Jan., 1912 
BIRDS OF A MOHAVE DESERT OASIS 
35 
Ixobrychus exilis. Least Bittern. One caught August 7 in the oily pond near 
the railroad shops, its wings covered with crude oil. 
Ardea herodias herodias. Great Blue Heron. One could be seen on nearly 
every trip to the water hole throughout the year. 
Herodias egretta. Egret. A flock of three stopped for a few minutes May 2 at 
the small oily pond near the railroad shops. One, shot by an engineer and given to 
me, is now in the collection of Mr. A. B. Howell of Pasadena. 
Butorides virescens anthonyi. Anthony Green Heron. A few seen at the 
water hole during August and September and not again till April 5. 
Nycticorax nycticorax naevius. Black-crowned Night Heron. Several were 
seen during August and September, after which they left to re-appear April 5. 
Even in the town three or four would occasionally roost in the very small cotton- 
wood trees, a few feet from dwellings. 
Grus mexicana. Sandhill Crane. Four were seen in a small grain field Feb- 
ruary 28. They only stayed one day. A flock of twelve flew overhead March 17 
and three April 5. I spent nearly an hour stalking these four birds arid was within 
a few feet of shot gun range when they flew away alarmed by a horse with a bell on 
its neck running out of the brush. From their large size I took them to be Grus 
mexicana, rather than the smaller G. canadensis. 
Porzana Carolina. Sora. Resident; seen occasionally through the year. 
Fulica americana. Coot. Seven or eight always in evidence at the water hole, 
while at times as many as fifty were present. Breeds. 
Lobipes lobatus. Northern Phalarope. Seen only between August 20 and Sep- 
tember 10 when they were plentiful. Three secured August 28. 
Steganopus tricolor. Wilson Phalarope. A lone individual seen swrimming at 
the margin of the pond, June 10. 
Recurvirostra americana. Avocet. Four stayed at the pond during the inter- 
val between August 20 and 28. 
Himantopus mexicanus. Black-necked Stilt. About a dozen stayed along writh 
the Avocets. A lone bird was seen April 10. 
Gallinago delicata. Wilson Snipe. First seen October 22, and then commonly 
up to, and through, April. 
Macrorhamphus griseus scolopaceus. Long-billed Dowitcher. One seen and 
secured February 24. 
Pisobia minutilla. Least Sandpiper. Several observed in August; none seen 
again till February 28, when they became fairly numerous. 
Totanus melanoleucus. Greater Yellow-legs. Nine birds were seen, one each 
on October 19, February 21 and February 23, a pair March 20, three on April 5 and 
one on April 21. 
Actitis macularius. Spotted Sandpiper. Seen August 5 and October 11. 
After April 16 a dozen or more could be seen about the water hole every day. 
Oxyechus vociferus. Killdeer. Abundant resident, and I might say a great 
nuisance when hunting other birds. 
Lophortyx gambeli. Gambel Quail. Abundant resident. Very hard to secure, 
as their favorite haunts are the thick mesquites. 
Zenaidura macroura carolinensis. Mourning Dove. Abundant everywhere 
during August and September. After September they left and were not seen again 
till December 9, when a pair would be seen rarely around the water hole. After 
May 1 they became abundant again. 
Cathartes aura septentrionalis. Turkey Vulture. Occasionally seen circling 
around up to October 1. After that none were seen again till March 20. 
