356 Cox, Birds from Mt Orizaba, Mexico. \_o'^. 



A COLLECTION OF BIRDS FROM MOUNT ORIZABA, 



MEXICO. 



BY ULYSSES O. COX. 



It was my good fortune to be a member of Dr. J. T. Scovell's 

 party which visited Mount Orizaba during the summer of iSgi 

 for scientific purposes. One week was spent at the city of 

 Orizaba, altitude 4,000 feet, and about the same time at San 

 Andres, altitude 8,200 feet, and on the mountain itself. It rained 

 nearly the entire time while in the city of Orizaba, so very little 

 collecting was done, and, on account of the condition of the 

 weather, but few birds were seen. The country around the city 

 of Orizaba is very broken and the mountains, which are foothills 

 of the volcano itself, are covered with timber. Ordinarily the city 

 must be an excellent collecting ground for birds. 



At San Andres the surrounding country is entirely of volcanic 

 origin and for the most part is barren, but on the side of the peak 

 the timber, chiefly pine, extends down to within a few miles of 

 the city. Below the timber line birds were not numerous but 

 when the timber line was reached they were quite abundant. 

 The mountain above lower timber line is scarcely at all inhabited 

 and rarely has the axe disturbed the peace of the stately pines. 

 At an elevation of 14,000 feet the timber disappears and snow 

 line is reached. 



I wish to acknowledge my indebtedness to Dr. J. T. Scovell of 

 Terre Haute, Indiana, by whose kindness I was permitted to 

 make the collection ; to Mr. Robert Ridgway of the U. S. National 

 Museum, who has assisted in the identification of the specimens 

 and who discovered and described the one new species ; also to 

 Prof. A. J. Woolman of Duluth, Minnesota, who assisted in the 

 preparation of the skins. 



The following species were either taken or observed, and in 

 each case it is so stated : — 



I. Catharista atrata (i?<; ;-/.). Black Vulture. — This bird was verj' 

 common in the city of Orizaba where it was semi-domesticated. It was so 

 tame that a person could -walk within a few feet of it before it would fly, 



