A.2A. Scott on the Birds of Arizona. [October 



Riverside breeding in April. I took a male (No. 1675) at an altitude of 

 4500 feet on the San Pedro slope of the Santa Catalina Range on January 

 20, 18S5. 



This is one of the species that particularly affect the growths of giant 

 cactus, it living and breeding in deserted Woodpecker holes. 



73. Bubo virginianus subarcticus. Western Horned Owl. — Com- 

 mon resident and breeding in February and March, according to altitude. 

 Twice I have found nests in small caves on the blutf sides of canons near 

 my house. Both contained young birds. 



74. Speotyto cunicularia hypogaea. Burrowing Owl. — Near Benson, 

 which is just outside of the region indicated on the map and to the east of 

 it, is a very considerable colony of these birds, and I have heard from 

 good observers of another colony northeast of Florence. The bird is un- 

 usual, however, in this area. 



75. Glaucidium phalsenoides. Ferrugineous Pygmy Owl. — Not 

 uncommon about Tucson. I have no record of its occurrence at other 

 points, but have strong reasons for believing it obtains not at all rarely 

 throughout this entire region up to an altitude of at least 5000 feet. 



76. Micrathene whitneyi. Elf Owl. — This species is decidedly the 

 commonest Owl breeding in this region, and is, at least during the breed- 

 ing time, very abundant. I have found it at all the points where 1 have 

 collected up to an altitude of 5000 feet. While it seems particularly to like 

 the Woodpecker holes of the giant cactus, I found it on one occasion breed- 

 ing in a deserted Woodpecker's nest in a mesquite tree. The eggs range 

 from two to four in number, and once I took five from the same nest. The 

 ordinary number is three. On one occasion while collecting with Mr. F. 

 Stephens, near Fuller's Ranch, about the last of May, 1SS3, we secui-ed 

 with no particular exertion, over twenty of the birds and a dozen or more 

 nests of eggs, in about six hours. I give this so that an idea of their 

 abundance may be had. They frequent holes only when breeding. 



77. Geococcyx californianus. Road-runner. — A common resident 

 up to an altitude of 4000 feet ; and in the warmer months and early fall 

 they are often to be found as high as 5000 feet, and even a little higher, 

 thus going well into the evergreen oak belt. While perhaps more abun- 

 dant on the plains, I found them in the Pinal and Catalina Mountains, 

 and in the latter locality they bred commonly. 



From my notes I take the following abbreviated data in regard to some 

 of the various nests found on the San Pedro slope of the Catalina Moun- 

 tains. 



March 17th, 1SS5. Altitude, 3000 feet. A nest in a cholla, three and 

 a half feet from the ground. A very compact and well built structure, 

 looking much like the common Crow's nest as found in the East, except 

 that the loose outer part of twigs is not so bulky as in that species. The 

 inner structure is lined with grasses and cow and horse dung. The nest 

 contained two fresh eggs, and the birds had evidently not finished laying. 

 This is the earliest date that I have found the species breeding in this 

 region. 



