Dr. E. Coues.— From Arizona to the Pacific. 265 
forms the most convenient and perhaps the only practicable 
route from this portion of Arizona into California. Soda 
“ Lake” is, except at times, even less of a lake than the Mojave 
is of river, being merely a flat muddy expanse, where the 
ground for miles is white as snow from the thick deposit of 
saline efflorescence, whence the spot derives its name. A more 
desolate and forlorn spot can hardly be conceived; but to an 
ornithologist it has attractions. 
It has been ascertained that just here Lophortyx gamheli and 
L. californica find a neutral ground that they both may occupy. 
Doubtless the western species follows the watercourse until 
arrested by the desert: I have never heard of its being detected 
in the Colorado valley, where L. gamheli holds undisputed pos¬ 
session ; and I think it is exceedingly probable that the repre¬ 
sentative Jays of the two countries ( Cyanocitta woodhousii and 
C. californica) may also both be found here; and perhaps the 
same fact may hold good regarding some other species. Near 
the sink of the river, Dr. Cooper found Centrocercus uropha- 
siairns, which I believe is the most southern point at which it 
has been discovered. I never saw one, nor, indeed, any other 
species of Grouse, while in Arizona. The same gentleman ascer¬ 
tained the presence of Trochilus alexandri on the river. In the 
heavy rushes that formed clumps of various sizes I heard the 
loud clatter of Rallus virginianus ; and happening to be kept 
awake all night by the unendurable torture of hosts of hungry 
mosquitoes of a peculiarly large and vindictive species, I am able 
to state that the Rail emits its unmusical noise as often during 
the night as the day. Numbers of Cis to thorns palustris and a 
few Mallards finish the list of birds observed here. 
Towards the head of the river, where the water became per¬ 
manent, were immense quantities of Geese and Ducks. I pass 
them over now, as in no way differing from those found at San 
Pedro, of which I will speak presently. 
With the first appearance of anything like verdure, I found 
myself again among Field-Larks. Arizona is most unaccount¬ 
ably deprived, in a great measure, of these birds; I do not 
think I saw a dozen during my whole stay there, though many 
places seem perfectly adapted to their wants. Gallinago wilsoni 
