1S90.J Mearns, Arizona Mountain Birds. 26 X 



very rarely appeared in the deciduous trees along the Verde River, and 

 only in hard winters. To the cedars, junipers and pinons of the foot- 

 hills it is a more frequent winter visitant. 



Sitta canadensis. Red-breasted Nuthatch. — A summer resident in 

 the pine and spruce zones of the highest peaks of the Mogollon and San 

 Francisco Mountains. It was not seen as low as the pine belt, though it 

 doubtless descends from its high abode during the winter. 



Sitta pygmaea. Pygmy Nuthatch. — A summer resident through the 

 pine belt. It is abundant, gregarious, noisy, and curious. It is sure to 

 be an early spectator of any exciting scenes occurring in the feathered 

 community. 



Parus gambeli. Mountain Chickadee. — A common summer resi- 

 dent of the pines, ranging well up towards the highest forest growth on 

 the peaks. The only nest examined was found in a cavity in a small 

 aspen, about ten feet from the "round, near a spring, at the height of from 

 10,000 to 11,000 feet on San Francisco Mountain. It contained half-grown 

 young on the 15th of June. The nest resembled that of the Eastern 

 Black-capped Chickadee, being apparently felted in purse shape of cow 

 and squirrel hair; but I was unable to examine it as thoroughly as I 

 wished without danger of injury to the little ones, for whose welfare the 

 mother showed the greatest solicitude. She was so fearless that I twice 

 caught her in my hand when enlarging the hole to see into the cavity 

 in which the nest was built. This species rarely visited the Verde Valley 

 in winter, though it was more frequently seen in the bordering foot-hills. 



Regulus calendula. Ruby-crowned Kinglet. — A very abundant 

 summer resident throughout this area, except in the lowest pines where 

 it is rare if occurring at all in summer. I saw it close to the timber line 

 in June. A nest and clutch of fresh eggs were taken in a spruce-tree 

 beneath which my tent had been pitched, at Mehrens' stock ranch in 

 Quaking Asp Settlement, in a notch at the summit of the Mogollon 

 Mountains, on May 26, 18S7. It was attached to the end of a horizontal 

 branch upwards of a hundred feet above the ground, where attention was 

 attracted to it by the actions of the parents. Our chief packer, a strong 

 and intrepid climber, secured the nest and eggs, with the parent, having 

 to climb the tree twice and saw off the limb, before the hazardous feat was 

 accomplished. The parents were extremely fearless. 



Turdus aonalaschkae auduboni. Audubon's Hermit Thrush. — This, 

 the sweetest mountain songster, is an abundant summer resident in Al- 

 and spruce forests, breeding late in May and in June. At Quaking Asp 

 Settlement, near the end of May, a pair was engaged in building a 

 nest in my camp. The nest was saddled on to the middle of the lowest 

 limb of a large spruce, and the birds gathered material for its construction 

 close about my tent with perfect freedom from shyness, accepting prof- 

 fered^bits of cotton for its completion. Like the Wood Thrush, its song 

 is most frequent in the early morning hours, and after showers. The 

 form wintering in the Verde Valley is the Dwarf Hermit Thrush (Turdus 

 aonalaschkce). 



