Jan., 1908 



NORTHWESTERN COLORADO BIRD NOTES 



25 



They were 

 Spring, and 

 June 22, we 



at Yarmany 

 unusual rec- 



Seen at lower bridge, on Snake 



Seen at various places where the 



House Wren. The first one was 

 Seen at many places after that. 



81. Oroscoptes montanus. Sage Thrasher. Seen at Yampa. 

 common on the sagebrush plains about lyay, and thence to Douglas 

 from there to Meeker. Near the lower bridge over Snake River, on 

 found a nest with five eggs. 



82. Mimus polyglottos. Mockingbird. Frey shot one May 23, 

 Creek, near McCoy, altitude 6,800 feet. This seems to me rather an 

 ord for the bird. 



83. Galeoscoptes carolinensis. Catbird. 

 River, and at AUenton. 



84. Salpinctes obsoletus. Rock Wren, 

 country was suited to its habits. 



85. Troglodytes aedon aztecus. Western 

 seen May 18, near Sheephorn Pass, 8,200 feet. 

 At Steamboat Springs we had a most interesting experience with a pair. We 

 stopped at that place from the first until the tenth of June. On the morning of the 

 fourth I discovered a lot of twigs in the jockeybox of the wagon, which had been 

 left open over night, and 

 soon a wren appeared with 

 another stick and added it 

 to the collection. The 

 wagon stood about parallel 

 with and 12 feet from one 

 side of the tent, and about 

 midway between the front 

 end of the wagon and the 

 rear end of the tent was an 

 aspen tree. We nailed an 

 empty fruit can to the tree 

 in such fashion that there 

 was only a small entrance 

 hole. Then threw the 

 sticks out of the jockey - 

 box, closed it, and awaited 

 developments. The birds 

 came- back and investigated, and presently began to build in the can. They did 

 not utilize any of the stuff we had thrown out, but brought new. Once they, or 

 the female, threw everything out of the can, and began all over again. They 

 worked daily until we left, but seemed to do most of their work early in the morn- 

 ing. I often heard the male singing at daylight, apparently right over the tent. 

 When we left the can was full of sticks, but the birds were still working. As we 

 were suspicious characters the town marshal had been a daily visitor at our camp, 

 and on our departure we left the nest under his special charge, and he promised to 

 "make it hot for any kid who monkeyed with it." I have never heard if they 

 raised a family or not. 



86. Sitta carolinensis aculeata. Slender-billed Nuthatch. Seen only at 

 Douglas Spring, and on Tarryall Creek, but should be in other localities. 



87. Sitta pygmaea. Pigmy Nuthatch. Seen at Sulphur Spring; near McCoy; 

 at Douglas Spring; and near Florissant. Should be at other places we visited, but 

 we did not happen to see them. 



88. Parus inornatus griseus. Gray Titmouse. Frey saw a small flock at 

 Douglas Spring. 



HOUSE WREN ABOUT TO ENTER HER NEST 



