and more frequent showers, 

 wrought, among other notable changes in the character of the country, a 

 great diflFerence in the level of the lake, Avhich grew higher, year by year, 

 until the isthmus above mentioned became entirely submerged. The entire 

 island presents the usual desert aspect, through the general absence of 

 water, save at one place on the eastern shore, where springs of pure, fresh 

 water in-igate the soil. This spot had been solected by representatives of 

 the Mormon church as the site of a ranche ; and it was here that our camp 

 was established. In the thrifty orchard of this thriving little farm were 

 found, nesting, the Cat-bird (Galeoscoptes carolinensis), Redstart {Setophaga 

 riUicilla), Traill's Flycatcher [Empidonax pusiUus), Bullock's Oriole (Icterus 

 hullocki), and Warbling Vireo {Vireosylvia swainsoni); while about the 

 buildings a pair of Mountain Blue-birds (Sialia arctica) had their abode, as 

 did also several pairs of the House Finch (Carpodaciis frontalis). The 

 former were feeding a family of full-fledged young, and were the first of 

 this species we ever saw at so low an altitude during the breeding-season, 

 although they were observed later, under similar circumstances, in Salt 

 Lake City. 



In the sage-brush, Oreoscoptes montanus, Amphispiza hilineata, Spizella 

 breweri, Ghondestes gratmnaca, Carpodaciis frontalis, Eremophila chrysolccma, 

 Collurio exciibitoroides, Zencedura carolinensis, Agelceus phosniceus, and JEgia- 

 litis vociferus were nesting; Avhile, in a wet meadow, Passerculus alau- 

 dinus, Agelceus phoeniceus, and Numenius longirostris had young. The only 

 additional species noticed among the mountains, were Cyanospiza ama;na 



