^S PACIFIC COAST AVIFAUNA. [No. 4 



from 8500 feet upward. All the specimens taken at this time were adults 

 in very worn plumage, several of them with the lower part discolored 

 with reddish stain. The series of Siskins I secured in this reo^ion aver- 

 ages paler and grayer than Southern California birds ; with the streak- 

 ing of the lower parts restricted more to the sides and flanks, so that 

 frequently the median line from the bill to the tail is almost immaculate. 

 Occasionally the plumage above and below is suffused with greenish 

 yellow to a considerable extent. Only once have I seen this species 

 anywhere in the lowlands in this region, on April 17, 1902, when a few 

 were seen in some willows along the San Pedro River, some twelve 

 miles from the mountains. 



Calcarius ornatus (Townsend). Chestnut-collared Longspun 



For a month or so in the spring Chestnut-Collared L.ongspurs were 

 quite abundant on the plains below the Huachucas, and could be seen 

 almost anywhere, usually, in large flocks. The first observed were on 

 March 14, when one or two small flocks were seen passing overhead. 

 F'rom that time on their numbers rapidly increased and the last week in 

 March and the first in April they were at the height of their abundance. 

 They began leaving about the middle of April, and by the end of the 

 month were practically all gone, the last seen being a small flock, ap- 

 parently all females, on May 3, 1902. 



Rynchophanes mccowni (Lawrence). McCown Longspur. 



Recorded by O. C. Poling as common at Fort Huachuca during 

 February and March (Ornithologist and Oologist, Vol. 15, 1890, 71). f 

 have never met with the species here myself. 



Pooecetes gramineus confinis Baird. Western Vesper Sparrow. 



The Western Vesper Sparrow is quite a common migrant in the 

 lowlands of this region, occurring as far up as the base of the mountains. 

 Near the Huachucas it was rather locally distributed, clinging in small 

 flocks to the same favorite localities as long as it remained in this region. 

 The earliest date at which any were seen was March 14, and they dis- 

 appeared soon after the middle of April. 



Ammodramus sandwichensis alaudinus (Bonaparte). Western Savanna 

 Sparrow., 

 Very rare. On March 29, 1902, I shot one on the plains a few miles 

 from the mountains, moulting so badly that I did not save it. This is 

 the only one I have seen in this region. 



Cotumiculus bairdi (Audubon). Baird Sparrow. 



This species proved to be exceedingly abundant in the spring, on 

 all parts of the plain below the Huachucas; even coming up into the 

 mouths of the canyons in places where the ground was open and free 

 from trees. Possibly a few remain through the winter as I took a speci- 

 men on February 17, 1903; but no more were seen until nearly the mid- 

 dle of March, when they became quite abundant, remaining so until the 

 end of April, when they rather abruptly disappeared, May 3, being the 

 latest date on which any were seen. I found them difficult to shoot at 

 all times, running through the grass and seldom taking wing when it 

 could be avoided ; and their colors harmonize so well with the surround- 

 ings that they were by no means easy to catch sight of. None were 

 observed singing at any time, nor were any seen in pairs ; they were not 

 at all gregarious, and though abundant, nearly all that were seen were 



