148 WOODPECKERS— FLYCATCHER— TITMICE— FINCHES— ORIOLE— SPARROWS, ETC. 



Texan Woodpecker. Arizona Woodpecker. Ladder-backed Wood- 

 pecker. Texan Sapsucker. (Picus scalaris.) 



Fig. 2. 



This southwestern species is met with from the Rocky Mountains 

 and its slopes, west to San Bernadino Mountains of California. 

 Dr. Cooper says they are abundant in the Colorado valley, and 

 sometimes seen in the bushes covering the neighboring mountains. 



Dr. Woodhouse says, during his stay in San Antonio, Texas, 

 and its vicinity, he became quite familiar with it. It was to be 

 seen at all times, flying from tree to tree, and lighting on the trunk 

 of the mesquites (algarobia) , closely searching for its insect-food. 

 In its habits and notes, he states, it much resembles the common 

 Hairy Woodpecker. See page 18. 



Buff-breasted Flycatcher, or Least Flycatcher. 



frons, var. pallesceus.) 



Fig. 3- 



{Mitrephorus fulvi- 



This species, which is comparatively new to our fauna, was taken 

 by Dr. Coues at Fort Whipple, at which place it is a rare summer 

 visitor. 



Gray-tufted Titmouse. California Titmouse. Plain, or Plain-crested 

 Titmouse. {Lophophanes inomafus.) 



Fig. 4. 



This Pacific coast species was first described by Dr. Gamble in 

 his Birds of California. Dr. Woodhouse met with it in the San 

 Francisco mountains, near the little Colorado river, New Mexico, 

 at which place he found it very abundant. Dr. Gamble first no- 

 ticed this species near Monterey, where he found it very common, 

 frequenting tall bushes in small flocks, searching branches of low 

 trees, uttering weak and slender cries, resembling tsee-day-day. 



According to Dr. Cooper, they seem to prefer the evergreen oak 

 groves toward the middle of the State, but are not found in the 

 higher Sierra Nevada. They are residents throughout the year 

 in the evergreen oaks near San Francisco. They are seen in 

 small parties, scattered about the trees, and calling to each other 

 with a variety of sweet and loud notes, some of which are said to 

 equal those of our best singers. It also has certain powers of im- 

 itation like the eastern crested species, and the same cry of peto- 

 peto. 



House Finch, or Linnet. 

 Finch. 



Burion. Crimson-fronted Finch. 



( Carpodacus frontalis?) 



Fig. 5- 



Adobe 



This is a very abundant species in the towns and gardens of 

 New Mexico, Arizona, and California, where, according to Dr. 

 Coues, it is as familiar as the European Sparrow has become in 

 many of our large eastern cities. Dr. Woodhouse says, that his 

 attention was first called to this interesting little songster while at 

 Santa Fe. It was there known to the American residents as the 

 4 'Adobe Finch." By the Mexicans they were called Bur tones. 

 He found them exceedingly tame, building about the dwellings, 

 churches, and other buildings, in every nook and corner, and even 

 entering the houses to pick up crumbs. They are never disturbed 

 by the inhabitants. He adds, that at the first dawn of the morning 

 they commence a very sweet and clear warble, which he was quite 

 unable to do justice to by any verbal description. 



Hooded Oriole. {Icterus cucullatus.) 



Fig. 6. 



This species extends its migrations from Mexico into Texas, at 

 the Rio Grande, and into Southern California and Arizona. On 

 the Rio Grande, where it rears its young, it was found quite com- 

 mon by Captain McCown. When met with in the woods, and far 

 away from the abodes of men, it seemed shy and disposed to con- 

 ceal itself. Yet a pair of these birds were his constant visitors, 

 morning and evening. They came to the vicinity of his quar- 

 ters, an unfinished building at Ringgold Barracks, and at last be- 

 came so tame and familiar that they would pass from some ebony 

 trees, that stood near by, to the porch, clinging to the shingles and 

 rafters, frequently in an inverted position, prying into the holes and 

 crevices, apparently in search of spiders and such insects as could 

 be found there. From this occupation they would occasionally 

 desist to watch his movements. He never could induce them to 

 partake of the food he offered them. Lieutenant Couch found 

 their nests generally on or under the tops of the palm known as 

 the Spanish bayonet. 



Black-chinned Sparrow. (Spizella atrigularts.) 

 Fig. 7. 



But little is known of this Mexican species, that is only occa- 

 sionally found within the limits and along the borders of the United 

 States. It was met with by Dr. Coues in the neighborhood of 

 Fort Whipple, Arizona. It arrives there in April, and departs in 

 small flocks in October. He says that in the spring it has a very 

 sweet and melodious song, far surpassing in power and melody the 

 notes of any other of this genus he has ever seen. 



Calliope Hummingbird. (Stellula calliope.) 

 Fig. 8. 



This interesting Hummingbird is comparatively new to our North 

 American fauna. It was first discovered by Signor Floresi. Mr. 

 J. K. Lord, one of the British Commissioners on the Northwest 

 Boundary Survey, was the first who brought it to the attention of 

 our ornithologists. It is met with in the mountains of Washington, 

 Oregon, California, to Northern Mexico. Mr. Lord says, around 

 the blossoms of the brilliant pink Ribes^ or flowering currant, he 

 found congregated quite a number of Hummingbirds. The bushes 

 seemed to him to literally gleam with their flashing colors, among 

 them the present species, one of the smallest of Hummingbirds, 

 and in life conspicuous for a frill of minute pinnated feathers, en- 

 circling the throat, of a delicate magenta tint, which can be raised 

 or depressed at will. He afterward ascertained that they prefer 

 rocky hillsides at great altitudes, where only pine trees, rock 

 plants, and an Alpine flora are found. He frequently shot these 

 birds above the line of perpetual snow. Their favorite resting- 

 place was on the extreme point of a dead pine tree, where, if un- 

 disturbed, they would sit for hours. The site chosen for a nest 

 was usually the branch of a young pine, where it was artfully con- 

 cealed amidst the fronds at the very end, and rocked like a cradle 

 by every passing breeze. 



Mountain Song Sparrow. (Melospiza melodia, va.r.fallax.) 



Fig. 9. 



Dr. Coues found this species a common and permanent resident 

 in Arizona, and he pronounces its habits, manners, and voice pre- 



