CzL Mearns, Arizona Mountain Birds. [January 



and crawled up behind the monument built by Lieutenant Wheeler's party. 

 We looked down upon the remaining half-dozen cones, joined by a ridge 

 of horseshoe form, which constitute the San Francisco group, and into 

 the cratered peaks arising from the surrounding plain, while snow-like 

 masses of clouds rushed pa-st us, and the pile of rocks behind which we 

 were cowering vibrated in a gale so fierce that large pieces of volcanic 

 scoria, thrown into the air. were swept along over the brink of a precipice 

 in front of us. The only living things in sight, besides some mountain 

 sheep, were two birds, in point of size inclining to extremes of the ornith- 

 ological scale, — a Prairie Falcon and a Broad-tailed Hummingbird, 

 which latter sought momentary shelter with ourselves. These, only 

 braved the wind and cold at the summit. The name of ' Prairie ' Falcon 

 scarce accords with my recollection of that scene. 



On another occasion I climbed to the top of Agassiz Peak, which rises 

 far above the timber line, being second only to Humphrey's Peak, and 

 enjoj'ed a striking contrast of conditions. A calmer day one rarely sees, 

 and I was glad to observe the birds that haunted this interesting spot of 

 earth. A pair of Golden Eagles occasionally came into view; the glisten- 

 ing forms of Violet-green Swallows described endless figures and geometric 

 designs; White-throated Swifts darted in and out amid the jagged rocks 

 of the awful chasm enfolded by these peaks; and the vibrating notes of 

 Rock Wrens drew my attention to a pair that climbed sturdily over rough 

 piles of colored lavas. No other birds were seen; and the only mammal) 

 save the mountain sheep, was a large spermophile (Sftermop kilns gram' 

 murus) whose sounding whistle proclaimed his presence far and near- 

 Butterflies were very numerous; and bees and flies made bold to share my 

 meagre lunch. 



Falco peregrinus anatum. Duck Hawk. — Resident at all altitudes 

 breeding on cliffs both in the mountains and in the low valleys of Arizona. 

 It breeds regularly on the cliffs about Fort Verde, at the altitude of .3400 

 feet; and a specimen shot at the city of Tucson, May 7, 1885, was perhaps 

 breeding in the neighboring Santa Catalina Mountains. 



Falco sparverius. American Sparrow Hawk. — Breeds very com- 

 monly throughout these mountains, as well as in the low districts of Ari- 

 zona. At Forest Dale, near Fort Apache, I saw an interesting albinistic 

 specimen having the entire body creamy white, except the rufous pattern 

 of the back and tail, which was nearly of normal color. 



Nyctale acadica. Saw-whet Owl. — This Owl was heard regularly 

 around the San Francisco Mountain where, near the north spring, I saw 

 one sitting on a tall pine stump, ogling me from a deserted Flicker's bur- 

 row. It proved to be the female parent of three young and an egg, which 

 form a series exhibiting the different stages of growth from the egg to a 

 nearly full-fledged nestling. 



Bube virginianus subarcticus. Western Horned Owl.- — Breeds 

 commonly throughout Arizona; rather abundant in the timbered areas. 



Glaucidium gnoma. Pygmy Owl. — Breeds regularly on these moun- 

 tains. It is more apt to be discovered by its spiteful little enemies, the 



