VOl 'i9n VI11 ] Widmann, Birds of Esles Park, Colorado. 31.1 



thereby reducing considerably the beautiful flora of its habitat. 

 Natives attribute the present scarcity of birds to the savage pastime 

 of some campers, who spend the dull hours of the day hunting. 

 As there is no game to be killed, and as it would be against the law 

 to kill none-game birds in Colorado, the hunters pretend to shoot 

 only Magpies ami Jaybirds, which are exempt from protection. 

 Mr. Mills told us that there were times when parties of campers 

 wagered, which party would bring home the largest number of 

 birds after a day's hunting. It is not nearly so bad now, but the 

 whole region around Estes Park should be made a National Park, 

 in which no shooting at all should be allowed. The influx of visitors 

 becomes ampler even year since the roads to Lyons and to Loveland 

 have been made so pleasant for automobiling, and on Saturdays as 

 many as fifty automobile parties come from neighboring towns, 

 mainly from Denver, to spend the Sunday in the park. While Say's 

 spermophile, the mountain rat (Xeotoma), the weasel (Putorius) 

 and the bobcat {Lynx uinta) are destructive to birds nesting on or 

 near the ground, the boy with the gun must be regarded the most 

 dangerous enem}' of birds in general, but with the prohibition of 

 firearms and the reduction of the superabundance of chipmunks 

 and spermophiles it may be hoped that Estes Park becomes as 

 much a paradise for birds in Colorado as Yosemite Valley is in 

 California. 



List of Species. 



1. Porzana Carolina. July 9. One in very fine plumage in swampy 

 part of the Glacier Meadow within one hundred yards of Long's Peak Inn. 

 Became very much excited on approach and walked about with many 

 sharp 'kigs,' as if fearing for its nest or young. It was again seen at the 

 same place on the following day. 



2. Gallinago delicata. First seen on fence post near Long's Peak 

 Inn July 7, 8.45 a. m., uttering loud calls. Again seen on evening of July 

 8 on fence post uttering the same loud calls, which we heard in two other 

 places in the Glacier Meadow between Long's Peak Inn and Lamb's Ranch 

 on several evenings between July 9 and 14 and which were continued until 

 8.30 p. m., when it was almost dark. 



One was seen walking in the water-covered part of the meadow on tie 

 morning of the 9th with incessant calls of ivack, apparently calling its 

 young ones. 



3. Actitis macularia. Two adults with three very small young ones 



