ORNITHOLOGICAL NOTES FROM THE WEST. 
BY J. A. ALLEN. 
Ill. NOTES ON THE BIRDS OF THE GREAT SALT LAKE VALLEY. 
ERPE 
We arrived at Ogden, Utah, September 1st, and spent the fol- 
lowing five weeks ornithologizing in the northeastern portion of 
the Great Salt Lake Valley. Although the vicinity of Ogden was 
the principal field of our operations, we made several excursions 
to the neighborhood of Salt Lake City, and to different points 
along the eastern shore of the lake. During this time we collec : 
or observed nearly one hundred and forty species of hirds, indi- 
cating for this locality a comparatively rich avian fauna. From 
the lateness of the season several of the summer birds had already 
migrated southward, among these Bullock’s oriole and the white 
pelican. The latter, from its great abundance in summer, forms 
an interesting feature of the ornithology of the Great Salt Lake 
alley. Other species were daily arriving from the mountains oF 
from more northern districts. ee 
The country about Ogden presents unusually varied conditions 
of locality and climate. The Wahsatch Mountains rise abruptly 
near the eastern shore of the lake, and some of the peaks are, adios 
in summer, dotted with fields of snow. The broad expanse of 
water formed by the lake is bordered at intervals with extensive 
marshes, between which and the mountains stretches & broad 
plain. The willows and cottonwoods that fringe the rivers T 
erly constituted the only arborescent vegetation in the valley," 
now extensive orchards and the numerous trees planted for sh 
and ornament furnish more favorable haunts for various hasnt 
birds, which are every year increasing in number. While mee | 
valley the summer is almost tropical, a journey of a few 
may take one to the alpine region of the mountains ;— eer 
burning sands of the arid plain to fields of perpetual snow- z 
is thus as great a variety of localities and climate as Can be ‘ 
found in so limited an area. as vey 7 
The heat throughout the month of September was me me : 
oppressive, the temperature being that of a New Engl 
and no rain, it is said, had fallen for nearly four months. 
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