130 NORTH AMEUICAX UlllDS^ ; 



inch by .70. One of the nests was in a low mesquite-tree, another in a dense 

 cluster of dead twigs hanging from a cottonwood. The time rec^iiired for 

 hatcliing was twelve or thirteen days, and in a fortniglit more tlie young left 

 the nest. Dr. Cooper found nests with eggs as late as May 25, jind liad no 

 doubt that they raise two or more broods in a season. He adds that the 

 song of the male, throughout A})ril and May, is precisely like that of P. Jus- 

 cus, and also reminded him of the notes of P. orcyouus and of the eastern 

 Black-tliroated Bunting {Ei(spiza ameruana). 



Dr. Coues has kindly supi)hed me with the following interesting sketch of 

 this species, as observed by liim in Arizona: — 



" This species appears to have a remarkably restricted geographical distri- 

 bution. I never saw it at Fort Whipple, but on the Colorado bottom in the 

 sanie latitude, and thence along the river to Fort Yuma, I found it to be one 

 of the most abundant and characteristic birds of all. At the time I observed 

 it, in September, it was generally in small flocks, and proved rather difficult 

 to capture, partly because the dense underbrush it inhabited was ahnost im- 

 penetrable, and partly on account of its natural timidity. Everything along 

 the river-bottom is scorched with the heat, and the dry dead twigs constantly 

 snap at a touch, with such noise that it is almost impossible to force a pas- 

 sage through tlie underbrush without alarmirg all its inmates. The bird 

 occurs everywhere along the river-side, but is particularly numerous on the 

 patches of mesquite, and the extensive areas grown up to young willows and 

 cotton woods, and the arrowwood (Tcssaria horcalU). Its ordinary cry of 

 alarm, if not its call-note, is a loud, clear chirp, very difl'erent from the mewl- 

 ing sound made under similar circumstances by its congener, the P. mega- 

 lont/x. The latter, as is well known, is almost exactly like that of a Catbird. 

 I never heard the song of this bird, which appears to sing only during the 

 breeding-season, but Dr. Cooper says it resemljles that of the western Black 

 Pipilos, and I can indoi*se his observation, that this is curiously like the mo- 

 notonous notes of the Black-throated Bunting, — CIu'p, chip, chci'-chce-chce ; 

 the first two syllables deliberately pronounced, the others more rapidly enun- 

 ciated, witli greater emphasis. The associates of this species seem to be few, 

 if indeed they be not confined to the P. mesoleucus, a very near ally. The 

 moult seems to me unusually protracted, as many September specimens were 

 still in poor plumage. 



" Excepting my experience with this bird on the Colorado, I only met with 

 it on the Hassayampa, a small stream a few miles from Fort Whip}de, yet in 

 a somewhat different region, across a slight mountain-ridge, lower and warmer. 

 Tw^o specimens were secured, adult and young, the first week in August." 



Dr. Coues, on his way from Arizona to the Pacific (Ibis, 1866, p. 261), 

 mentions that he was often startled by the loud, clear, sharp chirp of this 

 bird, whicli, though fringilline in character, is more than usually powerful, 

 and is its alarm-note. Everywhere in the Colorado Valley this was one of 

 the most characteristic birds. Fort Yuma seemed to be its head-quarters. It 



