Mar., 1909 
NOTES ON PARES RUFESCENS IN WESTERN WASHINGTON 
57 
covering the eggs until the full set is laid, so the collector is frequently at his wit’s 
end how to proceed. 
Apart from the egg collector, about the only destroyer of their homes is no 
other than the common black and yellow bumble bee. This insect has a veritable 
mania for living in holes in trees, and a chickadee nest appears to be the acme 
of its desires. It seems to like the nesting material and prefers the nest before the 
eggs are laid, but it will often drive the bird away from an incomplete set, pulling 
up most of the nesting and leaving the eggs underneath. 
Tacoma , Washington . 
OBSERVATIONS ON SOME BIRDS FOUND IN SOUTHERN MEXICO 
By AUSTIN PAUL SMITH 
UITE the most satisfactory region for study of bird life that I have as yet 
visited, is the little State of Morelos, situated in southern Mexico. Cuerna- 
vaca, the capital, is about fifty miles southwest of Mexico City, but owing 
to the rough nature of the country traversed the railroad counts seventy odd miles. 
Cuernavaca lies at an altitude of 5000 feet, in the Upper Sonoran Zone. The 
lands surrounding the city are almost entirely under cultivation, supporting various 
crops, but largely maize. Many kinds of tropical fruits are grown; and no adobe 
but what boasts an accompanying mango, or avocada. The only uncultivated 
spots are the barrancas, and rocky knolls. Sometimes these latter harbor abundant 
growth, in which the tree morning glory is, as a rule, the most arborescent 
member. The few barrancas to the east of the city are dry, except during the 
rainy months; several westward, however, contain water at all times — therefore, 
considerable vegetation and many birds. 
Pines come to within six miles of the city limits, thus allowing a transition 
zone of small extent and mostly consisting of the barrancas where the streams are 
perennial. 
As a beginning, I will name the commonest bird within and near the city. It 
is the House Finch of the Cuernavaca variety ( Carpodacus mexicanus rhodocol- 
pus) . Thousands roost in the rubber trees growing in the city plaza. During 
the day these same flocks resort to the cornfields and hedgerows outside of town. 
Often I pondered on how they found an adequate food supply, as the peon and 
Indian need to harvest to the last stalk to insure existence. Also among the feath- 
ered kind, the House Finch has serious competition, at least during the winter, 
when seed-eating birds are predominant. The food, tho, of this species is not en- 
tirely seed and grain: some birds were examined that showed evidence of exclu- 
sive diet of mango buds; and one day I came upon a 'pair flycatching in clumsy 
manner. A recent shower had ushered into existence quantities of lace-winged 
insects that haunted the tree tops, and appearing much like fluffs of cotton when 
floating in and about the branches, proved easy prey even to such novices. 
Two other species of finches were abundant as winter residents: Western 
Lark Sparrow ( Chondesles grammacus strigatus ) and Western Grasshopper Spar- 
row ( Coturniculus savannarum bimaculatus) . Both were about in numbers until 
April 15, and stragglers of each species were found ten days after that date. The 
Grasshopper Sparrow did not sulk in the manner so usual with it in our own coun- 
try. Certain of his kin there were tho, that believed in persistent retirement, 
notably Peuccea botterii ■ I never have been favored with the acquaintance of the 
