128 
THE CONDOR 
VOL. V 
A List of Birds Observed in Cochise County, Arizona 
BY WILFRED H. OSGOOD 
F rom November i, 1894, to June i, 1895, I was located in Sulphur Spring 
Valley, near Willcox, Cochise County, Arizona. During this period of 
seven months I devoted as much time as could be spared from other duties 
to making a collection of the birds of the region. The following list is intended to 
give a condensed record of this work without attempting to detail special notes 
that were taken on the habits of many species and thus to render accessible what- 
ever may be of interest in connection with the study of geographic distribution, 
migration, dates of nesting, etc. My headquarters was at the stock ranch of Mr. 
Thomas Allaire, a cattleman and a cultured gentleman, to whom I am indebted for 
exceptional courtesies. The Allaire house is situated in a rather dreary place 
about ten miles south of Willcox; on one side is a dry alkali ‘lake’ seven miles 
long and three miles wide and with no vestige of vegetation on its surface; on the 
other side, toward the east, a scattered growth of low mesquite stretching away 
for miles presents an outlook a trifle more inviting. About the house and corrals 
are a few clumps of cottonwoods which attracted wandering flocks of birds on 
many occasions. The elevation of Sulphur Spring Valley is about 4500 feet, but 
conditions of considerable aridity prevail and in a general way the fauna and flora 
is that of a desert region. The only natural water supply in the valley is the 
small spring called Sulphur Spring about seven miles south of Allaire’s ranch. 
Several groups of low mountains are scattered along the sides of the valley and at 
either end are more .extensive chains, the Graham mountains on the north and the 
lofty Chiricahuas on the south. Most of my collecting was done within a radius 
of five miles from Allaire’s ranch, but occasional trips were made to Sulphur 
Springs and to the Dragoon and Chiricahua mountains. In the Dragoon moun- 
tains, which are about ten miles southwest of Allaire’s ranch, I spent some little 
time in Cochise canyon and in the Chiricahua mountains, I collected in Hunt 
Canyon a few miles from the post-office of Rucker. Except where other localities 
are mentioned, records of specimens or observations apply to Allaire’s ranch. 
Specimens were shot and preserved of all species included in the list, unless other- 
wise stated. 
Anas boschas. Mallard. Common at Sulphur Spring in March. 
Nettion carolinensis. Green-wing Teal. Taken at Sulphur Spring. 
Querquedula discors. Blue-wing Teal. A pair taken April 13 near Allaire’s 
ranch. 
Querquedula cyanoptera. Cinnamon Teal. The most common duck about the 
mud-holes during the winter; often taken at Sulphur Spring. 
Nycticorax nycticorax naevius. Black-crowned Night Heron. One specimen 
shot in the cottonwoods at the ranch May 14. 
Fulica americana. American Coot. A large flock was found at Sulphur 
Spring in the early part of March. 
Gallinago delicata, Wilson Snipe. Taken at Sulphur Spring in March and April. 
Numenius sp. Curlew. A curlew was seen near Willcox about November i. 
^gialitis vocifera. Killdeer. Quite common. A rancher’s boy told me that 
he had found its eggs. 
^gialitis montana. Mountain Plover. Large flocks were seen in December 
and January. 
