312 Warren, Birds of the Elk Mountain Region, Colo. ' [july 



A ranchman I knew called this species " Redtop," a rather appropriate 

 name. 



Zamelodia melanocephala. Black-headed Grosbeak. — I used to 

 see this bird quite frequently about the scrub oaks on Muddy Creek, and 

 it was apparently a common summer resident in that region. 



Passerina amoena. Lazuli Bunting. — A pair seen at Adams's ranch 

 on Muddy Creek, June 13, 1903. 



Piranga ludoviciana. Western Tanager. — A summer visitor, status 

 uncertain. I have seen this Tanager occasionally in summer, and with one 

 exception all the birds observed were males. The dates are June 2, 1900; 

 June 6, 1901; July 1, 1903; and June 7 and 13, 1915, all at Hillside ranch, 

 A pair were seen on the last date, but were not seen again, though looked for. 

 July 16, 1902, when going up High Bridge Creek, I saw a male Tanager 

 flying over; I thought it had something in its mouth, and it may have been 

 feeding young. One was seen at Crystal, 8,900 feet, August 10, 1902. 



Petrochelidon lunifrons lunifrons. Cliff Swallow. — Common 

 summer resident and breeder. Builds its nest under the eaves of houses, 

 and even under the coi-nices of the false fronts of store buildings on the main 

 street of Crested Butte. 



At Hillside Ranch, in June, 1902, I made the following nptes: 



22nd, " When I got up this morning there were quite a number of Cliff 

 Swallows about the eaves on the east side of the upper house (a one story 

 log structure). There was one nest started, apparently the day before. 

 By night it was about done, another half done, and the beginnings of several 

 others. It is strange how they all came there at once, for they have not 

 been about before, though Violet-green Swallows are flying around all the 

 time. 



June 29. There are now 30 Swallows' nests on the upper house, mostly 

 on the east side. I do not think there are any eggs yet. It was interesting 

 to look up and see the birds' heads peeping out of the nests, and from many 

 of the nests two heads." 



August 31, 1902, a note says " No swallows about now." 



October 18 I took down one of the above nests, photographed and meas- 

 ured it. It was 8 ins. wide across the back end, 85 ins. long; 3j ins. deep 

 inside and 4 ins. deep outside at the back. There was not very much of a 

 nest inside, only a few straws laid together. 



The following year there were no nests at this place. In 1915 there were 

 two or three occupied nests on another house at Hillside Ranch, but none 

 on the above mentioned. 



Hirundo erythrogastra. Barn Swallow. — Summer resident; locally 

 common. At Jarvis's ranch. East River, June 19, 1900, Barn Swallows 

 were nesting about the wagon and cattle sheds. One nest was a very curi- 

 ous affair. Several strands of baling wire had been strung over a pole 

 rafter which ran along the middle of the shed and twisted together below 

 and bent up into a sort of hook. On this hook a pair of Swallows had built 

 up a nest probably 5 inches high, and bearing a curious resemblance in its 



