May, 1893.] BIRDS OF THE DEATH VALLEY EXPEDITION. 35 



Circus hudsonius. Marsh Hawk. 



Wherever there was sufficient water to form considerable areas of 

 marsh land, the marsh hawk was pretty ceitain to be observed. An 

 adult male was secured at Furnace Greek in Death Valley, January 29; 

 several were seen at Besting Springs in February ; and the species was 

 not uncommon at Ash Meadows, Nevada, in March. 



In Nevada Mr. Nelson found it common in Pahrump and Yegas valleys 

 in February and March, especially about the ranch in the former place, 

 and Mr. Stephens reported an unusual preponderance of birds in the 

 blue plumage in Oasis Valley about the middle of March. Dr. Mer- 

 riam saw one in Oasis Valley, June 1; both blue and red birds at Ash 

 Meadows, May 30, and in Pahranagat Valley May 22-26; he shot a male 

 in Meadow Greek Valley May 19, and saw several in the Lower Muddy 

 and Virgin valleys May 6-8. 



In California marsh hawks were common in a number of places through- 

 out Owens Valley in winter as well as during the breeding season, and 

 were doubtless attracted by the vast number of meadow mice (Arvicolce) 

 which swarm through the wet meadows and marshes. 



Marsh hawks were common along the South Fork of Kern Biver, 

 where they were seen often through the day skimming over the alfalfa 

 fields and marshes, and in the High Sierra a few were seen at Whitney 

 and Big Cottonwood meadows. At the west end of the Mohave Desert 

 Dr. Merriam saw one near Gorman ranch, June 28; Mr. Bailey found it 

 at Monterey in September, and Mr. Nelson reported it as common in the 

 San Joaquin Valley and around Carpenteria later in the fall. 



Accipiter velox. Sharp-shinned Hawk. 



We found this species nowhere as common as it is in most of the 

 Eastern States; the total number seen by members of the party, both 

 during migration and in the breeding season, being less than could be 

 seen in southern New York on any day in early September. 



The writer saw two at the ranch at Furnace Creek, Death Valley, in 

 the latter part of January; Mr. Nelson observed one at Bennett Wells 

 in the same valley about the same time; and Dr. Merriam saw two at 

 the former place, April 11. The species was seen at Besting Springs, 

 California, the first week in February. In Nevada it was observed at 

 Ash Meadows early in March; Mr. Nelson saw several and killed one at 

 the ranch in Pahrump Valley February 12-28; and saw it among the 

 mesquite thickets on his route from Ash Meadows to the Bend of the Col- 

 orado, March 3-16. Dr. Merriam saw one at Vegas Wash May 2; one 

 at the Bend of the Golorado Biver, Nevada, May 4; one at the west 

 side of the Beaver dam Mountains, Utah, May 10. 



In California he saw one in Owens Valley about the middle of June, 

 and one in Kern Valley, June 22. At Hot Springs, in Panamint Val- 

 ley, Mr. Nelson shot a specimen early in January, and Dr. Merriam saw 

 two during his stay, April 19-21; one in Emigrant Cauon ? in the 



