^'"'^igif^^] General Notes. 547 



Park near Gardiner. The following list of nine species would hardly be 

 worth publishing were it not for the fact that nothing at all seems to have 

 been published about the winter birds of the Park. I was surprised not to 

 have seen Juncos and Tree Sparrows. On the banks of a ditch around 

 and across the field was a dense growth of " sweet grass " which seemed 

 like excellent cover for such species but no birds of any sort were seen 

 there; possibly because of the lack of any food. 



The following birds were seen: — 



Anas platyrhynchos. Mallard. — On February 28 1 saw six Mallards 

 about open water below the military post electric light plant near Mam- 

 moth, the water being from the stream or ditch which supplies the plant. 

 A young man living at Gardiner told me that several species of ducks 

 wintered in the Park, but this was the only one I saw there, but I did see 

 Golden-eyes in the Yellowstone River between Gardiner and Livingstone, 

 March first. The warm water from the hot springs flowing into the Gardi- 

 ner Ri\-er keeps the latter from freezing. 



Ceryle alcyon alcyon. Belted Kingfisher. — A Kingfisher was seen 

 on the Gardiner River on February 21, 23, and 27. But one bird was 

 seen on each occasion, presumably the same individual. 



Otocoris alpestris leucolsema (?). Desert Horned Lark. — Feb- 

 ruarj' 28 half a dozen Horned Larks were seen on the old road about a 

 mile from Gardiner. Possibly this subspecies. 



Pica pica hudsonia. Magpie. — One seen February 28 near the old 

 road two miles from Gardiner. The only one of the species observed and 

 I saw no nests in any of the trees or bushes anywhere that I went. 



Corvus corax sinuatus. Raven. — Ravens were seen on five different 

 days, mostly in the caiion along Gardiner River, but once at Fort Yellow- 

 stone, Mammoth Hot Springs. 



Nucifraga Columbiana. Clarke's Nutcracker. — This species 

 was common at Fort Yellowstone and Mammoth Hot Springs, and 

 was noted once or twice in Gardiner Canon. It was quite tame at the 

 Fort. I was surprised not to see any Rocky Mountain Jays, Perisoreus c. 

 capitalis. 



Cinclus mexicanus unicolor. Dipper, Water Ousel. — Water Ou- 

 sels were more common along the Gardiner River than I have ever seen 

 them anywhere, and I noted them daily, half a dozen or n?iore each day in a 

 distance of less than three miles. This abundance of a species which is 

 apparently numerically hmited in individuals is probablj' explained by the 

 fact that birds from various parts of the Park were wintering here where 

 there was open water. Cold weather has no terrors for them, but they 

 must have open water. 



Penthestes atricapillus septentrionalis. Long-tailed Chickadee. 

 — A few Chickadees of this species were identified in Gardiner Canon 

 Februar}' 23. This species is not given by Dr. Palmer in his ' Notes on the 

 Summer Birds of the Yellowstone National Park.' I saw Chickadees on 

 another occasion but could not get close enough to identify them. 



