138 



TITMOUSE— SPARROW— CROSSBILL— WARBLER— OWL- BUNTING. 



as long as its own body, and it succeeded, after great exertion, in 

 disposing of the big mouthful." 



Yellow-headed Titmouse. Verdin. (Aurifarus JZaviceps.) 



Fig. 4. 



This species is an inhabitant of the valleys of Texas, Arizona, 

 New Mexico, South and Lower California. 



"I found numbers of this beautiful little bird," says Cooper, 

 «« at Fort Morgan, during the whole winter, frequenting the 

 thickets of Algarobia and other shrubs, and having habits rather 

 intermediate between the Titmia and Warblers, corresponding with 

 their intermediate form. They had something of the same song 

 as the Parus, and a loud call, generally uttered as they sat on a 

 high twig, besides a lisping triple note, like that of tsee-tu-tu. 

 The nest is usually built by forming a wall nearly spherical in 

 outline, out of the thorny twigs of the algorabia, then lining it with 

 softer twigs, leaves, down of plants, and feathers, covering the out- 

 side with thorns, until it becomes a mass as large as a man's head, 

 or 9x5.50 inches outside, the cavity 4.50x2.70, with an opening in 

 one side, just large enough for the bird to enter. The eggs num- 

 ber four, and are pale blue, with numerous small brown spots, 

 chiefly near the large end, though some had very few spots and 

 were much paler ; size 0.60x0.44 inch. 



Wollweber's Titmouse. Bridled Titmouse. (Lophophanes wollweberi.) 



Fig. 5- 



The habitat of this species is in the Southern Rocky Mountains 

 of New Mexico and Arizona, thence South into Mexico. Its habits 

 and characteristics are similar to those of its allies. It is readily 

 distinguished from all others of its genus by the variety of the colors 

 in its plumage. 



Black-throated Finch. Black-throated Sparrow. (JPoospiza bilineata.) 



Fig. 6. 



This species is to be met with in California, Texas, New Mexico 

 and Arizona. Cooper says : "On the barren, treeless, and water- 

 less mountains that border the Colorado valley, this was one of the 

 few birds enlivening the desolate prospect with their cheerful pres- 

 ence. They were nowhere numerous, but generally seen in pairs 

 or small parties hopping along the ground under the scanty shrub- 

 bery. In winter they descended to the hills near the Colorado, 

 when the males, perched on a low bush, sung short but lively ditties 

 toward spring." 



American Red Crossbill. Common Crossbill. Large-billed Crossbill. 



(Loxia curvirostra, var. mcxicana.*) 



Fig. 7. 



This species is a Mexican variety of our Common Red Cross- 

 bill, represented on Plate XXXVIII, figures 7 and 8, and de- 

 scribed on page 53.* It is a resident in the Sierra Nevada, of Cal- 

 ifornia, south along the Alpine regions of Mexico to Guatemala. 



Blaok-throated Gray Warbler. (Dendrceca nigrescens.) 



Fig. 8. 



This species is frequently to be met with along the Pacific Coast. 

 " On the twenty-third of May," Nuttall says, " I had the satisfac- 



* The striking difference between the two birds is in the Mexican variety having 

 the larger bill. 



tion of hearkening to the delicate but monotonous song of this bird, 

 as he busily and intently searched every leafy bough and expand- 

 ing bud for larvae and insects, in a spreading oak, from whence 

 he delivered his solitary note. Sometimes he remained a minute 

 or two stationary, but more generally continued in quest of prey. 

 His song, at short and regular intervals, seemed like t'shee, 'tshay, 

 'tshaitshee, varying the feeble sound but very little, and with the 

 concluding note somewhat slenderly and plantively raised." Ac- 

 cording to Townsend, it is abundant in the forests of the Columbia, 

 where it breeds, and remains until winter ; and that the nest is 

 formed externally of fibrous, green moss, and is generally placed 

 on the upper branches of the oak, suspended between two small 

 twigs. 



Whitney's Owl. (ftlicrathene whitneyi.) 

 Fig. 9. 



This singular little Owl is one of the most noteworthy and in- 

 teresting of the man}'- late additions to our knowledge of western 

 birds. Until recently, the last-noticed species (P}'gmy Owl) was 

 properly regarded as the smallest of its family in North America ; 

 but it somewhat surpasses Whitney's in size. The latter is not so 

 long as many of our Sparrows, being the least among our rapto- 

 rial birds, if not the smallest known Owl. It was discovered at 

 Fort Majoon, in i860, by Dr. J. G. Cooper, to whose exertions in 

 developing the zoology of the West we are so much indebted. We 

 learn from Dr. Cooper's account that it is an arboreal, not a terres- 

 trial, species ; is partly diurnal, and feeds upon insects. It is 

 probably a rare bird, to judge from its having remained so long 

 undetected. But Mr. A. J. Grayson lately found it on Socorro Is- 

 land, off the coast of Mexico, while several specimens have been 

 taken in Arizona, by Lieutenant C. Bendin and Mr. H. W. Hen- 

 shaw. The former found it breeding in the hollow of a mezquito 

 stump. 



Lark Bunting. White-winged Blackbird. (Calamosplza bicolor.) 



Fig. 10. 



The Lark Bunting is an abundant species, mostly met with on 

 the prairies, on the western plains to the Rocky Mountains, and 

 southward to Mexico. A striking circumstance connected with 

 this bird, is the seasonable change of plumage, which corresponds 

 very nearly to that of the Bobolink. Between the two, there is 

 quite a similarity in their coloration. 



It is stated that this change was first noticed by Mr. Allen, who 

 says, after the moulting season, the males assume the plumage of 

 the female, the change in color being similar to that of the males 

 of Dolichonyx oryzivora. The same writer also says : 



" The Lark Bunting, though of rather local distribution and 

 limited range, must be regarded as one of the most characteristic 

 and interesting birds of the plains. Generally, in the breeding 

 season, a number of pairs are found in the same vicinity ; while 

 again not an individual may be met with for many miles. At 

 other seasons, it is eminently gregarious, roving about in consider- 

 able flocks. In its song and the manner of its delivery, it much 

 resembles the Yellow-breasted Chat {Icterta virens), like that bird, 

 rising to a considerable distance in the air, and poising itself by a 

 peculiar flapping of the wings during its utterances, then abruptly 

 descending to the ground, to soon repeat the maneuver. It is a 

 very strong flyer, and seems to delight in the strongest gales, sing- 

 ing more at such times than in comparatively quiet weather. I 

 met with several colonies, not far from Fort Hays, in June and 

 July, and later at Cheyenne, Laramie, and in South Park, and in 

 the elevated, open table-lands, between South Park and Colorado 

 City. They were also frequent along the route from Colorado 

 City to Denver, sometimes considerable flocks being met with. 



