^°'i9i2^^^] Correspondence. 277 



A History of the Birds of Colorado. 



To THE Editor of 'The Auk': — 



Dear Sir: — Mr. Sclater's splendid work, A History of the Birds of 

 Colorado, eagerly expected for some time, is now at hand, and certainly 

 fulfils all expectations. It is well-printed with good type on un-glazed 

 paper, hence easily readible and the arrangement is all that could be 

 desired. In going through the pages it seems to me that the references 

 are as nearly complete as could be expected, but in such a work some 

 omissions are almost inevitable. The most noticeable one which attracts 

 my attention is Felger's "Birds and Mammals of Northwestern Colorado," 

 which is listed in the bibliography, but all or nearly all of his records there- 

 in are omitted from the text, including a few rather important ones. This 

 is not offered by way of criticism, but merely to call the attention of orni- 

 thologists to the fact that there are uncited records of some of the species. 

 With such an excellent list as a foundation, this would be a good time for 

 all who have worked in this region to go through the book in a search for 

 the rarer species or species of limited distribution in the state, and publish 

 in ' The Auk ' or Condor any really important records they may have which 

 would add essentially to our knowledge of the distribution of the less 

 known species. Of course all ornithologists will not agree with all that the 

 author of this work says, but in most cases when he departs from the beaten 

 path he is perfectly fair with the reader. He does not directly admit the 

 validity of the Red-wing subspecies Agelaius -phceniceuH fortis, except by 

 including it in the key to the genus, but he fairly states the situation. 

 Felger's record of A. p. neutralis for Rifle Gap, Meeker, Buford, etc., based 

 upon Oberholser's identification, may be noted here. The omission of 

 the eastern form of Robin will doubtless be a surprise to many. 



Among Felger's published records for northwestern Colorado which 

 might have been added to the list with advantage are the following: 

 Snowy Egret in White River Valley; Sandhill Crane nesting at Buford, etc. ; 

 Virginia Rail at Meeker (Sclater says he has "not heard of it on the western 

 slopes"); Sora at Meeker; Western Solitary Sandpiper, three August 

 records for White River Valley; Upland Plover, Marvine Lodge, August 28; 

 Short-eared Owl at Axial in August (Sclater considers it almost altogether 

 a winter bird in Colorado); Road Runner near Meeker, credited to Mr. 

 Ball (Sclater gives Denver as the northernmost record); White-throated 

 Swift nesting near Axial; Bobolink, young birds near Meeker in August, 

 indicating a nesting record; Purple Martin in Lost Park, September 1; 

 Canyon Wren at Axial, one of the most northerly records of the species. 



Bragg's summer record of the Gray-headed Junco at Boulder, altitude 

 5,700 feet, July 4, 1904, should be added to the list, as it indicates a prob- 

 able breeding record much below the usual elevation. The Snowy Egret 

 being rare, it may be well to add the record of two taken near Boulder in 



