1S90.J Mearns, Arizona Mountain Birds. -55 



were as familiar as the stirring of the pine boughs overhead, and the 

 fanning of their wings almost as little heeded. A couple of young, recently 

 hatched, were found near the camp, on July 27, 18S7, showing that two 

 broods are reared the same year or that its season of reproduction is 

 quite protracted. The voice of this species is quite unlike that of Chor- 

 deiles tcxensis. 



Micropus melanoleucus. White-throated Swift. — In Arizona 

 this large and handsome Swift is very abundant in the vicinity of canons 

 and cliffs, in which it breeds from the altitude of Fort Verde (about 3400 

 feet) up to the highest peaks in the Territory. I saw them wheeling 

 around the highest points of the San Francisco Mountains, and darting 

 in and out of the jagged rocks, in June. 



Trochilus alexandri. Black-chinned Hummingbird. — A summer 

 resident in the zone of Pinus ponder osa; not seen higher. 



Trochilus platycercus. Broad-tailed Hummingbird. — This beauti- 

 ful Hummingbird is an inhabitant of the highest land of Arizona, being 

 rarely encountered until one is well within the spruce belt, when it 

 suddenly becomes extremely plentiful. About springs and willow-edged 

 water-courses swarms of these gay birds congregate. Its boldness is 

 without a parallel ; it knows no fear. A member of our party on San 

 Francisco Mountain wore a scarlet cap, but he found these audacious birds 

 so troublesome from their constant attacks upon it that he was glad to 

 pocket it in order to be rid of the irate little furies. A shrub grows on 

 the mountain bearing purplish red flowers of which this species is extrava- 

 gantly fond; and numbers of them may be closely watched by seating 

 oneself amongst these plants. Its flight is accompanied by a metallic, 

 screeching sound unlike that made by any other Hummer with which I 

 am familiar, and I heard them continually, when riding through the 

 forest, though they were invisible. It ranges to the very summit of San 

 Francisco Mountain, being abundant in the highest timber. 



Tyrannus vociferans. Cassin's Kingbird. — Breeds commonly through- 

 out the pine forests. I found it in the uppermost timber on San Fran- 

 cisco Mountain in June, the altitude being nearly 12,000 feet. This con- 

 spicuous species likewise breeds in the low valleys of Arizona together 

 with the Arkansas Kingbird (T. verticalis), nests of both species having 

 been found at the same time in one cottonwood tree in the Verde Valley. 

 On the Mogollon Mountains I saw them attack Crows and Western Red- 

 tailed Hawks and drive them from the neighborhood of their nests after 

 the spirited fashion of the Eastern Kingbird. 



Contopus borealis. Olive-sided Flycatcher. — Breeds throughout 

 the area under consideration, but is especially common in the higher 

 belt of evergreen forest, in which it ranges almost to the timber line. It 

 builds "fts nest near the tops of the tallest firs and balsams. Its character- 

 istic cry of xvhip-me-to, given with such vigor and clearness of enunciation 

 as to be almost startling, was continually heard when we were encamped 

 at Smith's Big Spring, in the canon or crater enfolded by the San 

 Francisco peaks, opening to the east; and it was equally abundant in 



