74 
THE CONDOR 
I VOL. V 
not put every bird on the list; something over one hundred varieties are supposed 
to nest in this vicinity and it is not necessary to make it so long. “Birds of a 
feather can be flocked together.” 
This is the result of work in the district from Denver to Cheyenne and west- 
ward to the foothills of the Rocky Mountains, a piece of country of an elevation 
ranging from 4000 to 5200 feet, crossed by many streams, and much of which is 
under high cultivation. Our weather in the spring is very uncertain. There is 
snow and frost often in the month of May, and the trees native to the country are 
not in full leaf until May 15. The settlement of the country has not changed the 
habits of the weather and therefore the birds have not changed their dates. 
From the foothills, westward, the altitude increases from 5200 feet to 9000 and 
more, in a traveling distance of thirty miles. One can therefore put in a good sea- 
son at the foothills until about Tune 15, and then in a day’s journey locate near 
timber line and obtain another fair season. There are numerous birds which nest 
both at the foothills and throughout the intervening country to the high altitudes, 
notably the bluebird, hummingbird, siskin, dipper, Lewis woodpecker. The dif- 
ference in date for the same species and at different locations is very noticeable. I 
have on hand much data for a high altitude list, but wish to strengthen it with 
more field work in those regions before publication. 
Since this is a list for oologists, will the critics please overlook my lack of the 
scientific in stating my bird. They will know wliich ones I mean, better perhaps 
than if I used the shifting nomenclature of the A. O. U. I also wish to keep out 
of trouble on the subspecies business. The list pertains to the dates of Jiesiing of 
certain species, and to be more exact in the hair-splitting is immaterial. 
If you will read the “A. O. U.” check-list somewhat, you will find that this 
identical strip of country has been used for the dividing line between the “Eastern” 
and “Western,” the “American” and the “desert” varieties on scores of birds, and 
therefore you had best keep out of the “committee room” yourself. There are 
dates for initial sets, resultant from spring migration and the regular order of na- 
ture. Second sets are accidental and irregular. 
March: \f golden eagle, 12, western horned owl. 
April: 15, Rocky Mountain screech owl; 22, short-eared owl,* American magpie. 
May: i, great blue heron, ferriginous roughleg,'' sparrow hawk, long-eared owl,'* 
desert horned lark"; 8, crow, killdeer, mallard duck; 15, pine siskin. Say 
phoebe; 22, western robin, burrowing owl, meadowlark, mountain bluebird," 
white-rumped shrike; 29, Brewer blackbird, yellow-headed blackbird, red- 
winged blackbird, cowbird, song sparrow,* mourning dove, red-shafted flicker, 
Forster tern,^’' black-crowned night heron, American bittern, mountain plover.* 
June: 5, western red-tail, coot, Swainson hawk, sage tlirasher, mockingbird, red- 
headed woodpecker, Lewis woodpecker, barn swallow, cliff swallow, rough- 
winged swallow, kingfisher, dipper, bobwhite, house wren, lark bunting; 12, 
kingbird, Arkansas kingbird, Cassin kingbird, black-headed grosbeak, avocet, 
vesper sparrow, Audubon warbler, yellow warbler, long-tailed chat, Bullock 
oriole, catbird, spurred towhee, broad-tailed hummingbird; 19, American 
eared grebe, cinnamon teal, ruddy duck, western night hawk. 
a. Figures refer to days of the month. 
b. I have but little data for this owl. 
c. Bear this date in mind, fully one month before the other hawks of the plains. 
d. May 4 is about right for this; May 8 is too late. 
e. The most unsatisfactory date on the list, for owing to snow and snakes, they nest and re-nest from April 20 
to August I. 
f. In bird boxes, etc., previously occupied they will nest two weeks earlier. 
g. By A. H. Felger, Denver. 
h. May 29, should be Decoration Day. 
