Mar., 1908 FROM FIELD AND STUDY 93 



The Red-wing-ed Blackbirds of Colorado. — Following the sug-g-estion of Prof. W. W. 

 Cooke of the U. S. Biological Siirvey, the writer undertook to collect a series of Agelaius thruout 

 the fall and early winter, for the purpose of ascertaining definitely what form occurred in the 

 vicinity of Denver during the winter. 



With the assistance of Mr. L,. J. Hersey of Denver, and Messrs Wm. and George Richards of 

 Littleton, twelve birds were secured, at intervals of about one week. These were forwarded to 

 the Survey and identified by Mr. Oberholser. Six of the birds were classed as A. p. fortis, 

 the prevalent breeding bird in this section, while the remaining six werejclassed as A. p. neutralis, 

 the Great Basin form. So far as I know neutralis has not been definitely recorded for Col- 

 orado before. 



The addition of neutralis to the Red-wings of Colorado, makes four forms of Agelaius 

 found within the State: the typical form {phceniceus) , fortis, arctolegus, and ?ieutralis. Just what 

 ranges, seasons, etc. , these different forms occupy can only be definitely determined by ex- 

 haustive field work, and should furnish a very interesting line of work to the field collectors of 

 the State. 



The following table does not seem to point to any positive conclusion, biit it is probable that 

 neutralis is generally found in this section after the bulk oi fortis has gone south. 

 No. Date Locality Collector Form 



1 



2 



Oct. 5 

 " 13 



Barr 

 Littleton 



Hersey 

 Richards 



fortis 

 neutralis 



3 



4 



" 20 

 " 30 



M 



<. 



fortis 



5 

 6 



Nov. 2 

 " 6 



Barr 

 Littleton 



Hersey 

 Richards 



* ' 



7 

 8 



" 12 

 " 20 



.< 



<< 



neutralis 



9 

 10 

 11 



" 27 



" 28 



Dec. 3 



Barr 

 Littleton 



Hersey 

 Richards 



fortis 

 neutralis 



12 



" 10 



" 



" 



" 



Littleton is located ten miles due south of Denver, while Barr is eighteen miles northeast. — 

 Robert B. RockwelIy, Denver, Colorado. 



A Death Struggle — ^January IS, while collecting at Newhall, California, I wounded a 

 Lewis Woodpecker. The bird was able to fly to another tree, and I noticed that some California 

 Woodpeckers in a nearby tree became very much excited. As the Lewis Woodpecker lit on the 

 tree trunk four California Woodpeckers attacked him evidently with the intent of driving him 

 off. The Lewis started for another tree but a California flew at him from in front, and they both 

 fell in the struggle that ensued. At this the other California Woodpeckers, which were joined by 

 a few more, set up a violent chattering and when I ran up, to my amazement I found that the 

 Lewis had hold of the California by the skull, two of its claws entering the latter's eyes and the 

 other two entering the skull in front and behind ! The Lewis Woodpecker was dead and the Cali- 

 fornia so nearly so that it died while I was removing the former's claws. — Howard W. 

 Wright, Pasade7ia, California. 



Albinism of Scaled Partridge. — A Scaled Partridge {Callipepla squamata) was brought 

 to me November 19, 1907, by an acquaintance, who had shot it in the San Pedro valley, a few 

 miles below Benson. The bird was an excellent example of semi-albinism. It was an adult 

 female and had the dark edgings of the feathers, that give the species the scaled appearance in 

 normal plumage, reduced to a minimum by a change of color. Most noticeable tho was the lack 

 of white streaks on each side of the back, so conspicuous in the ordinary bird. The crest also 

 was lighter than usual. 



Sometime in September of the same year, Mr. O. had casually mentioned to me about 

 wounding a "white quail," that he was unable to secure. This had slipped my mind, however; 

 so when he handed me the specimen in subject, and remarked that he thought he had bagged his 

 albino, it took me a few minutes to recall the incident An ulcerated condition of the forejoint 

 of one wing, apparent in preparing the skin, together with the fact that he had killed the bird in 

 the same locality as the one that had escaped, would lend substance to his opinion. — Austin PAur< 

 Smith, Benson, Arizona. 



