2 20 Stephens on Birds of Arizona and Sonora. [July 



Their call-notes (no "song heard) were similar to those of H. le- 

 contei heard elsewhere, but an undefinable difference in their 

 actions caused me to think they might be different, which feeling 

 was increased by their darker colors. They were in the moult, 

 some having nearly full fall plumage, which contrasts very strongly 

 with the much lighter, faded summer dress. Others, better com- 

 petent than I to give an opinion, think them not distinct from H. 

 lecontei. 



About noon on the 20th we reached Port Lobos, the proposed 

 terminus of the Tucson and Port Lobos Railroad. It is a town, 

 strictly, in name only, as there is not a habitation nor inhabitant. 

 The last wagon track made on the road from the mine to the Gulf 

 was made by Mr. Pringle's wagon in his former journey. For- 

 tunately we found the water in the old well fit for use, but grass 

 for the horses was absolutely wanting, and we were therefore 

 forced to turn back the next morning. I spent most of the after- 

 noon along the beach. At high tide the surf washes the base of 

 the high cliffs of cemented gravel. Some four or five miles to 

 the northwest was a low rocky point (Point Lobos). By the aid 

 of a field glass I could see many sea birds there, apparently sev- 

 eral species of Gulls and Cormorants. Quite a number of Gulls 

 were flying about, but few came near and 1 did not attempt to 

 shoot any. A decaying Tern washed ashore, of which I wrote 

 down a brief description on the spot, tallies pretty well with 

 Sterna a?icestheta. Saw several Ospreys and a large Hawk, but 

 the latter was too far away to identify. Two Sparrows shot at 

 the foot of the cliffs Mr. Wm. Brewster identifies as Passercuhts 

 rostratus.* I also took a 9 j uv - Calypte costce, probably migra- 

 ting. Saw several large long-necked seals. Large turtles were 

 abundant outside the surf, and several turtle shells lay along high- 

 water mark. I should think fish were abundant. The surf was 

 small and frequent. The tides apparently rise and fall nearly fifteen 

 feet. In the distance we could see the higher parts of Isla Angel 

 de la Garda, and further to the right was a faint blue line of 

 mountain peaks on the peninsula of Lower California. 



What a grand field, although a very difficult one, this Gulf and 

 its shores present for scientific exploration ! It was with regret 

 at our inability to stay longer that we turned back in the morning. 

 Two or three miles back from the beach I saw a small covey of 



*See Mr. Brewster's paper in 'The Auk' for April, 1885, pp. 196-200. 



