19H J General Notes. 487 



40 miles north of Tucson. Undoubtedly there were others, but they were 

 not noticed, and none were seen along the road. In the immediate vicinity 

 of the town a few can occasionally be seen, but not one in ten in proportion 

 to the other sparrows. Word has been received here that they have 

 reached the Colorado, 250 miles west of here, but the report lacks confirma- 

 tion by authority. Most certainly they were not there four years ago. 



The almost universal complaint that they drive away other birds will 

 not hold good hereabouts. During the past four years, while under the 

 observation of the writer, but two disagreements have been noted and 

 in each case it was among themselves. In no single instance has trouble 

 with native birds been seen, although the town is full of them. The Inca 

 Dove is a common resident at all times, and during the so-called winter 

 months are more common on the streets than the English Sparrow. There 

 is scarcely an hour jn the day when one or more of them cannot be heard 

 calling in the trees, but never on the ground. Frequently during the early 

 spring mornings, a number of them will be calling at the same time and 

 each one apparently angry with the other. The Mexicans interpret the 

 call as " Pobre Cruz, pobre Cruz," Poor cross, poor cross, and because of 

 this apparently reverential sentiment they are frequently used as cage 

 birds. They nest in the town and are much more demonstrative so far 

 as noise is concerned than all the sparrows in the country. The House 

 Finch is likewise a common resident and breeds by the score within the 

 limits of the town. Occasionally I have seen them feeding with the 

 sparrows without interference in either direction. Bullock's and Hooded 

 Orioles, Arkansas Flycatchers, Phainopeplas, Vermilion Flycatchers, 

 Wrens and two species of Hummingbirds are known to nest in the town, 

 and almost every other kind of bird in the country can occasionally be 

 heard or seen in the trees. Twice the writer saw a female Bullock's Oriole 

 scatter a bunch of sparrows that were feeding on the street. Each time 

 it struck and knocked over a sparrow in the center of the bunch, and on 

 each occasion the sparrows were, or appeared to be, badly frightened. 

 Probably there had been previous attacks as my attention was called to 

 the matter by the outcries of the sparrows. I do not know what had been 

 done to incur the fighting displeasure of lady Oriole, but instead of resenting 

 the insult they flew into a tree on one side of the street and the Oriole 

 returned to her tree on the opposite side. On another occasion I saw a 

 young male Cowbird busy with a piece of bread in the street. It was soon 

 joined by a female English Sparrow which seemed anxious to get a share 

 of the bread, but did not venture the attempt. It hopped entirely around 

 the diner at a distance of about two feet, although the other bird paid 

 no attention to it. Although I am frequently in the University grounds, 

 about a mile from the business center of the town, I have thus far not seen 

 one of the objectional sparrows, but the other birds of the country are 

 there in great numbers. The same can be said of the Santa Cruz Valley, 

 a portion of which is covered by the residential portion of the town. 

 Throughout the winter months the vacant weed-growing lots about town 



