ORNITHOLOGICAL NOTES FROM THE WEST. 399 
other, the red-shafted, was only moderately common. Its evident 
habit here of sometimes breeding in banks, in the absence of suit- 
able trees, has already been mentioned.* The only owls noticed 
were the burrowing (Athene hypogvea), which in the absence of the 
prairie dogs lives in the holes of coyotes; and one specimen of 
the long-eared owl; the great horned owl is said to be of frequent 
‘occurrence, especially in the winter. The marsh hawk was abun- 
dant, and often seen swooping down over the marshes at the black- 
birds, but, generally unsuccessfully, the blackbirds rising in clouds 
before it with a heavy noise not unlike low distant thunder, soon to 
settle again in another part of the marsh. The pigeon hawk and 
the duck hawk were both frequent, the latter preying upon the water 
fowl. A ruddy duck, struck down and killed by one of these birds, 
Was added one day to our game bag and made a good specimen 
and the hawk narrowly escaped the same fate. The sparrow hawk, 
| however, was by far the most numerous of the Falconide ; thirty 
= Were seen in the air at one time near the mouth of Weber Canon, 
engaged in the capture of the “ hateful grasshopper ” (Caloptenus 
spretus Uhler), which everywhere filled the air, and which seems 
at this season to form the principal food of this and other birds. 
The red-tailed hawk, and the golden and white-headed eagle were 
more or less frequent, and the fish hawk is said to be a rather com- 
mon summer resident. The turkey vulture was also common. 
The Carolina dove was abundant, and is said to breed here, also, 
generally on the ground.¢ But few grouse were seen, though evi- 
dence was obtained of the presence of four species ;—the dusky 
and the ruffed grouse (Tetrao obscurus and Bonasa umbellus) in 
the. mountains, and the sage cock and the sharp-tailed on the 
Plains, specimens of the last two being obtained. The sage cock 
| ind the sharp-tailed grouse were formerly very abundant, but this 
: Feat we saw only about a dozen of each, and were informed that 
i 
t never was known to be so scarce here before. 
ra - S e plovers, the killdeer was the only one seen, and was 
hiai ngly abundant. About a dozen species of Scolopacide were 
oS "ad, of which the greater part were numerously represented. 
; Tne Journal, May, p. 274. i oh 
a Z C. Marsh has informed me that he “ can confirm my statement [in the May 
Colorado » }that the Carolina dove breeds on the ground. In Western Kansas an 7 
shag > he adds “I have often found the eggs, and young on the ground. Once 
Saa Who was covering a couple of very young birds on the ground,—not 
ss Sut in a small depression on the bare ground.” 
