206 Vol. X 



HUACHUCA NOTES 



By F. C. WIIXARD 



DURING a number of seasons spent collecting in the Huachuca Mountains, in 

 Cochise County, Arizona, I have noticed a great difference in the altitude at 

 which various species were to be found nesting on the eastern and the 

 western slopes. 



A description of the range may be desirable to understand the difference re- 

 ferred to. The main ridge extends from south-east to north-west. On the east a 

 flat mesa extends from the San Pedro river to the foot of the mountains, which rise 

 rather abruptly but uniformly from this point to the summit of the main ridge some 

 5000 feet higher up. The mean altitude of this ridge is 9000 feet. The average 

 distance is about seven miles by trail. Several lateral ridges extend toward the 

 east nearly to the mouths of the canyons and at a hight little less than that of the 

 main ridge. These laterals are the partition walls between a number of deep and 

 cliff-lined canyons. 



Going over the divide onto the western slope the whole character the 

 mountains changes. The descent is very abrupt for the first two miles, after which 

 it is gradual, ending in a number of low hills and rolling mesas, barren on the 

 ridges, wath a scattering growth of oaks on the slopes. There are no lateral ridges 

 of any hight on this side and the canyons are more shallow and more poorly 

 watered, with a growth of trees scanty in comparison with that of the eastern slope. 

 The growth for the first two miles down from the ridge is practically all scrub oak 

 brush so thick that it is impossible to walk thru without cutting a trail. This zone, 

 is very limited in bird life. Black-throated Gray Warblers nest here at 8000 feet, 

 while on the east they are not in any numbers over 7000 feet. Roadrunners nest 

 in these thickets and are practically unknown on the east above the foothills, alti- 

 tude 5000 feet. Arizona Juncos and Mountain Towhees complete the list of birds 

 nesting here but they are found also at the same altitude on the eastern slope and on 

 the summit. 



On top of the main ridge and on the high laterals on the east, Chestnut-backed 

 Bluebirds, Western Robins and Rocky Mountain Nuthatches nest. They are 

 absent from the eastern side but are even more common at 4000 feet on the west- 

 ern slope than on the summit. 



The Violet-green Swallow nests on the summit and down to 7000 feet on the 

 east. It does not nest at all on the west. The Lucy Warbler nests commonly up 

 to 4500 feet on the west, but I have no record of its nesting within eight miles of 

 the foothills on the San Pedro side. 



Plumbeous Vireos nest at 4000 feet on the west and not under 6000 feet on 

 the east. The Stephens Vireo is present in a few localities at about 6500 feet on 

 the east and is entirely absent from the west. 



The Brewer Sparrow nests at 4000 feet on the west and is entirel}^ absent on 

 the east. lyong-crested Ja3^s nest commonly at 6000 feet on the east but only a few 

 pairs on the west, and those right close to the ridgCj not lower than 7000 feet. 



Desert Sparrow Hawks are quite common on the west nesting in hollows in 

 the sycamores along the canyon bottoms. They also nest on the summits of the 

 ridges, but none at all in the canyons on the eastern side. 



Western Nighthawks nest on the flat mesas between the can3^ons on the 

 western slope but are rarely seen within several miles of the mountains on the 

 San Pedro side. 



