1912] Taylor: Birds and Reptiles of Northern Nevada. 421 



Habits. — One robin was seen scratching about like a fox 

 sparrow in the leaves near a log. In the higher parts of the 

 mountains robins perched as freely on rocks and boulders as on 

 pines and aspens. The species exhibits marked adaptability and 

 considerable independence of temperature limitations. 



Nearly all our habit notes have to do with nidification, as 

 practically every bird observed from May to August was caring 

 for eggs or young, or was singing. Robins were nesting May 11 

 in the poplars along the streets of Winnemucca. Nests were 

 noted in the sagebrush on Chimney Creek near Amos, and at 

 every locality from the willows along the Quinn River (4100 

 feet) to the limber pines (9000 feet) of the Pine Forest 

 Mountains. Nesting materials included dry straws of wild hay 

 and straw peelings, sticks, grass, bark and leaves. In every case 

 the nests were cemented together with mud. Dimensions of 

 nest cavity varied about the following figures, namely, diameter 

 98 mm. {SYg inches), depth 71 mm. (2i%6 inches). Nests were 

 found on the ground and at various heights up to six feet above 

 it, and were located in willow thickets, wild-rose bushes, sage- 

 brush, quaking aspens, poplars (at Big Creek Ranch) and 

 limber pines. The nests contained two to four eggs, with the 

 exception of one found June 20, in which were two youngsters 

 in natal down. Dates of finding of nests, significant in a general 

 way, are May 11 to June 29. The parent birds always became 

 much excited upon the examination of their homes, and remained 

 close at hand, often coming up to within a few feet of the 

 intruder. In every case but one, in which the bird betrayed its 

 agitation by excited action merely, the birds gave utterance to 

 many querulous call-notes. 



The first juvenal was observed on June 14 at Big Creek 

 Ranch. From then on young were very common. 



Sialia currucoides (Bechstein) 



Mountain Bluebird 



Distribution. — Noted only above 6700 feet, in Transition. 

 Habits. — Small flocks of four or more birds were frequently 

 observed perching motionless on convenient rocks on some hill- 



