190 The Wilson Bulletin — No. 85 



we unpacked our reference literature/ and the preliminary 

 thrills over, were ready for business. 



We found Tucson spread over a plain of about 2300 feet 

 altitude, arid and cactus grown, except near the river 

 (so-called!), and vicinity of artificial ponds and ditches. The 

 surrounding- mountains with their different zones of life from 

 base to summit, widened the field of exploration for us. The 

 city is in the lower Sonora zone. Creosote bushes abound in 

 every vacant lot in town as well as covering all the adjacent 

 country ; the smaller cacti flourish as well, while at a distance 

 are the mesquite groves, live oaks and giant cactus.^ 



The White-necked Ravens, as before, were the first birds to 

 attract attention ; ^ to an easterner they strike one as half a 

 crow in size and voice, though not in speed of flight, and as 

 they are protected by law, being valuable scavengers, are 

 abundant and tame. We looked in vain for their white necks, 

 but as the feathers of the neck are white at the base only, 

 this could not be seen except when the wind was blowing 

 hard. 



In the afternoon, when hunger has been satisfied, a dozen 

 or more go for a " social sail " high in the air. No trapeze 

 man in a parachute ever performed such amazing feats as 

 these jolly birds, chasing each other, dropping scores of feet 

 with closed wings, turning on their backs with feet up, and 

 even rolling completely over like a barrel, all the time laugh- 



^ Available literature necessary for the so.iouruer at Tucson : 



Handbook of Birds of tbe Western U. S.— Bailey. 



List of Southern Arizona Birds. — W. E. D. Scott and Herbert 

 Brown. Found in Introduction of the Handbook. 



Notes on the Birds of Pima Co., Arizona.— S. S. Visher. From 

 the Auk, Vol. 27, No. 3. July. 1910. 



File of the Condor, as complete as possible. Important specific 

 references are : 



Summer Birds of the Papago Indian Reservation, near Tucson, 

 by H. S. Swarth, Condor, Vol. 7, Nos. 1, 2 and 3. Jan.-June, 1905. 



Articles descriptive of Nesting Species, by F. C. Willard. 



= See Habitat Group of Desert Bird-life. 0pp. page 16S. Vol. 

 9, Bird-Lore. 



' This and the following four sketches reprinted from the New- 

 ton (Iowa) Daily Journal. March, 1912. The descriptions are 

 adapted from Bailey's Handbook. 



