20 BIRDS OF THE PAPAGO SAGUARO NATIONAL MONUMENT. 



viduals. Two species seen had not allowed their identity to be posi- 

 tively determined, for all the hummingbirds encountered were 

 females, which are much alike in the different species, and the Empi- 

 donax mentioned above did not tarry for close observation. 



Observations during the next few days added 11 species to the list 

 gathered in this morning's observations, giving a total of 52 species 

 of birds seen in the immediate vicinity of Roosevelt Lake. At the 

 lower end of the lake, owing to the precipitous nature of the surround- 

 ing hills and the scanty vegetation, conditions are not so favorable for 

 birds, but even here some could be found with a little search. A blos- 

 soming ocotilla in front of the hotel proved a daily attraction to 

 hummingbirds, and an elder tree by the veranda was frequented by 

 quite a number of birds, among those most constantly present, curi- 

 ously enough, being several ash-throated flycatchers, who were evi- 

 dently finding some food about the clusters of blossoms. Arizona 

 hooded orioles were daily visitors, the males, when two came together, 

 going through certain ridiculous evolutions apparently giving stiff- 

 necked defiance of each other movement^ that are calculated to show 

 their gaudy colors to the best advantage, buXwhich are certainly lack- 

 ing in grace. Little flocks of dwarf cowbirds)appeared from time to 

 time, sometimes flying out across theJake, as'though bound for distant 

 pastures, then, with no apparent reason, but with one accord, whirling 

 about and back again, to alight at their starting point. 



Though there is little apparent difference in the vegetation of 

 Roosevelt Lake and the Papago Saguaro Monument, there are several 

 species of birds not found in both places. There is one conspicuous 

 plant, the ocotilla, that does not grow in the latter place, though 

 it is abundant at Roosevelt. About the lake the canyon towhee re- 

 places the Abert towhee of the lower valleys. The canyon towhee is 

 a foothill bird, Roosevelt Lake lying at about the lower limit of the 

 range of this species. It is not averse to the company of man, being 

 a frequenter of stable yards and camp grounds, when such are avail- 

 able, usually in little companies of three or four, and tame and con- 

 fiding in their actions. The cactus woodpecker, desert sparrow, and 

 Arizona least vireo are all species observed here, but which I looked 

 for in vain about Phoenix and Tempe. 



There is one other bird that, rather oddly, is of especial interest as 

 occurring at this point. On July 3 a solitary crow passed overhead 

 but a short distance away, his repeated " caw " bearing loud assur- 

 ance that this indeed was not a raven. The sight of this bird was the 

 most exciting event of the day, for crows are scarce in most parts of 

 Arizona ; in fact, this was the first of the species that I had ever seen 

 within the State. 



