8 THE AUDUBON BULLETIN 
heron (out of Winslow, Ariz.), western crow, Arkansas kingbird, band- 
tailed pigeon and desert sparrow hawk. 
Our adventures with western birds were over. They are represented 
by a check list of eighty-four species, of which sixty-two are new acquain- 
tances. The friendly little house finches, unobtrusive brown towhees, busy 
little hummingbirds, noisy blue-fronted jays of the mountains, California 
jays, black-headed grosbeaks, gorgeous western bluebirds, and all the rest 
of them remain happy memories of an exciting vacation pursuing birds 
for the first time in sunny California. 
ff iB! fA 
Trail Ride in Colorado 
By MILLICENT STEBBINS 
THIS ARTICLE is an account of a horseback ride among the high mountains 
of Colorado and is in no way an article on birds. It was impossible to 
carry binoculars. By the time they were strapped tight enough not to 
bounce and hurt either the rider or the horse they could not be secured 
at a moment’s notice and the bird was gone. Another reason for their non- 
use was the fact that we were riding near or above timber line and birds 
were very scarce. We were also a large group and what birds there were 
discreetly withdrew. One day the leaders saw ptarmigan, and another day 
water ouzel. Once I spied what might have been an eagle, but at that 
instant we struck a very ticklish place in the trail and not even a condor 
would have distracted my attention from my horse. So I had to forego 
my joy in bird study for other natural delights. 
The Trail Riders met for the first time in the Colorado Hotel at Glen- 
wood Springs at nine o’clock on the evening of August 14, 1947. There 
were twenty riders and a “crew” of thirteen. Most of the latter were not 
present. The riders came from all parts of the country, from San Fran- 
cisco to New York. We felt very safe when we found out that four were 
doctors. There were also an “official” doctor, who was a member of the 
crew, and two dentists. Four or five were teachers and the rest were a 
British Consul from Denver, a woman painter, and several students. From 
Washington came a representative of the American Forestry Association, 
under whose sponsorship these trail rides are held. 
The active head of the expedition, the boss of everyone and everything, 
was Mrs. Rich Thompson of Glenwood Springs. She is a remarkable 
woman. When her husband became blind she took over his work of out- 
fitting and conducting trail rides and other wilderness parties. She is a 
very pretty, delicate woman, an expert horsewoman, an experienced guide, 
and an excellent cook. She took the responsibility for everything. 
Under “Tommie”, as she was called, was her young son Bob. He was 
in charge of the horses and the wranglers. As there were seventy-two 
horses and six very young wranglers, Bob had his hands full. The cook 
and his two assistants helped him in conducting the pack train. 
