Ql (Raing 



and serene. He builds his nest upon a rock and 

 tucks it where search and sharp eyes may not 

 find it. He appears indifferent to the comings 

 and goings of beast or man, enjoys all weathers, 

 seems entranced with life, and may sing every 

 day of the year. 



Up in the lower margin of the Engelmann 

 spruce forest the wind now ceased and the 

 clouds began to conserve their waters. The ter- 

 ritory which I was about to explore is on the 

 eastern summit slopes of the Rockies, between 

 the altitudes of ninety-five hundred and twelve 

 thousand feet. Most of these slopes were steep, 

 and much of the soil had a basis of disintegrated 

 granite. The forested and the treeless slopes had 

 approximately equal areas, and were much alike 

 in regard to soil, inclination, and altitude, while 

 the verdure of both areas before the forest fire 

 had been almost identical. The St. Vrain is 

 formed by two branches flowing northeasterly 

 and southeasterly, the former draining the tree- 

 less area and the latter the forested one. Be- 

 low the junction, the united.waters sweep away 

 through the woods, but at it, and a short dis- 



271 



