198 Brewster 07i a CoIIectioi of Arizona Birds. 



from the stalks of herbaceous plants, with a tew twigs and whole 

 stems supporting the outside, and a scanty lining of horse-hair. 

 Its external diameter is about five inches ; its depth two. The 

 cavity is two inches wide and one and a half deep. Both nest 

 and eggs differ somewhat from California examples of crissalis 

 in my collection, the eggs being smaller and whiter, the nest softer 

 and more compact. 



177, (J ad.. Tombstone. April 7. Length. 8.80: extent. 11.60. "Iris 

 light brown." 



186, $ ad.. Tombstone. April 9. Length, 8.10: extent. 10.90: wing 

 3.50; tail, 4.1.V 



416, $ ad., Santa Rita Mountains. Mav 20. Length, 8.50; extent. 11.50: 

 Aving. 3.73: tail. 4.45. 



81. Pipilo aberti Baird. Abert'.s Towhee. — ^T have 

 found this species common along the Colorado and Gila Rivers, 

 and I took several on the San Pedro in December, 1S80. 

 They appear to be restricted to the vicinity of streams and 

 usually to thick brush, although they frequent trees more than 

 most of the members of this genus. I have seen them hunting- 

 insects in the bark of large trees in a manner similar to that of 

 Wrens. Thev are rather shy. The usual note is a sharp chirp. 

 The song is difficult to describe : it is rapid and near the middle 

 rises to a higher key, quickly falling again and ending on the 

 initial note. The nest is rather bulky ; it is sometimes built in 

 bushes near the ground, and again in trees. I found one in a 

 bunch of mistletoe at a height of at least thirty feet." 



A nest foimd May 28, at Tucson, was built on the top of a 

 inesquite stump, where it was kept in place by the siu'rounding 

 sprouts. It contained three fresh eggs which measure respect- 

 ively .9IX-72. .92X-72' sind .90X-7I- They are elliptical in 

 shape, and in the cliaracter and distribution of their markings they 

 resemble the above described eggs of P. meso]eiic7is from which, 

 however, they difter in having a faint but decided bluish cast. 

 The nest is large and loosely built. It is composed mainly of 

 broad strips or ribbons of bark with which are mingled small, 

 pliant twigs and the green stems and leaves of the mesquite( .''). 

 The whole structure is homogeneous and. strictly speaking, it has 

 no lining, but the materials surrounding the cavitv are rather 

 softer than the rest, while they are arranged with some regard to 

 smoothness. The external diameter of this nest is about seven 

 inches ; its depth three. The cavity is three inches wide and \^\■(^ 

 deep. 



