130 NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS.- 



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

 duster of dead twigs hanging from a cottonwood. The time re([iiired for 

 liatching was twelve or thirteen days, and in a fortniglit more the young left 

 the nest. Dr. Cooper found nests with eggs as late as May 25, and had no 

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

 song of the male, tliroughout April and May, is precisely like that of P. fus- 

 cits, and iilso reminded him of tlie notes of F. orcyunus and of the eastern 

 Black-tln'oated Bunting {Ettapiza amerkana). 



Dr. Coues has kindly sup[)lied me with the following interesting sketcli of 

 this species, as observed by liini in Arizona : — 



" This species appears to have a remarkably restricted geogi-aphical distri- 

 buti(jn. I never saw it at Fort Whipple, but on the Colorado bottom in the 

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

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

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

 to ca[)ture, partly because the dense underbrush it inhabited was almost im- 

 penetrable, and partly on account of its natural timidity. E\erytiiiug along 

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

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

 sage through the underbrush without alarming all its inmates. Tlie 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 

 cottonwoods, and the arrowwood {Tcusaria borcalia). Its ordinary cry of 

 alarm, if not its call-note, is a loud, clear chirp, very different from the mew- 

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

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

 I never heard the song of tliis bird, which apjiears to sing only during the 

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

 Fipilos, and I can indorse liis observation, that this is curiously like the mo- 

 notonous notes of the Black-throated Bunting, — C/n'p, chip, chec-rhec-rhrc ; 

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

 ciated, with greater em])hasis. The associates of this species seem to be few, 

 if indeed they be not confined to the F. mcsokucm, a very near ally. The 

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

 still in poor plumage. 



" Excepting m}- experience with this bird on the Colomdo, I only met with 

 it on the Hassayampa, a small stream a few miles from Fort Whip))le, yet in 

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

 Two 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), 

 men ">s that he was often startled by the loud, clear, sharp chirp of this 

 bird, whicli, though fringilline in character, is more than u.sually powerful, 

 and is its alarm-note. Everywhere in the Colorado ^'alley tliis was one of 

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



