HTG oiixixnoLOOY. 



about this immense i)vmiui<liil nick, and from the zealous manner in wliich he 

 drove away every intruder not to liis likinfj, we conckided the female nmst 

 be sitting on her efrjrs or young. The Pyramid was ascended, however, 

 to the very summit, but the nest was not found ; l)ut this was not strange, 

 since l)ut one of tlu' three corners of the rock was accessible, while to 

 diverge to either side from the exceedingly difficult path by wliich we 

 ascended \Nould have been impossible. The location of tlie nest was after- 

 ward definitely ascertained by noticing the male alight on a narrow ledge 

 near the top of one of the vertical sides, about one hundred and fifty feet 

 above the water. A few moments later he was again observed flying 

 around, and while we were watching him he discovered among the rocks 

 ii large Horned Owl (Bubo suhavcticus) which he immediately dislodged and 

 ftilidwed a considerable distance along the shore, uttering a whistling note 

 at each assault. The single specimen in onr collection was killed under 

 the I'oUowing circumstances: Having sat down on a log by the edge of tiie 

 river to rest, as well as to ol)serve the movements of a Killdeer Plover 

 {JEcjiaJltis vociferus) which was running back and forth over the gravelly bar 

 forming the opposite shore, we saw the Killdeer sudilenly squat and then 

 dodge, and at the same time saw the Falcon check itself in its flight, after 

 having missed its aim. Whether its lack of success was caused by the 

 niuibleness of the intended quarry, or whether the Falcon saw us just as 

 it was about to strike, we know not; l)ut after suddenly checking itself it 

 wheeled immediately about, and would have soon disappeared had we not 

 iired Ijcfore it got out of range. At the re[)()rt of our gnu, another one, 

 ]>r(>l)al>lv the mate of our victim, floAV from a cotton-wood tree in the direc- 

 tiuu iVoni which he came. 



Lint of specimens. 



10_', ^ ;»r.; 15ig Bend of tlie Tnickee, Nevada, July 2.3, 1857, IGi— .'iOl— I'J-,'— 

 lO—i,';—]^— Oi— 33. Weigbt U i>oinid.s. Hasal lialt of the bill, pale l)liiisli wliilc, 

 ttMiiiiiial portion slate, deepeniii}; into black at end; cere, bluish wtiite, bare orbital 

 space fiieeiiish white; iris, vivid brownish blad; ; tarsi and toes, lemon yellow, with a 

 faint yreeuish tinge; elaws, jet black. 



