66 Brewster o?/ a Collection of Arizona Birds. 



miles in an air line. This place is described in the notes as being 

 at the head of a caiion, in a sort of basin, elevated about seven 

 thousand feet above the sea, and encircled b}' mountains which 

 rise from two to three thousand feet higher. 



From some further remarks on the general character of the 

 range, I quote the following: "The Chiricahua jSIountains are 

 situated in the southeast corner of Arizona, some of the foot-hills 

 even reaching the line of New Mexico and the Mexican state of 

 Sonora. Several small streams run east and west from their 

 summits, those of the former division emptying into the San 

 Simon Valley ; of the latter into the Sulphur Spring and San Ber- 

 nardino Valleys. The first two water-sheds are comprised in 

 the Rio Gila system, while the San Bernardino Valley stretches 

 soutlnvard, and water from it flows into the Pacific near Guaymas." 



"These valleys are usually grassy plains, but there are scatter- 

 ing bushes, mostly mesquite, in some of them. The scrub oaks 

 begin with the foot-hills ; they are evergreen, the leaves being 

 insensibly replaced with new ones in May. A little higher the 

 juniper (called 'cedar' by the people here) comes in. Still 

 higher, on the north side of the hills, there is a little piiion and 

 scrub pine, while the summits are heavily timliered with red and 

 black pines. In the gulches some fir grows, and on the hillsides, 

 mostly near the summits and facing the north, occasional patches 

 of aspen." 



At Morse's Mill three weeks were verv profitablv spent, and 

 on April I a start was made for Tucson, the next objective point. 

 The route led through Sulphur vSpring Valle\'. Tombstone, and 

 Cienega Station, and at all these places, as well as at some inter- 

 mediate points, a longer or shorter stay was made for the purpose 

 of collecting. These delays consumed so mucli time that Tucson 

 was not reached until April i8. 



The country lying about this town and the neighboring station. 

 Camp Low^ell, proved so rich in desii'able birds that it engaged 

 Mr. Stephens' attention for nearlv the whole of the two succeed- 

 ing months, during which, however, a brief visit was paid to the 

 Santa Rita Mountains, where some important observations were 

 made. 



The season practicalh- ended with June, for the wagon-join-ney, 

 begun on the 29th of that month, across the arid plains and 

 scorchiu"- deserts of middle and western Arizona, was attended 



