Jan., 1910 
SOME CENTRAL COLORADO 111 RD NOTES 
25 
a dry gulch, but there were either springs in it, or else an intermittent stream of 
water, for we kept coming to water here and there. Not many birds are seen in 
such localities by a person driving along the road, though we did see many Mourn- 
ing Doves. From the gulch we came out on the divide between it and Texas Creek, 
and went down to the latter stream, reaching it somewhere between Rito and Hill- 
side stations, and, driving up a short distance, made camp under a high granite bluff, 
which, though not very desirable, seemed the only available spot. The next day 
we almost immediately left the Texas Creek watershed, crossing another divide (an 
easy thing to find in Colorado), and returned to the Arkansas at Cotopaxi. Here I 
telephoned J. W. Frey, who had accompanied me on my trip through northwestern 
Colorado two years ago, and who lived at Salida, to come down to Howard on the 
train and camp with me for a day or two, which he promply agreed to do. 
We drove the twelve miles to Howard just in time to see the train pull in, and 
there were John and Carlo, another partner of two years ago, when a ranchman at 
Yampa gave him to us. This was on the ninth. We spent the whole of the next 
day at Howard doing some trapping and bird collecting. The wdiole region through 
-which we had lately traveled was rather similar, largely low hills, or perhaps one 
could call it a rolling mesa country, when away from the river bottom, and with 
the usual piiions and cedars found at this altitude, and a certain amount of yellow 
pine. One usually finds more or less loose rock at the bases of the hills which 
border either side of the stream valleys, if indeed he does not find low bluffs and 
ledges of the rock outcropping. These are good places for mice and rats, and such 
small deer, and are among my favorite trapping grounds. There were some of the 
low tree cactus at Howard, but that is nearly its western limit in the Arkansas 
Valley; I regret to say that I did not take notice just where the last was seen the 
next day when we went on up to Salida. Along the river were cottonwoods, and 
some other deciduous trees. 
On the 11th we drove up to Salida and camped in Frey’s back yard, turning 
the mules loose to crop his lawn for him, a very convenient arrangement. I must 
say those mules were very good about staying near camp; they seldom strayed far 
from the wagon. The following day we moved up to Poncha Pass, camping a little 
below the summit on the Chaffee County side, near a nice little stream, and with 
plenty of wood handy. This was at about 8750 feet (the summit of the pass is 
9049 feet). Close by were aspen trees, and farther up the gulch were red spruce, 
while on a dry hillside were yellow pines and a few cedars; sage brush ( Artemisia ) 
covered much of the open ground. I was rather disappointed with this camp, at 
least I did not find as much in the way of either birds or mammals as I had hoped, 
and nothing out of the ordinary. We spent the whole of the 13th here, water 
freezing in the bucket both nights. 
The next day we crossed the pass, and went on down to Villa Grove. As 
soon as we got down off the hill on the south side of the pass we were in the San 
Luis Valley which extends southward nearly a hundred miles to the New Mexico 
line, and is from 40 to 50 miles wide. The Artemisia practically ended at the foot 
of the hill and its place was taken by a species of Chrysothamnus, or rabbit brush, 
though most of the people locally refer to it as “sage brush’’. This covers much 
of the uncultivated portion of the Valley, except where, as will be noted later, 
greasewood takes its place. At Villa Grove the conditions were rather unfavorable 
for collecting, and we found but little in our overnight stop. 
When we left there next morning we could see Moffat, our next stopping place, 
18 miles away, so there was no danger of getting lost. This shows how level is 
the Valley. There was nothing but grass and rabbit brush, and as we neared 
