J^o. 2.] HOFFMAN ON THE BIRDS OF NEVADA. 221 



more especially throughout the western portion of the State, near Pyra- 

 mid Lake, Carson City, &c. They are not very gregarious during the 

 breeding season, and but few are found together at any iiarticular local- 

 ity at that time, though later in the season they have been found in 

 large flocks, probably preparatory to migration. Dr. Cooper thinks 

 this species is to some extent a constant resident in California, a few 

 wintering in the extreme southern portion. 



Tachycineta thalassina (Swains.) Caban. — ^Yiolet-green Swallow. 



This species is reported from Pyramid Lake and the East Humboldt 

 Mountains, where Mr. Eidgway found it abundant, and frequented the 

 cliffs of calcareous tufa, where they were observed to enter the fissures 

 of the rock to their nests within. 



Cotile riparia (Linn.) Boie. — Bank Swallow. 



Noted by Mr. Eidgway as rather abundant at Truckee Eeservation in 

 May. Found at Provo, Utah, by Mr. Henshaw. This species appears 

 to associate with the Eough-winged Swallow {Stelgidopteryx serripennis), 

 its habits being similar, though it is found less abundant. 



Stelgidopteryx serripennis (Aud.) Baird. — Eough-winged Swallow. 



Dr. Cooper found this species as early as February 27, and Mr. Eidg- 

 way observed it in April at Carson City, where it was the most abundant 

 species of the family. I noticed these birds also along the banks of the 

 Humboldt Eiver, north of Battle Mountain, during the last days of 

 May, where they are probably summer residents. They build in bur- 

 rows in the sandy banks, the openings leading to the nests being from 

 one to two feet below the upper edge of the bank, similar in this respect 

 to those of the preceding species. 



TANAGEID^. 



Pyranga ludoviciana (Wils.) Bp. — Western Tanager. 



Found rather common in the timbered areas along the water-cours-es 

 during the month of June, though later was found in the wooded re- 

 gions of the interior. Mr. Eidgway states that the note of the young 

 is like the complaining call of the Eastern Blue-bird [Sialia sialis), but 

 louder ; on the contrary, the song of the adult is scarcely distinguish- 

 able from that of our P. rubra. 



Pyranga cestiva cooperi Eidg. — Cooper's Tanager. 



This beautiful bird is reported as quite common in the Colorado Val- 

 ley, at Fort Mojave. Although resembling to some extent our Eastern 

 P. oistiva^ in which the head above is more dusky like the back, the same 

 region in cooperi is similar to the red of the throat, readily furnishing 

 the means of identification. 



Singular as it may seem, the call-note of this bird, according to Dr. 



