1877.] 137 [Bendire. 



Their strength is wonderful, and I have had several excellent oppor- 

 tunities to test this to my perfect satisfaction. The old birds did not 

 reoccupy the nest, but built a new one about a mile from the old site 

 on a large pine and inaccessible. They are generally seen hunting 

 in pairs in the early spring, chasing ducks, geese and sagehens, and 

 mostly successfully. I came within a few feet of one gorging itself 

 on a yellow-footed marmot it had just captured; several magpies 

 were watching their chances to steal morsels of the animal from him, 

 and this occupied his attention so much that he did not notice my 

 approach. They are very shy and wary, taking good care to keep 

 out of gunshot. My birds when young often drank water, and I 

 have no doubt but what they use it now. Their appetite is enormous, 

 and as they have been always well fed, this may account for their 

 large size. Their usual notes are kee kee kee and kidh Hah, fre- 

 quently repeated. The latter they seem to use when anything dis- 

 turbs them. In this vicinity they commence breeding about April 1. 

 In the John Day Kiver valley they are said to carry off young lambs. 



121. Haliaetus leueocephalus (Linn.). Bald Eagle. 



Not nearly so common as the preceding. I obtained a single spec- 

 imen Feb. 18, 1875, which was nearly starved to death. A pair 

 breeds on Silvies River, and are the only ones I have seen here. 



122. Rhinogryphus aura (Linn.). Turkey Buzzard. 

 Moderately common during the summer months and breeding in 



this vicinity. They arrive here early in April, and I saw one the 

 27th of Nov., 1875, after a fall of snow. 



123. Zenaidura carolinensis (Bonap.). Common Dove. 

 An abundant summer resident, arriving about May 1, breeding 



both on trees and on the ground. In this latitude they rear but a 

 single brood a season, while in Arizona I found fresh eggs of this 

 species as late as Sept. 14. 



124. Ganace obscurus (Say). Dusky or Blue Grouse. 



A common resident throughout the mountains. We have two vari- 

 eties, fuligmosus and richardsoni, the former being the most abundant. 

 They seem to prefer the more open forests to the dense timbered sec- 

 tions, and while the young are small they frequent the creek bottoms 

 and open side hills almost exclusively. At such times I have found 

 them twenty miles from timber of any size. After pairing, the males 

 separate from the hens, and are frequently found in small coveys, 



X I have been told that the Colurnba fasciata (Say) is not rare in the John Day 

 Eiver Valley, Oregon, but I have not seen any. 



