Bird Notes from the South-west 191 



ing and chuckling — "cutting their teeth " — we called it, to 

 each other. 



When the sun strikes their glossy black plumage just right 

 it is turned to white satin for an instant. After they become 

 tired of their sport they descend for an evening lunch, and 

 finally all go to roost in the cottonwood trees growing on the 

 campus. A pretty picture, indeed, to see the setting sun 

 lighting up these huge, white-limbed trees, studded with their 

 families of black ghosts ! 



Next in interest to an Easterner come the Arizona Pyrrhu- 

 loxias. This peculiar name comes from the Greek and means 

 flame-colored. They are relatives of the eastern grosbeaks 

 and look like small parrots with their short, thick, yellow 

 bills and raised crests. The face, throat, breast, thighs and 

 lining of wings are a light rose red ; the other parts a mellow 

 gray color. Such a wonderful combination of colors, the ex- 

 quisite rose-colored shirt front lighting up the soft gray coat, 

 as the big yellow bill and raised crest thrown forward is seen 

 coming towards you through the green, lace-like leaves of a 

 creosote bush or pepper tree ! ^ 



Next come the little vermilion flycatchers,^ typical Mexican 



^Colored Illustration opp. page 241, Vol. 9, Bird-Lore, 

 birds, and real gems for color. They look just like the small 

 editions of the scarlet tanager, except for their crests ; and 

 they dart out from perches on the bushes to catch insects on 

 the wing, just as the phoebes do. Would that we could per- 

 suade them to migrate to the north, where we could enjoy 

 them occasionally, as we do the scarlet tanagers ^ and car- 

 dinals.* Scarlet, vermilion, cardinal, — what a display of 

 shades! Could you tell them apart? 



Of all the birds on our list the Roadrunner is doubtless the 

 most unique ; indeed, he is queer, and would certainly take 

 first prize in the freak class at the Arizona state fair. He is 

 about two feet in length, with a tail as long as his body, color 



^ See Illustration facing page 371, Handbook of Birds of Western 

 U. S.— Bailey. 

 'Colored Illustration opp. page 147, Vol. 8, Bird-Lore. 

 *Opp. pg. 39, Vol. 8, Bird-Lore. 



