152 LIFE n I STORIES OF NOETH AMERICAN BIRDS. 



In the same bulletin (Vol. VII, 1882, p. 212) Mr. Brewster describes this 

 egg as follows: "The egg is white, with a dull gloss. At first sight it appears 

 to be immaculate, but a closer inspection reveals a few faint blotches of the 

 palest possible purple, so faint, indeed, that they might pass for superficial stains 

 were it not for the fact that they underlie the external polish The absence of 

 Avell-defined markings may probably be explained by the assumption that the 

 bird had laid one or more clutches earlier in the season, thus exhausting her 

 supply of coloring pigment. The specimen measures 1.17 by 0.87 inches (or 

 29.72 by 22.10 millimetres)." 



Mr. F. Stephens, in his notes on this subspecies sent to me, says: "The 

 locality where I found the egg was a gulch near the summit of the Chiricahua 

 Mountains, in a thick forest of yellow pine. The nest, if it can be called so, 

 Avas a slight depression scratched in the ground, under the edge of a bowlder. 

 Incubation was advanced. I do not agree with Mr. Brewster (to whom I pre- 

 sented the egg) in thinking that it Avas a second brood. My opinion is that this 

 species is a late breeder, as it is also a late migrant." 



Dr. A. K. Fisher met with Stephens's Whip-poor-will during the month of 

 June, 1894, and has giA^en me the folloAving notes: "The Whip-poor- Avill's note 

 was not heard at Fort Bowie, Arizona, during the last three Aveeks of May, 1894. 

 When Ave made camp at the mouth of Rucker Canyon, some forty miles south of 

 the Post, in the Chiricahua Motmtains, on the last day of the monlh, we heard a 

 few, and a couple of days later found the species abundant higher up in the 

 same canyon, among the pines (P. fonderosa). Here at early dusk_and at dawn 

 their notes Avere heard almost continuously, and numbers of birds Avere seen. 

 On June 5 Mr. Fred. Hall FoAvler fotmd a nest, if the slight depi'ession in the 

 ground can be so designated, on a steep side hill about 50 feet above the stream. 

 It was situated under an overhanging bush at the edge of a flat rock, and con- 

 tained t\vo young, recently hatched, and the fragments of egg' shells from Avhich 

 they had emerged. 



"At Fly Park (altitude about 10,000 feet) the species Avas A^ery much less 

 common, thougli a foAV Avere heard eA^er}^ night. While feeding they often alight 

 on a prominent rock or dead stub, from AAdiich they launch out after passing 

 insects and return to Avait for other prey." 



Its call note, although resembling that of the common Whip-poor-Avill, 

 is said to be harsher and louder. Lieut. H. C. Benson, Fourth CaA^alry, United 

 States Army, also met with it near Fort Huachuca, and shot a female there on 

 May 18, 1887, Avhich is noAv in the United States National Museum collection. 



Mr. W. W. Price Avrites me: "I distinctly heard the note of Stephens's 

 Whip-poor-will in the Graham Mountains, Arizona, at about 7,000 feet elcA^ation, 

 on July 19, 1894. I also have good reasons to believe the testimony of a Goa- 

 ernment packer, Avho says he has heard its cry in the White Mountains, north 

 of Fort Apache, in about latitude 34°." 



It appears to be pretty generally distributed throughout the higher moun- 

 tain ranges of southern Arizona, and undoubtedly breeds AvhereA^er found; its 



