176 TIIK CONDOR Vot. X 



classes this bird as resident and says, "While not as common as the Northern 

 Shrike it is found in limited numbers near Grand Junction. In the fall and early 

 spring- it has a voice not unlike the mockingbird tho not so varied. Grasshoppers 

 and occasionally even mice are seen hanging from the barbs of the wire fences, im- 

 paled by the shrikes. The bird seems to like human companions and nests in the 

 chico near some dwelling." Mr. Sullivan also classes it as resident but never very 

 plentiful, and says it breeds near Grand Junction. Mr. E. R. Warren writes, 

 "One or two seen September 26, and on October 4 several more seen between 

 Grand Junction and Palisades. The writer has seen the bird occasionally in Pla- 

 teau ^^alley during the summer, but never in the winter. 



Vireo gilvus swainsoni. Western Warbling Vireo. Summer resident, com- 

 mon. A rather late arrival in the spring, and goes at once into the well timbered 

 country, where it breeds late in June, mostly about 7500 feet, frequenting creek 

 bottoms and nesting in cottonwoods. A very inconspicuous bird and probably a 

 larger part of its occurrence is overlooked by observers in the field owing to its 



seclusive habits. 



[Vireo solitarius plumbeus. riuinlaeous \'ireo. A common summer resident thruout 

 the mountains of the State. Should thus be found in more or less abundance thruout eastern 

 ]\Iesa County.] 



Helminthophila virginiae. Virginia Warbler. Regarding this bird Miss Eggle- 

 ston writes, "Regular migrant, possibly occa.sionally breeding. These birds are so 

 quick in their movements, that they are hard to watch. They come when the 

 early trees leaf out and are quite common until the heat of summer drives them to 

 higher altitudes." Prof. Cooke states that "in western Colorado it is abundant in 

 migration and in many places is the most common warbler during the breeding 

 sea.son." Thus it is probably more or less abundant during the summer thruout 



the higher portions of the County. 



[Helminthophila celata lutescens. Liitescent Warbler. A not uncommon summer 

 resident thruout western Colorado. Undoubtedly occurs in more or less abundance thruout the 

 mountains of Mesa County, altho there are no deiinite records of its occurrence up to date.] 



Dendroica aestiva. Yellow Warbler. Summer resident, abundant. By far the 

 commonest breeding warbler thruout the County up to at least 7000 feet. Arrives 

 the first of May and breeds in June. Nests of this bird seem to be the favorite re- 

 ceptacle for eggs of the Cowbird. Much more common below 6500 feet than above. 

 Probably the Grand River bottom is the center of abundance of the species in the 

 County. Departs south early in September. Mr. Sullivan's extreme dates of ar- 

 rival and departure are April 28 and September 7. 



Dendroica auduboni. Audubon Warbler. Summer resident, common; in mi- 

 gration abundant. Strictly a bird of the higher altitudes during the breeding 

 season, when it frequents heavy coniferous timber from 8000 to 10,000 feet. Dur- 

 ing the fall migration especially it is very plentifttl thruout the lower part of the 

 County. Arrives early in May (May 7 is my earliest date), breeds thruout June 

 and July and the southward migration begins late in August, altho Mr. Warren has 

 seen it at Grand Junction as late as September 27. 



Dendroica nigrescens. Black-throated Gray Warbler. The only information 

 at hand regarding this species comes from Mr. Sullivan who says, "A single one 

 seen in front of my house May 12, 1904." This species should occur as commonly 

 in Mesa County as in anj^ county in the State, but is never plentiful an^^where 



within the State. 



[Dendroica townsendi. Townsend Warbler. Cooke says, "A western species coming- 

 east to the base of the foothills. Rather rare in summer, breeding from 5500 to 8000 feet in 

 western Colorado.] 



