Nov., 1915 BIRDS OF THE TOWER COLORADO VALLEY IN CALIFORNIA 
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were almost completely developed, while those of the other side had but recently hurst 
the envelopes. 
Porzana Carolina. Sora. Quite abundant in suitable spots. In the heavy growth 
bordering a slough near our camp, numbers were seen, and one taken on the 14th. 
Chaemepelia passerina pallescens. Mexican Ground Dove. A sharp watch was 
kept for these birds during our stay, but it was not until we were on our way home, 
about two miles east of Fort Yuma, on the Imperial Valley road, that we encountered 
them. Twelve or fifteen were observed within a mile and a half, and two pairs secured. 
They were all feeding in the road, in little parties of two or three, and those shot con- 
tained many tiny black seeds, which had evidently fallen from a certain tall weed which 
thickly bordered the roadway. 
Speotyto cunicularia hypogaea. Burrowing Owl. A pair was noted on the 13th, 
well back from the river bottom. 
No Micropallas whitneyi (Elf Owl) was seen, although we examined fifty odd, likely- 
looking holes, all that were to be reached with the aid of a good ladder, on the 30th. 
Indubitable evidence of their recent presence was secured in the sahuaros, however, in 
the way of feathers, pellets and excrement. A number of the holes had been chopped out 
very recently, and whether the lack of owls was due to the industry of some collector 
that had preceded us, or to the possibility of the extremely cold weather having caused 
them to undertake a temporary visit to the southward, we are unable to say. 
Centurus uropygialis. Gila Woodpecker. This species proved to be quite abundant 
among the cottonwoods and willows of the bottoms. They were feeding almost exclus- 
ively on the berries of the mistletoe. These, however, never seemed to be completely 
digested, and when a bird was shot, it would void a quantity of sticky, green pulp and 
seeds, which was very hard to remove from the feathers. Almost without exception, 
we found the birds to be infested with numbers of a long slender tape-worm, in some in- 
stances, in almost sufficient quantities to clog the intestines. 
Colaptes chrysoides mearosi. Mearns Gilded Flicker. These were present in small 
numbers, but G. cafer collaris exceeded them in numbers, in the ratio of about fifteen to 
one. The latter form must be merely a winter visitant to the region, while the former 
is resident; but two birds were secured which showed all the characters of hybrids 
between the two. On the 27th we came upon two Colaptes that were going through elab- 
orate courting antics on a horizontal branch. Upon shooting these birds, we were much 
surprised to discover that the male was a Red-shafted and the female a Mearns Gilded. 
So-called hybrids between Sphyrapicus varius nuchalis and 8. ruber ruber have 
been taken in many parts of the west. An adult male which showed a blending of the 
characters of the two forms in about equal proportions, was secured on the 17th. 
Myiarchus cinerascens cinerascens. Ash-throated Flycatcher. We found, as Grin- 
nell surmises, that this species is a winter visitant to the region, and apparently a regu- 
lar one, for if such is not the case, this cold snap would assuredly have caused them to 
move farther south. They were not by any means abundant, but one was sure to be seen 
every two or three days, and several were collected. The cold nights, with temperatures 
well below freezing, must have greatly reduced their food supply. 
Empidonax griseus. Gray Flycatcher. A female and two males of this form were 
taken, and two other birds seen, which would indicate that the species winters here. 
On the cultivated fields of the lowlands we encountered mixed flocks of female 
Otocoris alpestris pallida and 0. a. leucolaema. Among the scores seen, we searched 
carefully for males, but not one was noted. On the mesa lands well back from the river, 
however, we found only pallida, and although a score or so were seen and several taken, 
no females were observed. 
Agelaius phoeniceus sonoriensis. Sonora Red-wing. Small flocks were frequently 
seen during our stay, and a number of specimens taken, all of which were crammed to 
the bill with kaffir corn seeds. Well over a hundred birds were observed close enough 
to distinguish between the sexes, and of these, but two were males. Near the Chirica- 
hua Mountains, Arizona, Mr. van Rcssem found a similar state of affairs last winter, as 
regards red-wings. Flocks of hundreds were seen almost daily for a while, but as far 
as he was aware, there was not a male in the vicinity. 
Spizella breweri. Brewer Sparrow. This species winters abundantly in certain 
parts of the Imperial Valley, but they are evidently not so partial to the valley of the 
