Dr. Coues on the Ornithology of a Prairie- Journey. 157 



generally in pairs, or in small troops of four or five. It breeds 

 during the months of November and December ; selecting some 

 shallow spout of a tree or log, and laying there four or five 

 oval white eggs, in length 11 to 12 lines, by 7 to 8 lines in 

 breadth. These are very much pointed at both ends, and 

 thickest in the middle. Some were forwarded to me taken at 

 Wellington, in November 1862, from a very shallow spout, at the 

 bottom of which was an old nest of the "Totara" {Petrceca 

 longipes. G. E. Gray, lac. cit. p. 223). It was overhung by the 

 long leaves of the grass-like plant before mentioned. 



XVI. — Ornithology of a Prairie- Journey, and Notes on the Birds 

 of Arizona. By Elliott Coues, M.D., United States' Army *. 



On the 23rd of April, 1864, I left Washington for the Rocky 

 Mountains, being desirous of taking an ornithological tour 

 through the West, and of spending some considerable time at 

 Fort Whipple in studying our western birds in the field. After 

 a long and exceedingly toilsome journey, devoid (as all journeys 

 beyond the precincts of steam must be) of every " creature com- 

 fort," but nevertheless exceedingly interesting and profitable to 

 nie in a scientific point of view, I arrived here in health and 

 safety. From Washington I went to Fort Leavenworth by steam, 

 thence to Santa Fe in New Mexico by mail-coach, and thence 

 to this place on horseback, travelling with the military com- 

 mand to which I was attached in my official capacity. This 

 Fort is, in round numbers, about 400 miles south-west of Santa 

 Fe ; and throughout the whole of the journey — about 2500 miles 

 — I have kept always on the alert, and, especially in the latter 



* Mr. Sclater has favoured us with this communication, which we are very 

 glad to receive, since Uttle has hitherto been known of the ornithological 

 features of the country through which the Author passed, or of that in which 

 he is now residing. His observations there will doubtless throw much light 

 on the distribution of the IN earctic Avifauna ; especially when taken in 

 connexion with the information that has resulted from the labours of other 

 workers in Mexico and in Central America, In our last Number we men- 

 tioned {supra, p. 117) Dr. Coues's departure for the new State of Arizona, 

 almost in the middle of the North Araei'ican Continent. 



