BIRDS OF THE PACIFIC DISTRICT. 15 



the Mojave Desert where the Mojave River empties into 

 a large salt lake, forming its terminus. At Fort Yuma 

 they were quite abundant, congregating in large coveys. 

 [I have found this bird very wild, and again very tame, 

 owing no doubt to its experience, or inexperience, with 

 mankind.] 



7. Dendragapus obscurus fuliginosus Ridgway. SOOTY 

 GROUSE. 



Henshaw. In California it is found in both the coast 

 and Sierra ranges as far south as latitude 35 and prob- 

 ably even lower. It was present though not very com- 

 mon in the mountains near Fort Tejon and was rather 

 numerous in the region about Mount Whitney. 



L. B. Calaveras county, altitude about 3,500 feet 

 to summit of Sierras, not common, mostly in rugged 

 localities. I think but few of their nests are de- 

 stroyed by sheep and that they usually hatch before 

 the mountains are overrun by the large droves of 

 sheep which are annually driven from the valleys 

 to the mountains to spend the summer and spread 

 desolation and dust everywhere. The following will 

 give some idea of the time of hatching : Calaveras 

 Big Trees, June 25, 1881, female parent and six or 

 seven young, the latter about a week old; season early. 

 Big Trees, June 14, 1882, female adult and chicks. 

 Summit, 7,000 feet altitude, July 4, 1885, a brood 

 of young about tw r o weeks old; a few old males still 

 hooting or grunting, but the most of them had aband- 

 oned the society of the hens and gone into the high 

 peaks. I found as early as August 5, young nearly two- 

 thirds grown. 



I could not find any of these birds after about Octo- 

 ber 1st, when they were probably in the evergreen trees, 

 their usual winter quarters. I have never seen more 



