May 1890.] 



AWD OOLOGIST. 



71 



The Presence of McCown's and the 



Chestnut-collared Longspur in 



Southern Arizona, Near the 



Mexican Border. 



As these two Lonjifspurs have, to my knowl- 

 edge, been recorded but once from this teri'i- 

 tory (Apaclie Co.), winter of 1887-88, John 

 Swinburne, (Auk, Vol. V, Xo. 8), and as the 

 prairie country east of the Rocky Mountains 

 seems to be their i)rinciijal habitat, I was 

 much surprised to find them among the com- 

 monest species frequenting the elevated plat- 

 eau in the vicinity of this post. They were at 

 first observed associated with the Mexican 

 Horned Larks feeding together in vast flocks 

 during February. By Marcli, however, the 

 Larks began to pair and the Longspurs sep- 

 arated, the McCown's staying about cattle to 

 a great extent and in flocks of several thous- 

 and, the majority being females. 



With tlie Chestnut-collared species, which 



were in smaller flocks, the males predominated. 



Single birds and groups of three or four were 



often seen flying overhead and ofi:" from the 



main flock. Although the country is dry and 



rocky it affords abundant food and shelter and 



is well suited to their habits. 



Otho C. PoUnrj. 

 Fort Huachuca, Arizona. 



A Remarkable Set of Eggs of the 

 Mountain Chickadee. 



The eggs of the Mountain Chickadee (Pants 

 (Idiiihrli) are usually faintly speckled or entirely 

 unmarked, but I received a set last season 

 which is so remarkable that it is worthy of 

 description. 



The nest was found in a hole in a tree, near 

 Fort Klamath, Oregon, on June 8, 1889. The 

 nest was made of hair and soft moss. The 

 parent bird was seen and fully identified, and 

 the collector is familiar with the species, so 

 that there can be no question as to the identi- 

 fication. 



The nest contained six eggs, pure white, 

 heavily marked at tlie larger ends with orange- 

 rufous. On some of the eggs the markings 

 are so heavy that they almost obscure the 

 ground color. The size is normal, but the 

 whole appearance of the eggs is brilliant, and 

 entirely different from any specimens of this 

 species that I have ever seen. J. P. N. 



The Evening Grosbeaks. 



Is this the Earliest Record ? 



IN MASSACHUSETTS. 



Editor of 0. <& O. : 



You wished me to let you know the exact 

 date my Evening Grosbeaks were shot. I 

 shot three on the first day of .January and two 

 were shot by Mr. Clifford Burr the next day. 

 Tliey were all shot on maple trees. They were 

 seen around here a day or two before they 

 were shot. Jofm GoukUng. 



So. Sudbury, Mass., April 21, 1890. 



IX NEW YOKK. 



Editor of O. & O.: 



I have to add to the already long list of 

 captures of the Evening Grosbeak a $ and 9 

 taken on April 21st, from a flock of five in 

 hemlock woods. A. II. B. Jordan. 



Willsborough, Essex Co., X.Y., April 21, 1890. 



The Evening Grosbeaks are staying late. 

 Saw a flock of seven females April 28th. 



A. II. B. Jordan. 



Late Nesting. 



August 4, 1876, we found a $ Indigo bird 

 building a nest which was about half com- 

 pleted. August 11th, nest complete with 

 four eggs. In due time four young Indigoes 

 appeared, which we attempted to raise but 

 failed; three died from injuries received by 

 jumping from the cage to the floor before be- 

 ing able to fly, the fourth died later while we 

 were absent hunting. 



August 16, 1885, found a Song Sparrow 

 lining a nest; August 26th, three eggs; August 

 31st, one egg and two young just hatched. 

 We were then called away, and upon our re- 

 turn (three weeks later) found the nest empty 

 but in good condition. Nest nine feet from P. 

 F. and C-.K.R. track over which from twenty- 

 five to thirty trains pass every twenty-four 

 hours. 



September 25, 1885, while squirrel hunting, 

 a Mourning Dove flew from her nest to the 

 ground feigning lameness. Nest on a horizon- 

 tal beech limb against the trunk seven feet from 

 the ground contained two young about a week 

 old. All the above in Van Wert county, Ohio. 

 Were not these late nesting dates ? 



S. Ruder. 

 Van ^Vert, Ohio. 



