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MeARNS Arizona Mountain Biids. [Juty 



ever there is water. It was sometimes found nesting in aspens, pines, or 

 spruces along streams, but its preference is for wet openings where there 

 are willows. At Woods' stock ranch, on the road from the Verde Valley 

 to Flagstaff, near the lower edge of the pine forest, most of the young 

 were on wing by the 20th of June, 1SS6, many of them having tufts of 

 down still adhering to the feathers, which gave them a comical aspect. A 

 single nest contained eggs, four in number, nearly fresh; it was placed 

 six feet above theground in a young aspen (Popultts tremuloides) , and was 

 coarsely fashioned of small twigs and stems of plants, with a lining of 

 rootlets. At Mormon Luke, a more elevated locality than the above, all 

 of many nests examined contained fresh eggs the last of May, 1SS7. At 

 the base of San Francisco Mountain several pairs were found that were 

 just building nests in the early part of June. On the mountains, as else- 

 where, this bird likes the company of cattle. 



Coccothraustes vespertina montana. Western Evening Grosbeak. — 

 This beautiful Grosbeak is partial to canons, shady ravines and the vicin- 

 ity of water during the breeding season, afterwards descending to the oak- 

 wooded foot-hills with its young. At Fort Verde it sometimes appeared, 

 in spring or fall, in the cottonwoods bordering the Verde River, feeding 

 at times upon the berries of a species of mistletoe (Phoradendron Jiaves- 

 ceus), when it became exceedingly fat; but it was much more common 

 in the neighboring foot-hills. In winter it feeds extensively on hackber- 

 ries, seeds ot the box-elder (Ncgundo accroides), and the berries of sev- 

 eral species of juniper. 



Carpodacus cassini. Cassin's Purple Finch. — A resident of the 

 pines; sometimes driven into the low valleys in great numbers, in win- 

 ter, by severe weather. 



A young fledging supposed to be Leucosticte australis, proves to be 

 another species, and the name should be expunged from page 49 of this 

 paper. 



Loxia curvirostra stricklandi. Mexican Crossbill. — One of the com- 

 monest birds in the pine forest, ascending into the spruces. I found it in 

 June at the extreme lower edge of the pine belt. It is notably fond of drink- 

 ing and bathing, and can generally be found about watering places at all 

 times of the day. I noted the presence of this bird in all parts of the pine 

 belt that I visited, whatever the season. Great numbers were occasion- 

 ally found congregated around springs, in regions where water is very 

 scarce. 



Spinus psaltria. Arkansas Goldfinch. — A summer resident in the 

 pine belt. Mountain specimens are typical psaltria ; but those of the 

 surrounding low regions manifest a tendency toward the subspecies ari- 

 zonce, varying in degree with the locality. Several birds taken in the 

 Verde Valley are referable to arizonce, though the majority are nearer to 

 psaltria. 



Spinus pinus. Pine Siskin. — A resident species, frequently descend- 

 ing to the warm valleys in autumn, winter and spring. Although breed- 

 ing in high places, many flocks may be found to have wandered down to 

 the lower edge of the pines by the first week of July. 



