KRiy(JlLLII).E — THK FIXCHKS. 



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sorvcil in the j^Toatost iuiMi1»ers, in Mmv, in tlio ii( li xalU'V of tlic Tnickco, in 

 conijiany with JUillocks ( Jiiolc, tin* l.oiiisiana Tana^cr, and (tllu'i- sji'cies, 

 fetMlinir npon the Imds ol' the " grease- wood. ' It ]>rinci pally inliahits the 

 willows alonn the rivers, and the shruM>erv skirting the streams oj' the 

 mountain canons. In its manmas and notes Mr. Kidgway n-^ard-^ this 

 hird as an exact counti'ipart of the eastern species, the /Av//////* As I iiili»ri(:L- 

 uiiii!^, its song heing l»y n(» means superior. Th.e jteculiar and \v\y odd rllrk 

 t»f the lndovicicDLHs is said to he etjually charaeteristic of this hird. Mr. 

 liidgway met witli its nests in willows, ahout ten feet from the ground, lie 

 had evidence that the male hird assists the female in tlu' duties of incu- 

 bation. 



This l)ird, though a coniin u ;n! ' " resident in the (Ireat Salt T,ake Val- 

 ley, ''ad all migrated, aei'omi • t - >^!• " den, hy the 1st of Scptcud>er. It 

 j well known there as the Peal i. ■ ti i its loudne.ss for green ]>eas, of 

 which it is very destructive. 



Aec(»rding to Dr. Cooper, this (Jrosheak arrives in California, near San 

 Diego, about Aj»ril 12. It is numerous during the summer throughout the 

 mountains both of the coast and (tf the Sierra Nevada, and extends its na- 

 rrations at least as far as Tuuet Sound. It is ofttn kept in conlinement 

 on account of its loud, sweet .song. In the Coast Mountains, in May, ils 

 nnisic is said t(» be delighti'ul, the males vying with each other from the tojis 

 of the trees, and making the hills fairly ring with their mel(Mly. 



Dr. Cooper iound a nest of this bird. May iL', at the eastern base of the 

 Coast llange. It was br in a h>w horizontal branch of an alder, and con- 

 sisted of a few sticks and weeds, very loosidy ]>ut together, with a lining of 

 grass and roots. The eggs, three in number, he deseiibes as of a }>ale blui-h- 

 white ground, thickly sjjotted with brown, more densely near the larger end. 

 Their size he gives as .95 bv .70 of an inch. 



Dr. Cooper also states that they fropieiit the gronnd in search of food, but 

 also live nuich on trees, feeding on their buds. They are n<tl gregarious, 

 assend)linLi only in familv liToups in the fall. Thev do not tlv hinh, nor do 

 they make any noise in llyiu"' 



He has observed these birds at Santa Cruz April 1 2, or as early as he saw 

 them at San j)iego, three huntlred and lifty miles larther south, and has 

 foun ' a young bird Hedged as early as ]\Iay 'l'-\. 



Dr. Cones s])eaks of this bird as an abundant summer resident of Arizona, 

 where it arri\'es by the first of May, and remains until the latter jiart of 

 Se|)tend)er. lie speaks (*f it as fretpienting the thick brush of the ravi es 

 and the cottonwood and willow c<t])ses of the river-bottoms. Its call-note 

 resend)les that of Lojthoi'ttir (jamhcli. Its song, he says, is superl>, — a 

 ])owerful, but melo(liou: succession of clear, rich, rolling notes, reminding 

 one somewhat of the Icterus halt! more. 



Dr. Suckley speaks of this bird being sparingly found in the vicinity of 

 Fort Steilacooni, Puget Sound, where he obtained two speei. . »is. 



