^"'•^^"^j Warrex, Birds of the Elk Mountain Region, Colo. 293 



meridian 107°-30' West. The region within this area comprises 

 the greater portion of the Elk Mountain Group or Range, most 

 of whose summits are over 12,000 feet in altitude, and from that 

 to nearly 14,000; in fact Maroon Peak is 14,126 feet. 



When one is on a summit like that of Mt. Emmons, which, 

 though comparatively low — but a little over 12,000 feet, gives an 

 extended view in all directions, he is impressed Jby the panorama 

 spread before him, of mountains ever\'where, from the south 

 around to the southeast, only the southeasterly arc of the circle 

 has but a few high peaks. The rest is a mass of mountains 

 and all is a region of grand and wonderful scenery, if one has the 

 time and facilities for seeing it, for much of it must be explored on 

 horseback or afoot if the traveler wishes to get to some of the best 

 things. 



The general elevation of the region will be understood if the 

 reader is told that Crested Butte is 8,900 feet. Marble 7,950 feet, 

 and the junction of the Muddy and Anthracite Creeks, which form 

 the North Fork of the Gunnison, about 6,500 feet. Most of the 

 country which the notes refer to is above 9,000 feet. The greater 

 part of the region belongs to the Gunnison River watershed, 

 though Rock Creek or Crystal River, in the northern part, drains 

 into the Grand River. With the exception of the agricultural and 

 coal lands most of the area is in the Gunnison and Sopris National 

 Forests. 



Most of the region under discussion has rather long winters,^ 

 with deep snows, and cool summers, sometimes with considerable 

 rain. The mercury often goes well below zero in winter, though 

 the dry atmosphere makes it more bearable than it might otherwise 

 be, at least out of doors. With the deep winter snows, and high 

 elevations, the snow often remains on the upper parts of the moun- 

 tains well into the summer, some deep banks often persisting until 

 the snows of the next autumn fall. 



The life zones of most of the region treated of in this paper are 

 the Canadian, Hudsonian, and Arctic-Alpine. There is a little 

 Transition south of Crested Butte, and the country on lower Muddy 

 and Anthracite Creeks and that about Marble, is also Transition. 

 Timberline is at about 12,000 feet, and the Hudsonian covers about 

 2,000 feet below this. The varietv of trees in the Canadian and 



