Nov., 1916 
RESULTS OF A WINTER’S OBSERVATIONS IN ARIZONA 
213 
everything I could find concerning this last species before I left home, and 
made an especial search for it in its favorite haunts. In habits it is supposed 
to be very similar to the Western Chipping Sparrow, the two species often occur- 
ring in the same flock, and it is supposed to be resident wherever found. How- 
ever, it was in vain that I searched for hours over the identical hills where many 
nests are said to have been taken in former years. Collectors who have done 
recent work in this locality, have either never met with the Rufous-winged Spar- 
row, or have seen only an occasional individual. It seems that the species must 
have become exceedingly rare here during the past few years, or that those who 
reported it as common were laboring under a wrong impression. 
A large and interesting series of song sparrows was obtained, montana out- 
numbering fallax about two to one. On December 22 I flushed four sparrows 
from some weeds, while hunting for song sparrows, and instantly realized, as 
they flew to a tree, that they were something good. As they were wild, I could 
secure but one, which proved to be a Swamp Sparrow ( Melospiza georgiana) . 
As far as I can learn, this is the first record for the species west of Texas. 
Swarth (Pac. Coast Avif. no. 10, 1914, p. 60) speaks of the Arizona Cardinal 
( Cardinalis c. superbus ) as “probably” resident, and such must surely be the 
case, for I found it quite common in suitable places, though shy. During the 
winter it is seldom found on the floor of the valley, but prefers the mouths 
of the canyons and the widely-scattered ranches below the foothills, where it may 
be found in pairs or small parties, sometimes in company with Pyrrhuloxias. 
During March the Cardinals begin to invade the lowlands, and then occur about 
the ranch corrals. F. C. Willard informs me, however, that they return to the 
foothills to breed. That most interesting bird, the Arizona Pyrrhuloxia ( Pyrr - 
huloxia s. sinuata) was met in larger numbers than the last, small bands being 
often encountered both in the bottoms and at the foothill ranches. Sometimes 
they were quite tame, and at others, exceedingly shy. 
On February 9, I was very much surprised to see a Painted Redstart ( Seto - 
pliaga picta) at an altitude of 3700 feet in the Catalinas. There is no possibility 
of mistake, as I am familiar with the bird in life, and it permitted an approach 
sufficiently close for me to shoot it with the auxiliary. Unfortunately, however, 
the bird rolled down a high bank and into a swift stream, by which it was car- 
ried away before I could get to it. Undoubtedly, this species does not winter 
on its nesting grounds, even in small numbers, but it is worth noting that it is 
more hardy than most of the other warblers which we are accustomed to associ- 
ate almost exclusively with Arizona, as it remains in the mountains in consider- 
able numbers throughout September, when all but a very attenuated rear guard 
of the others have left for the south. 
I feel sure that the prevailing impression is erroneous which regards the 
Bendire Thrasher ( Toxostoma bendirei) as a permanent resident of this locality. 
The section between Tucson and Fort Lowell is a favorite place to collect eggs of 
the species, but, although I kept careful watch, I saw only one bird (February 1) 
until March 17, when I secured another, and after which I saw two or three 
more. F. C. Willard offers evidence corroborative of this view, as he tells me 
that the species occurs at Tombstone, the elevation of which is about twice that of 
Tucson, only during the winter. Palmer Thrashers ( Toxostoma c. palmeri ) ai’e 
most abundant, and breed very early indeed, several nests of young being found 
the latter part of February. I was considerably surprised at the actions of the 
hordes of Cactus Wrens ( Heleodytes b. coucsi ) during the cold weather. In- 
