296 



General Note*. [July 



Notes on Birds Observed in the Colorado Desert in Winter — We 

 arrived at Boregas Spring Dec. 20, 1SS9. This spring lies about 25 miles 

 northeast of Warner's Pass, in a western arm of the desert, and about 10 

 miles from the foot of the mountains on either side. It is a barren part 

 of the desert. A few small mesquit trees are scattered around in the least 

 arid part of the valley, and stunted larrea bushes grow a few yards apart 

 over the entire region. Cactuses are scarce, the soil being too poor for 

 their growth. Below the spring is a considerable patch of arrow-weed. 

 A stav of a week proved that birds were scarce, thirteen species only being 

 noted. I found several species of the smaller mammals tolerably well 

 represented, principally pocket rats and allied species. The birds noted 

 were : — 



Circus kudsonius. One seen. 



Sayornis saya. One seen. 



Corvtis corax sinuatus. One seen occasionallj', perhaps different indi- 

 viduals. 



Carpodacus mexicumis frontalis. Rather common. 



Chomlestes grammacxs strigatus. Several seen. 



Zonotrichia lencoplirys intermedia. Common. 



Amphispiza belli ncvadetisis. Several seen. 



Pliainopepla //Hens. Several seen. 



ILirporhynehus lecontei. Two shot, another seen. 



Catlierpes mexiea/ius punctulatus. Two seen in clay cliffs. 



Auriparus ffaviceps. Several seen. One caught in its nest about sun- 

 rise. This species sleeps in its nest most of the year. 



Polioptila plumb ea. Six shot, others seen. In winter plumage. 



Sialia mexieana. Several seen. 



From Boregas Spring our course was east 20 miles to turn a spur of the 

 mountains, then northwest 15 miles to a spring known by the Indians as 

 La Carisita de Laguna Salada. A heavy rain had fallen two weeks previ- 

 ously and we found water in pools in three places. Usually there is no 

 water to be found in this 35 miles of barren desert, which is nearly im- 

 passable with a wagon. No road exists, and much deep sand and many 

 bad washes occur, so that with our light spring wagon we were nearly 

 three days going from one spring to the other, our principal trouble 

 being to find places to cross the washes. 



Over this 35 miles of desert the only birds I saw were a pair of Harpo- 

 rhynchus lecontei, and a small flock of Zonotrichia lencoplirys intermedia 

 at a rain-water pool off the point of the mountain. As the water of the 

 Carisita spring was too alkaline to be palatable we went on the next morn- 

 ing six miles to the first of a series of springs called by the Indians Agua 

 Dulce (sweet water). Here was an old Indian village, deserted except by 

 one family. This proved a good collecting ground. From there to 

 Indio, a station on the Southern Pacific Railroad, the soil was good in 

 places, with plenty of good-sized mesquit trees, and a few species of birds 

 were moderately abundant. Birds of the Sonoran Province mingled with 

 northern birds driven down by the snow from the adjacent mountains. 

 The birds noted from this part of the desert were : — 



