Brewer.] 110 [May 21, 



Pipilo mesoleucus. 



One nest of this species was found August 2d, another September 

 4th, 1872. They were both built in mesquite trees, and were at least 

 six feet from the ground. The position of the nest is peculiar in one 

 of this family, which is almost always to be found on the ground, and 

 the eggs are much more aberrant in their peculiarities, differing in a 

 very marked manner from those of all other species of Pipilo, and 

 having much greater affinities with the eggs of the stumellce, especially 

 with those of the South American militaris. The eggs of one set 

 measure one inch in length by .73 of an inch in breadth, have a 

 bright white ground, in which there is just a touch of bluish, and are 

 boldly plashed, especially around the larger end, with distinct deep 

 dashes of reddish and purplish brown. A few of these blotches are 

 scattered irregularly over the entire egg, but the greater portion are 

 grouped around the more obtuse ends. The eggs are oval in shape, 

 with both ends rounded, but one is smaller than the other. In the 

 other set the eggs are more nearly spherical, and with less difference 

 between the two ends; the ground color is more distinctly white, the 

 spots of reddish brown are finer and more concentrated around the 

 larger end, and the faint markings of purple are much more numer- 

 ous. These measure .90 by .74 of an inch. 



Pipilo afoerti. 



This species of Pipilo was also found by Capt. Bendire breeding, 

 not on the ground, but in trees and bushes at the height of several 

 feet. One nest v/as found July 28th, in a small ash tree; another 

 was found on the same day in a willow, and eight feet from the 

 ground. They bear a very close resemblance to the eggs of Pipilo 

 fuscus, and to those of P. albigula, having a ground color of a very 

 light blue, marked almost exclusively around the larger end with a 

 wreath of irregular dashes of dark purplish brow r n. They are of a 

 rounded oval shape, obtuse at one end, and vary in length from .9 7 

 of an inch to .88, and in breadth from .76 to .75. 



Lophortyx gambelli. 



This bird was found breeding by Capt. Bendire, in the vicinity of 

 Reledo Creek, Arizona, and in some instances nesting in situations 

 above the ground. One nest, found June 7th, 1872, containing three 

 fresh eggs, was placed two feet above the ground, on a willow stump, 

 and in an exposed place near the creek. The nest was composed of 

 the leaves of the cotton-wood tree. In some instances he found as 

 many as eighteen eggs in a nest. The eggs closely resemble those of 



