^°''i^i^"^] Wabren, Birds of the Elk Mountain Region, Colo. 307 



Long-crested Jays which were also about. My records for Crested Butte 

 are few and scattering. I saw it at Hillside Ranch twice in June, 1915. 

 On the tenth, while photographing an Audubon's Warbler's nest, two came 

 around, and I think they would have robbed the nest when I left if I had 

 not taken it with me. I am inclined to think the species is more common 

 in the northern part of the region than the southern, though I know of no 

 reason why this should be the casp. • 



Molothrus ater ater. Cowbird. — Apparently a rare summer resi- 

 dent. Seen at Pogna's ranch, 7 miles below Crested Butte, July 9, 1903. 

 One seen at Marble, June 25, 1915. 



Xanthocephalus xanthocephalus. Yellow-headed Blackbird. — 

 Only a straggler at Crested Butte, and I have but two personal records, 

 May 8 and September 22, 1900. I was told of one at Hillside Ranch in the 

 spring of 1915. These were all males. A male was seen at Adam's ranch 

 on Muddy Creek, June 14, 190.3, and Adams spoke as if he had never seen 

 it there before. 



Agelaius phoeniceus fortis. Thick-billed Redwing. — Not particu- 

 larly common at Crested Butte, though there are always some about in sum- 

 mer. Earliest date is March 20, 1900; latest November 27, 1901. No 

 doubt these dates vary much with the season. July 26, 1902, some young 

 were seen just beginning to fly, presumably at Meridian Lake, as I was do- 

 ing some sm'veying there at that date. There were some at Hillside Lake 

 all through June, 1915, and on the fourth a nest with five fresh eggs was col- 

 lected, built in some willows by the lake shore. On the Muddy I used 

 to see these Blackbirds about the little ponds and marshy spots. 



Sturnella neglecta. Western Meadowlark. — Formerly a common 

 summer resident and breeder in open gi-ound. In 1915 Meadowlarks did 

 not appear to be nearly as abundant as formerly, possibly for the reason 

 previously mentioned in connection with other species. I have seen it up 

 to about 9,500 feet. I have no early spring dates; seen as late as October 

 5, 1910. June 6, 1901, there was a nest at Hillside Ranch with 6 young; 

 it was empty two daj's later; possiblj' the young were eaten by a snake. 



Icterus .jullocki. Bullock's Oriole. — Seen at Adams's Ranch, 

 Muddy Creek, May 19, 1901. 



Euphagus cyanocephalus. Brew'er's Blackbird. — Common sum- 

 mer resident and breeder. Seen as early as April 1, 1900, and as late aa 

 November 14, 1901, but the majority are gone by the middle of October. 

 By the last of July they have gathered in large flocks and are numerous 

 about the streets of Crested Butte. These Blackbirds were nesting in some 

 spruce trees in the corral at Adams's ranch, and May 31, 1901, I found a 

 nest with 5 eggs and the following day two nests with 6 eggs in each in 

 nearby trees. June 15 a young bird not able to fly w^as found in the corral; 

 possibly it had fallen from one of these nests. May 29, 1902, I found a nest 

 with eggs in the same corral. In 1915 I discovered several nests with eggs 

 in the willows along the shore of Hillside Lake. Two of these contained 

 5 eggs each; a set collected June 6 was heavily incubated and would 



