1920 J Wetmore, Birds of Lake Burford, N. Mex. 411 



along the rock face as I approached. The nest was placed on a small 

 shelf of rock in the top of a shallow cave or hollow in a sandstone cliff. 

 This ledge was about fifteen feet from the floor of the gulch, and the cave 

 was approximately three feet high. 



On June 16 this nest contained four eggs. The female darted from the 

 nest as I came up to it and went on away without stopping to scold. The 

 male was singing a short distance away but did not come near. The 

 nest measured 8 inches across the base and 3 inches tall. The cup con- 

 taining the eggs was 2\i inches in diameter and 2 inches deep. The 

 foundation was composed of a dozen or more small twigs upon which were 

 placed moss and masses of spider webbing with bits of leaves, catkins and 

 bud scales. The nest lining was composed of a heavy felting of sheep's 

 wool, most of it white, though a few bits of dark brown wool were mixed 

 through it. In addition, in the cavity containing the eggs, were a few 

 feathers of Great Horned Owl, Violet-green Swallow and Cassin's Finch. 

 The eggs were translucent white in color, dotted mainly about the large 

 end with small spots of reddish brown. 



98. Troglodytes aedon parkmani Audubon. Western House 

 Wren. — The House Wren was fairly common in the wooded areas on the 

 hills above Lake Burford, and was nesting in Woodpecker holes and other 

 cavities in trees. 



99. Telmatodytes palustris plesius (Oberholser). Tule Wren. — On 

 May 27 a Tule Wren in very worn plumage was seen creeping about in a 

 stand of dead rushes, but no others were observed during the course of the 

 work at the lake. The growths of tules seemed favorable for them in 

 every way so that their absence was rather surprising. 



100. Sitta carolinensis nelsoni Mearns. Rocky Mountain Nut- 

 hatch. — This Nuthatch was fairly common among the pines above the 

 lake. 



101. Sitta pygmaea pygmaea Vigors. Pygmy Nuthatch. — The 

 Pygmy Nuthatch was fairly common among the Yellow Pines and was 

 breeding here as incubating females were taken on June 9 and 16. This 

 was one of the few mountain birds that showed marked curiosity and 

 responded readily to squeaking. 



102. Penthestes gambeli gambeli (Ridgway). Mountain Chicka- 

 dee. — Fairly common in the Yellow Pine forests about Lake Burford. 

 On June 16 I found a nest of this species in a living quaking aspen in an 

 old woodpecker hole located about five feet from the ground The tree 

 grew on a slope in a narrow gulch and the nest opening was well con- 

 cealed in the brush so that I had some difficulty in finding it. Cutting 

 into the nest I found that it contained five young nearly fledged. Later 

 in another locality I saw a female carrying food to young. 



103. Planesticus migratorius propinquus (Ridgway). Western 

 Robin. — The Western Robin nested commonly in the gulches around Lake 

 Burford and one or two pairs were found in the grove of cottonwoods 



