Abert’s Towhee 395 
an example from near Boulder, shot March 15th, 1895, by H. 8. Reed. 
This is the most northern record. Others are Trinidad and Cafion 
City (Aiken), Pueblo (Beckham), Wet Mountains up to 10,000 feet 
(Lowe), Apishapa (Aiken collection), Las Animas, Bent co. (Smith), 
Gaume’s Ranche and Caddoa in November (Cary). 
Habits. —The Cafion Towhee is a terrestrial bird, 
delighting in dry, bare, rocky banks and arroyas; it 
is shy and difficult to observe. A pair noticed by the 
writer kept constantly near a barn-yard close to Colorado 
City all through the winter, and were frequently seen, 
but always made off at once into some thick oak-scrub 
close by. The nest has not been taken in Colorado, 
so far as I know, but Bendire (“ Auk,” VII., p. 22) gives 
a good account of their breeding habits in southern 
Arizona, where they are plentiful. The nest was placed 
not more than eight feet from the ground, usually io 
mesquite bush ; it was constructed of plant and grass 
stems and lined with fine material, or horsehair if avail- 
able ; it was usually deep. Two or even three broods 
are raised in the year. 
The eggs, usually three in number, are pearl-grey to 
bluish-white, spotted or blotched with a deep brown, 
almost black, the spots being generally connected with 
fine lines and scrolls. They measure ‘92 x ‘69. 
Abert’s Towhee. Pipilo aberti. 
A.O.U. Checklist no 592—Colorado Records—Henshaw 75, p. 306 
Cooke 97, p. 108 ; Gilman 07, p. 157. 
Description.—Male—General colour above greyish-brown, rather 
more dusky on the wings and tail ; lores and chin dusky-black ; below 
cinnamon-grey, becoming more cinnamon and less grey posteriorly, 
especially on the under tail-coverts ; a few dusky streaks on the throat. 
Bill greyish-brown, legs brown. Length 8-60; wing 3-60; tail 4-60 ; 
culmen -60; tarsus 1-1. 
The sexes are alike ; the young birds are paler and duller in colour, 
especially below, and have the breast indistinctly streaked with greyish 
or dusky. 
