May, 1893.] BIRDS OF THE DEATH VALLEY EXPEDITION. 



53 



several wore observed to alight in the same place every evening in a 

 dusty road under the spreading branches of a live-oak tree. 



Record of specimens collected of Phalcenoptilus nuttalli calif omieus. 



Col- 

 lector's 

 2s T o. 



Sex. 



Locality. 



Date. 



Collector. 



Eemarks. 



Kern River, Calif 



Twin Oaks, San Diego County, 

 Calif. ' 



July 8, 1891 

 July 10, 1891 



V. Bailey 



C. Hart Merriam. 



South Fork. 



Chordeiles virginianus henryi. Western Nighthawk. 



It is a source of great regret that specimens of nighthawks were not 

 secured at the various places where they were found by the members 

 of the expedition. This neglect makes it impossible to properly sepa- 

 rate the range of the present from that of the following sx>ecies in the 

 region under consideration. 



The only specimen of the western nighthawk secured was one col- 

 lected by the writer in Death Valley, at Furnace Creek, June 19. At 

 this place the nighthawks began to fly just after sunset and were very 

 common over the alfalfa fields at the ranch, Nighthawks supposed to 

 belong to this species were seen in Pahranagat Valley, Nevada, May 

 22-26, on Mount Magruder, Nevada, June 4-8, and in the High Sierra, 

 at Trout, Whitney, and Big Cottonwood meadows, during the summer 

 and autumn. 

 Chordeiles texensis. Texas Nighthawk. 



Fortunately, a larger number of specimens of this night-hawk was 

 taken than of the preceding species, though not enough to enable the 

 satisfactory mapping of its distribution in California and Nevada. 



The Texas nighthawk was a very common breeder in most parts of 

 Owens Valley, where it occurred as far north at least as Bishop. Around 

 Owens Lake and Lone Pine large numbers were observed every night, 

 and at the former place many were seen skimming close to the water 

 in pursuit of a small fly (Uphydra Mans), which was swarming on and 

 near the shore. 



The species was not uncommon along the South Fork of the Kern 

 Biver, where Mr. Bailey secured a specimen July 8, and at Bakersfield, 

 in the San Joaquin Valley, where several were seen and one secured 

 about the middle of the month. 



Dr. Merriam saw it during the breeding season in Oasis Valley and 

 Ash Meadows, Nev., and at other points in the Amargosa Desert, and 

 also in the Mohave Desert, in California. He saw one at Saratoga 

 Springs at the south end of Death Valley, April 26, and two at Besting 

 Springs in the Amargosa Desert, April 27. He found it common at the 

 mouth of Beaverdam Creek, Arizona, May 9, and secured two fresh eggs 

 at St. George, in the Lower Santa Clara Valley, Utah, May 13. Another 

 was shot in the Virgin Valley, near the eastern boundary of Nevada, 

 May 8. Nighthawks which probably belonged to this species were 

 seen in Pahrump and Vegas valleys, Nevada, and Saline Valley, Cali- 



