178 



PIPIT— WHIP-POOR- WILL— HUMMINGBIRD— WOODPECKER- KINGFISHER, ETC. 



near San Antonio, in Texas, where he saw it frequently, and al- 

 ways in company with the Vultures, which he says they greatly 

 resemble in their habits. 



Meadow Pipit. (^Anthus pratensis.') 

 Fig. 10. 



A place is given to this species among our North American birds, 

 on the ground that a straggler from Asia was obtained at St. 

 Michael's, Alaska. The specimen is in the Smithsonian Institute. 



NuttaH's Whip-poor-will or Poop-will. {Anthrostomus nuttalt,) 



Fig. ii. 



Audubon first mentioned th's species as obtained near the Rocky 

 Mountains. Nuttall observed it amidst the granite hills of the 

 sources of the Upper Platte River, called sea water, and from the 

 clefts of the rocks they were uttering at intervals a low, wailing cry, 

 in the manner of the Whip-poor-will, and sounding like the cry 

 of the young of that species, or p>e-cu. According to Allen : 



" NuttaH's Whip-poor-will was first met with on my western ex- 

 pedition at Topeka, Kansas, where it was by no means infrequent. 

 We often heard it at night near the outskirts of the city, and re- 

 peatedly met with it in the day time in the darker and denser por- 

 tions of the woodlands bordering on the Kaw River, reposing on 

 the ground, like the common Whip-poor-will of the Eastern States. 

 When flushed it passed rapidly, with a noiseless, skimming flight, 

 through the more open parts of the undergrowth, soon realighting 

 again on the ground. In the mountains of Colorado we again met 

 with it at a few points in great numbers, as high even as eight thou- 

 sand feet above the sea. At our camp of July 12th, on Turkey 

 Creek, just above the canon, scores were heard singing on the 

 neighboring slopes throughout the beautiful moon-light night, but our 

 pursuit of them was fruitless, as they could be seen only as they 

 flitted from point to point when disturbed. We afterward heard 

 them in considerable numbers at the Garden of the Gods, near Colo- 

 rado City, and found them very numerous in September at the mouth 

 of Ogden Canon, near Ogden City, in Utah. Here, as soon as 

 the dusk of the evening rendered it difficult to distinguish such 

 small objects with distinctness, the whole hill sides seemed to be 

 alive with the tantalizing abundance of these birds. Like the com- 

 mon Whip-poor-will of the East, they seem to sing at intervals 

 throughout the season, and at this date (September) appeared 

 fully as musical as during the breeding season. It lingers at its 

 summer home till the autumn is far advanced, as we found it at 

 Ogden as late as October 6th, quite far up the slope of the moun- 

 tains, in the midst of a driving snow-storm — the first of the season — 

 the snow having then already accumulated to the depth of several 

 inches." 



Allen's, op Green-backed California Hummingbird. (Selasphorus alleni.) 



Fig. 12. 



A new species, found by Mr. Allen in California. It arrives 

 from Mexico about the last of February, and repairs at once to the 

 mountains, where it feeds on the blossoms of the full-bloomed 

 manzanita. After mating, they retire to the lower valleys. Mr. 

 Allen found them in considerable numbers all winter in the gardens 

 about Los Angeles. 



Narrow-Fronted Woodpecker. {Melanerpes formicivorus, var. 



angustifrons.) 



Fig- 13- 



This is a variety of the typical species, represented on Plate 

 XC, fig. 6, page 135, obtained by John Xantus at Cape St. Lucas. 



Cabanis, Texas, or Green Kingfisher. ( Ceryle americana, var. cabanisi.) 



Fig. 14. 



The Rio Grande region of Texas, and southward, is the habitat 

 of this bird, which was first noticed by Captain McCown. It is 

 a smaller bird than its northern relative, the Belted Kingfisher, 

 represented on Plate XIX, fig. 2, page 20. Their habits are quite 

 similar. 



Ani, op Savannah Blackbird. (Crotophaga am.) 



Fig. 15. 



A common species, of the West India Islands, that occasionally 

 visits the south of Florida. 



Western Horned Lark. {Eremophila alpcstris, var. chrysolatma.) 



Fig. 16. 



This variety of the typical bird, represented on Plate LVI, fig. 

 4, page 82, is an inhabitant of Western North America, south into 

 Mexico. 



PLATE CXVIII. 



Alaskan Gray Jay; Dusky Canada Jay. (Perisoreus canadensis, var. 



obscurus.) 



Fig. I. 



A variety of the Canada Jay, represented on Plate LXVII, fig. 

 3, page 97, that is met from Alaska to California. According to 

 Mr. Lord, it is so familiar and confiding, and so fond of being 

 near the habitations of man, that the settlers never harm it. In 

 the cold weather he has seen it hop by the fire, ruffle up its feathers, 

 and warm itself, without the least fear, keeping a sharp lookout 

 for crumbs, and looking so beseechingly with its glittering gray 

 eyes that no one could refuse such an appeal for a stray morsel. 

 Dr. Cooper met with this variety at the mouth of the Columbia 

 River, in March, industriously seeking insects and seeds among 

 the spruce trees, occasionally whistling in a loud, melodious tone, 

 like that of the Cardinal Grosbeak. He also states that the notes 

 of this bird differ most from the other Jays in being clear and mu- 

 sical, and they sometimes show a considerable variety of song. 

 Its winters are passed in British Columbia and Vancouvers Island 



Paisano; Road Runner; Chaparral Cock; Ground Cuckoo; War- 

 bird; Medicine Bird. (Geococcyx calij vrnianus.) 



Fig. 2. 



This active Cuckoo is a resident of the Pacific States, thence 

 south into Mexico. It is considered the fleetest bird on foot con- 

 nected with North American "species, which accounts for the sport 

 it gives to parties, who often pursue it on horseback and with 

 hounds. It is most seen on the ground, at which time its move- 

 ments of the tail, which is borne in an erect position, assume a 

 variety of grotesque positions. Col. McCall, who published an 

 interesting account of this species, in 1847, states that the resista- 

 bility of the outer toe favors its use for climbing or perching, as 

 well as for movements on the ground. He also states that when 

 suddenly alarmed in open ground, it rises with a light, quick mo- 

 tion, and flies some hundreds of yards continuously with an ease 

 that attests its ability to maintain even a longer flight. Dr. Cooper 

 mentions its note as similar to the cooing noise of a dove. Its 

 food consists of insects. The nest is built on a bough, or in a 



