196 



Vol. IX 



SUMMER NOTES FROM AN ARIZONA CAMP 

 By AUSTIN PAUL SMITH 



WHETSTONE Mountains, Arizona, August 20, igoj.—This being a very 

 dry year and most of the Thrasher species enjoying aridity, I ascribe as a 

 reason for Toxostoma cm5a/e ranging up to 6000 feet in numbers, and even 

 breeding at that altitude, having found nestlings at 5500 feet in the latter part of 

 May. At Benson, Arizona, 3500 feet, full-fledged juveniles were found April 20, 

 and eggs May 2 and 3. But one Palmer Thrasher {Toxostoma cmvirostre -pahn- 

 eri) has ventured into the mountains, and this one really only into the foothills at 

 4000 feet. The Bendire Thrasher {Toxostoma Z'£';/(f/;r/)seems to have a defined 

 limit where the oaks begin. However, in the San Pedro River region, it is my 

 opinion that it outnumbers both its relatives. It may be germane to the subject to 

 note that two adults of T. bendirei, shot while leaving their nests containing eggs, 

 proved females. 



When I reached the mountains on May 6th, the Scott Oriole {Tderus i>arisoruni) 

 was to be seen or heard everywhere. A month later an occasional Arizona Hooded 

 Oriole {Icterus cucullatus nelsoni) was to be seen in the canyons; but not until 

 July 1, and the advent of the agave blossoms, was it prominent. Only one Bullock 

 Oriole {Icterus huUocki) has been noted up here, a female on July 2. On August 

 15 both nelsoni and parisorum were still abundant in the oak region. 



Of the Tanager trio, May 10 marked the first arrival of Piranga ludoviciana. 

 From that date until June 2, it was quite well, distributed, mostly above 5000 feet, 

 and in mixed flocks of Scott Orioles, Black-headed Grosbeaks andlvazuli Buntings. 

 They reappeared August 12, at 4500 feet elevation. Piranga 7'ubra cooperi never 

 came up higher than the outlying live oaks, and then but occasionally. Yet only 

 eight miles away in the San Pedro Valley it is in summer as common as the Ver- 

 million Flycatcher. Piranga hefatica was first observed May 17. All those seen 

 for the first month or more, in fact some taken in July, show very little red in the 

 males. They are evenly distributed over this range, quite as abundant at 4500 feet 

 as at 6500 feet. 



I have had the pleasure of observing four members of the Caprimulgidae about 

 my camp at 4500 feet. Western {Chordeiles virginianus henryi) and Texas 

 ( Chordeiles acutij)e)mis /'^A-£';/s/5)Nighthawks were both abundant at intervals, as were 

 also the VoorWi\\.{Phalcenoptilus nuttallii)a.u6L Stevens Whi^-^oor-W\\\{Antrostomus 

 vociferus maci'omystax. This last seems quite numerous, much more so than in 

 the Huachuca Mountains. Among the examples secured one 3 shows no trace of 

 buff on the throat. (No. 5451, elev. 4500 ft., June 26, 1907; E. 9.85, W. 6.43, T. 5.) 

 My Stevens Whip-poor-wills (4 in all) w^ere obtained near the same spot — a ravine 

 in which runs a narrow rivulet of water over a sandy bed. When the required 

 degree of darkness had arrived macromystax would come flying down from the 

 higher elevations and alight parallel with the stream, and by a queer lateral move- 

 ment of the neck, proceed to drink, often remaining in such a position several 

 minutes. 



In August a female Scaled Partridge ( Callii>el)la squaniata) was taken with 

 an Q.ZZ ready to be laid. However, at that date, almost full-grown birds are the 

 rule. Between 4000 and 4500 feet three species of Partridge may be found at 

 times. Callipepla sqaamata, Mearns Quail {Cyrtonyx montezunio' mearjisi), and 

 Gambel Partridge {Tophortyx ganibeli), and in wet years undoubtedly the Masked 

 Bobwhite {Colinus ridgzvayi). The latest record for this rare bird was in August, 



