Birds ot Yakima County, Washington. 61 



nary, a working basis for future investigation, and necessa- 

 rily incomplete as yet because of the immense territory to 

 be covered: 



1. Sterna hirundo. Common Tern.— A solitary bird was seen at 

 Union Gap August 19, 1899. 



2. Merganser serrator. Red-breasted Merganser.— Some sixteen 

 years ago I caught a bird asleep beside a pool of the Ahtanum 

 creek. 



3. Lophodytes cucullatus. Hooded Merganser.— One shot on Min- 

 ner's pond. Others reported. 



4. Anas boschas. Mallard. The common duck. — Breeds. 



5. Nettion carolinensis Green-winged Teal.— Fairly common. 



6. Querquedula cyanoptera. Cinnamon Teal.— Two records. 



7. Erismatura jamatcensis. Ruddy Duck. — One record, Minner's 

 pond, October 26, 1899. 



8. Branta canadensis occicfentalts. White-cheeked Goose. — The 

 common goose. Breeds sparingly. 



9. Ardea herodias. Great Blue Heron.— Not common. 



10. Grus mexicana. Sandhill Crane.— Not common except dur- 

 ing migrations. A single bird was once observed wading in a 

 shallow of the Yakima river. The bird behaved as awkwardly as 

 a sore-footed Tommy Atkins, and once he actually fell into the 

 water. 



11. Rallus virginianus Virginia Rail. — This bird and the next 

 are to be found in any considerable tule swamp. 



12. Porzana Carolina. Sora. 



13. Gallinago delicata. Wilson's Snipe. -Common. Resident. 



14. Tringa fcaridii. Baird's Sandpiper. — An extensive tour of the 

 country during the month of August developed the presence of 

 multitudes of these birds. Singly or in small groups they fre- 

 quent every wayside plash and overflowing irrigating ditch. 



15. Tringa minutilla. Least Sandpiper.— A single flock once 

 swept over the demesne, piping loudly. 



16. Totanus melanoleucus. Greater Yellow-legs. — By the side of 

 a farm-yard pond I once watched a bird which seemed rather to 

 enjoy company so long as you didn't actually step on him. With 

 immaculate under-garments rolled tightly above each knee, he 

 would adventure to wade around you rather than to fly out of 

 your way. 



17. Actitis macularia. Spotted Sandpiper. — Regular but not com- 

 mon. 



18. Numenios longirostris. Long- billed Curlew.— Not uncommon. 

 Breeds. 



19. Aegialitis vocifera. Killdeer. — Common. 



20. Canachites franklinii. Franklin's Grouse. — The "Blue Grouse" 

 is the common bird of the lower mountain ranges. 



21. Bonasa umbellus togata. Canadian Ruffed Grouse.— Of re- 



