22 



on the Birds of Arizona. 



seen. The birds were very shy and restless, constantly uttered a 

 peculiarly harsh cry, and were in almost incessant motion. The only one 

 procured out of all the birds seen was a young female of the year (No. 

 951), taken September 29. All through the ensuing month of October 

 flocks of from twenty to several hundred individuals were noted almost 

 daily, but after November 1 the birds began to leave, and by the 10th my 

 notes as to their occurrence cease. This is the only season — part of Sep- 

 tember, all of October, and part of November, 18S4 — when 1 have seen 

 the birds in Arizona. Their range seemed to be limited to the lower part 

 of the evergreen oak belt, for they were not noticed lower than 3000 nor 

 higher than 6000 feet. 



129. Molothrus ater obscurus. Dwarf Cowbird. — A common species 

 at Riverside in April, 1SS2. Also not uncommon about Tucson and 

 Florence. At times they were rather plenty in the foothills of the Cata- 

 linas, particularly in early spring. Their habits appear to be identical 

 with those of the Cowbird of the East. I have found their eggs in the 

 nest of such species as Amphispiza bilineata, and also in the nest of 

 Icterus cucullatus nelsoni. 



130. Xanthocephalus xanthocephalus. Yellow-headed Blackbird. 

 — This is a particularly abundant species about Tucson and Florence in 

 fall, winter, and spring, but I have no notes of its occurrence at any of 

 these points in summer. It is also abundant in the valley of the San 

 Pedro River in the winter; I noted very large Hocks there in January, 

 1SS6. These birds have the habit of passing in enormous companies, 

 morning and evening, presumably between their feeding and roosting 

 places, and at such times, being at an elevation a little above gunshot, the 

 noise made in flight almost exactly resembles the cry of the Sandhill 

 Crane ( Grus mexicana) when heard at a short distance. 



131. Agelaius gubernator. Bicolored Blackbird. — A common resi- 

 dent. Particularly numerous at the lower elevations along water courses, 

 and about towns during the colder months. 



131. Sturnella magna neglecta. Western Meadow Lark.— Resi- 

 dent, but perhaps more abundant in the fall and winter months. I have 

 no records of its occurrence above four thousand feet on the mountains. 



133. Icterus parisorum. Scott's Oriole. — The breeding and general 

 habits of this species I have already discussed at some length in this 

 magazine (Auk. Vol. II, Jan. 1SS5, pp. 1-7). Since writing that paper, 

 however. I have found that the time of arrival, even in the region there 

 considered, is somewhat earlier than my former observations had led me 

 to think, being first noted March 22. 1SS5. and becoming common within 

 a week. On the 25th of March I heard a number of males in full song, 

 (.altitude. 4500 feet). On the 4th of May, 1SS5. at an altitude of 4500 feet, 

 I found a nest containing two fresh eggs. On the 9th of May a female 

 (No. 2404) was taken which was in remarkably high plumage, resembling 

 very closely the males when a year or more old, having the head and 

 neck fully as dark as it is in such males. 



On May 20, 1885, a nest, at an altitude of a little over 3000 feet, contained 



