°'i9ii ] Widmann, Birds of Estes Park, Colorado. 307 



(Oreobatus deliciosus). The ground of the short-grass hills is at this 

 time literally covered with flowers of many colors and shapes. To 

 one not acquainted with the flora of the region the strange forms of 

 Oreocarya virgata, Frascra stcnosepala, ElephantcUa groenlandica, 

 Eriogonum umbellatum, and Castilleja linariaefolia are some among 

 the striking novelties of the park. He will also wonder at the 

 beauty of the snowy-white flowers of the evening primroses (Anogra 

 and especially Pachylophus ccespitosus) growing abundantly in 

 company with the gclden-yellow bunches of the stone-crop (Sedum 

 stenopctalum) on the bare gravel, where nothing else can find a 

 foothold. He will admire the rich coloration and abundance of the 

 loco-weeds (Aragallus) and their cousins Lupinus and Thcrmopsis, 

 all conspicuous for bright colors. Toward the end of the month 

 the great-flowered Gaillardia adorns the hills, the Mariposa lily 

 opens its unpretentious flowers, and the blue columbine shines 

 through the woods. Along the creeks innumerable shooting-stars 

 decorate the banks, and wherever we go, we see representatives 

 of such well-known genera as Achillea, Arnica, Aconitum, Cam- 

 panula, Cleome, Crepis, Delphinium, Epilobium, Erigeron, Erysimum, 

 Lappula, Lithospermum, Pensiemon, Phacelia, Polygonum, Senecio, 

 Solidago, etc. 



The climate of the region would have been nearly perfect during 

 our stay, had it not been for the almost daily occurrence of thunder- 

 storms with or without precipitation, often only a sprinkle, but 

 sometimes heavy rain with much hail and followed by a strong, 

 cold wind from the west. The early morning hours were ideal; 

 the clearest sky imaginable with cool, though never freezing, 

 temperature, soon tempered by the unobstructed rays of the sun. 

 With the rise in temperature the sky began to change its appear- 

 ance. As early as eleven, sometimes before ten o'clock, the first 

 clouds gathered around the high peaks, and by noon they had 

 formed dark, often black, masses, from which went out streaks of 

 lightning accompanied by very unpleasant rumblings of thunder. 

 These threatening clouds may linger for hours among the peaks 

 with very little movement, or they may break out with great 

 rapidity and pour out their wrath for half an hour or more. 

 With few exceptions every afternoon was thus partly lost for field- 

 work by the unpleasant weather conditions, but when the storm did 



