HARVARD UNIVERSITY

VEnRi

LIBRARY

OF THE

Museum of Comparative Zoology

The Great Basin Naturalist

Volume III, 1942

Vasco M. Tanner, Editor

Published at Provo, Utah, by

The Department of Zoology and Entomology

OF Brigham Young University

^ TAP.LI-: OF CONTEXTS

Volume III

NUMBER 1 — JUNE 15, 1942

A New Cyrtopogon ( Asilidae. Uiptera ) from Utah. D. Elmer

Johnson 1

American Association for the Advancement of Science ... 4

Aphids from Mount Timpanogos, Utah, George F. Knowlton . .">

The Genus Hesperotettix in Utah, W. W. Henderson .... 9

Insect Food of the Rock Wren 22

Studies in the Weevils of the Western United States No. V : A

New Species of Miloderoides, Vasco M. Tanner .... 23

NUMBER 2 — DECEMBER 23, 1942

.\ Review of the Genus Notolepidoniyzon with a Description of

a New Species (Pisces-Catostomidae), Vasco M. Tanner . 27

Observations on the Ecology and Natural History of Anura IX.
Notes on Breeding Behavior in Oklahoma, Arthur N. Bragg
and Charles C. Smith 33

Some Unusual Winter Visitors or Late Migrants to the Bear
River Marshes, Utah. Clarence Cottam, C. S. Willians. and
C. A. Sooter 51

Notes on the Occurrence of Gulls at Utah Lake 54

Gull I'.anding Notes at Utah Lake, No. 2 55

George Paul Engelhardt (1871-1942) 57

Sheldon P. Hayes Collects Cold-Blooded Vertebrates in Arizona 59

Notes on the Birth and Growth of Horned Lizards .... 60

NUMBERS 3 AND 4 — DECEMBER 31, 1942

Breeding Records of Utah Birds, Robert G. Bee and John

Hutchings 61

John Hutchings and Robert G. Bee — Pioneer Utah Valley Nat-
uralists, C. Lynn Hayward 86

Life History Notes on the California Gull, No. 1, D. Elden Beck 91

A Frequency Distribution of Eastern and Western Kingbirds in

Montana, Robert W. Hiatt 109

Index to Volume HI 115

/
II ;0

«\>

Volume III

Number 1

The Great Basin Naturalist

June 15, 1942

TABLE OF CONTENTS

JUL 8 1942

A New Cyrtopogon (Asilidae, Diptera) from Utah, D. Elmer
Johnson

American Association for the Advancement of Science . , . .

Aphids from Mount Timpanogos, Utah, George F. Knowlton .

The Genus Hesperotettix in Utah, W. W. Henderson ....

Page

1
4

5
9

Insect Food of the Rock Wren 22

Studies in the Weevils of the Western United States No. V:

A New Species of Miloderoides, Vasco M. Tanner ... 23

Published at Provo, Utah, by the

Department of Zoology and Entomology of

Brigham Young University

The Great Basin Naturalist

Vasco M. Tanner, Editor
C. Lynn Hayward, Assistant Editor

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The Great Basin Naturalist

Published by the
Department of Zoology and Entomology
Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah

VoLiMK III JUNE 15. 1942 No. 1

A NEW CYRTOPOGON (ASILIDAE. DIPTERA)
FROM UTAH(i)

1 Ol Cofr

Cyrtopogon albifacies Johnson, new species

Black ; mystax white ; mesonotal disc gray pilose ; tarsi of male long, slender,
last joint flattened, pollinose crossband entire on first abdominal segment. Length
15 mm.

Mall: Facial gibbosity white pollinose; mystax solid white; two basal an-
tennal segments black, faintly white pollinose, hairs mostly white, but several
black ones on second segment ; second segment two-thirds as long as first ; third
segment missing, hairs of front black, tuft of white ones on ocellar tubercle ; the
front is pollinose, but is greased ; orbits broadly bordered above, behind, and be-
luw with black hair, hair posterior to this is luteus ; palpi black, black haired.
Prothorax gray pollinose, white haired. Mesonotal disc shining black, gray polli-
nose, markings are obscure ; hairs moderately abundant, gray ; patch of long, slen-
der, black hairs on mesopleurae, a few white ones on the metasternum. Pleurae
gray pollinose ; trichostical pile mixed black and white. Scutellum gray pollinose,
flat. Wings gray hyaline, veins dark brown. Halters, knob yellow, stalk black.
Femura black, long white pilose, a few black hairs apically ; tibiae black, fore and
middle ones very narrowly tipped with reddish ; pile and bristles of middle and
hind pairs dark brown to black; bristles and forsal pile of fore tibiae black, long
white pile ventrally ; middle and hind tarsi black, with black bristles, pads golden
brown ; fore tarsi clear honey yellow, long slender, last segment very long, slender,
flattened ; long white pile ventrally on metatarus, bristles long, slender, black,
claws black, pulvilli dark; claws of middle and hind tarsi slightly reddish basally ;
pulvilli and empodia yellow. Abdomen shining black, white pollinose cross-bands
on posterior rnargins or segments 1 — 6, interrupted on sixth segment only ; mod-
erately long grayish white pile on sides of first segment, rest of abdomen witli
short black pile, long on sides of segments two and three ; genitalia black, pile
mixed dark and light.

Female: Front scantily gray pollinose; one or two black hairs in upper
mystax. Hair of ocellar tubercle black. Antennae black, third joint broadest
two-thirds of the distance from the base, style hair as long as third segment.

(1) Contribution No. 98 from the Department of Zoologv' and Entomology,
Brigham Young University.

The Great Basin Naturalist
2 D. ELMER JOHNSON Vol. Ill, No. 1,

Pile of thoracic dorsum shorter, less abundant ; geminate strips more pronounced,
brownish. Light hairs of abdomen extend into second segment, more yellowish
than in male. Cross-bands on segments 1—5 ; genital spines dark red.

This species is nearest cvidens O. S., but differs in the obscureness of the
markings on the thoracic dorsum, has gray pollen instead of brownish, and ha;
white mystax instead of black.

Type Locality: Glacier Lake, Mt. Timpanogos, Utah. Eleva-
tion 10,600 feet. The holotype is a d" and was collected by Vasco M.
Tanner in August, 1928. The allotype and one paratype are $ $ and
were collected at the same locality in July, 1935, by Edwin T. Vest.
All three specimens are in the entomological collection of the Brigham
Young LTniversity. Dr. D. E. Hardy collected a female at the type
locality on August 15, 1936, which has been designated as a paratype.
This specimen is now in the S. W. Bromley Collection.

The following supplementary material was furnished by Dr. D.
Elmo Hardy, after studying the holotype and allotype specimens.^^)

"This species is more closely related to C. planitarsus Wilcox and
Martin, the males may be distinguished by the following characters:
The mystax is entirely white haired with no vertical line of black
hairs in the middle. The ocellar tubercle entirely wdiite haired instead
of black; the lateral tufts of long white hairs extend over the inner
margins of the eyes. Mesonotum chiefly subopaque, the shining black
of the ground color is largely obscured by rather thick gray pollen
(the specimen has been degreased since Johnson wrote the original
description) ; mesonotal markings gray pollinose not golden brown
as in C. planitarsus. The hairs of mesonotum ^nd scutellum white
with a few darker hairs intermixed on posterior margin of scutellum ;
instead of entirely black as in the related species. One distinct, black,
notopleural bristle on each side and three or more brownish yellow
to black bristles present on the posterior calli ; the original description
of planitarsus states that there are no definite bristles on the thorax.
The mesopleurae of albifacies are subshining instead of shining black
and the hypopleurae (as interpreted in the Asilidae) have just a few-
dark hairs scattered through the white, not having brownish hairs
above and yellowish below. The front tibiae have a dense mat of
long white pile extending their entire length below, not with a dense
fringe of black bristles and hairs.

(2) Th\<i species was descrihed in 19.V) by Mr. Johnson in "A Further .Study of Utah
Asilidae," a Master's thesis, submitted to the department of zoolopy and entomoloRy of
■Rrijrham YounR ITniversity. Since this description has never been published, it was de-
cided that if the species was still undescribed that it should be published. With Mr.
Johnson's permission, T submitted the type specimens to Dr. D. Elmo Hardy, an alumnus
of this institution and a very capable sti'dent of the Diptera, for his study and opinion.
Affpr reviewing the recent literature on this penus. he reported that it is undoubtedly an
tindescrihed species. He furnishes the following comments and drawings which we are
pleased to include along with Mr. Johnson's description.— Editor.

June 15, 1942 a new cyrtopocjon from utati 3

"After degreasing; the holotype the following characteristics are evi-
dent. The face and front are entirely silvery gray, the subshining
black ground color is obscured by dense pubescence. The mesonotum
is mostly grayed by the pollen (microscopic pubescence), with a pair
of gray dorsocentral vittae and a median stripe extending longitudi-
nally from the anterior margin beyond the transverse suture ; with a
broad lateral stripe extending from behind each humerus to the pos-
terior calli, this gray area extends transversely along the hind margin
of the humerus until it converges with a dorsocentral stripe. Hind
margin and portions inside the vittae subshining. Tlie posterior cross-
band of fifth abdominal tergum is interrupted medianly.

"The basitarsi are equal in length to the next three subsegments of
front tarsi, the fifth subsegment is less than half the width of the
first and slightly subequal to it in length; the fifth joint broadens
gradually toward its apex (fig. I, 3).

Fig. I. Cyrtopogoth albifacirs Johnson, new species. (1) Left clasper of $
ventral view ; (2) Left lateral view of $ genitalia ; (3) Hind tarsus of $ dorsal
view ; (4) Antenna of $ . Drawings made by D. Elmo Hardy.

"Male Genitalia : Rather inconspicuous, not strongly produced.
The ninth tergum is divided into two plates by a deep median cleft,
tlie posterior margins of these plates very broad and rounding. The
clasping structures are bilobed, produced into a slender pointed ven-
tral lobe and a slightly shorter, more broad lobe arising on the inner
surface of the main arm of the clasper and visible only from a ventral
view (fig. I, 1) ; the outer lobe is yellow-red in color and the inner
lobes shining black. The apical portion of each coxite appears obtuse
from lateral view (fig. I, 2).

The Great Basin Naturalist
4 D. ELMER JOHNSON Vol. Ill, No. 1,

"Female: This sex is distinguished from planitarsus by having
the mesonotum, hypoleurae and alxlomen as in male, abdominal seg-
ments six and seven shining black, not brownish. The female fits
rather closely the description of the female specimen which Wilcox
and Martin^-^) doubtfully referred to C. lineotarsus Curran except that
the mesonotum is largely grayish pollinose. only faintly shining and
the antennal style is less than half the length of the third segment
instead of about two-thirds its length as shown in Wilcox and Martin's
figure of lineotarsus (fig. I, 4)."

(3) 1936, Ento. Amer. XVI, 59-60.

American Association for the Advancement of Science

The twenty-sixth annual meeting of the Pacific Division of the American
.Association for the Advancement of Science will be held in Salt Lake City on
June 15 to 20, 1942. A symposium on "The Great Basin, with emphasis on
Glacial and Post-Glacial Times" has been arranged jointly by the American As-
sociation for the Advancement of Science and the American Society of Icthyolo-
gists and Herpetologists. The following papers will be given in the symposium :
"The Geological Background," Elliott Blackwelder, Stanford University ; "The
Zoological Evidence," C. L. Hubbs and R. R. Miller, University of Michigan,
Ann Arbor ; and "Climatic Changes and Pre- White Man," Ernst Antevs, Globe,
Arizona.

Many organizations such as the following will participate: Pacific Division
of the American Association of Economic Entomologists ; American Phytopatho-
logical Society: American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists; Ameri-
can Society of Plant Physi :ologists ; Botanical Society of America; Ecological
Society of America; Society for Experimental Biology and Medicine; and Utah
Academy of Sciences, Arts and Letters.

The local sponsoring organizations are: Utah Academy of Sciences, Arts and
Letters; Utah State Agricultural College; Brigham Young University: Weber
Junior College ; and University of Utah. — V.M.T.

APHIDS FROM MOUNT TIMPANOGOS, UTAH^)

GEORGE F. KNOWLTOX

Research Associate Professor of Entomology
Utah Agricultural Experiment Station

The following report deals particularly with three apparently uii-
described aphid species submitted to the writer for identification by
Doctor C. Lynn Hayward of the Zoology and Entomology Depart-
ment of the Brigham Young University at Provo, Utah.

Myzus haywardi Knowlton, n. sp. (fig I, 1-5)

Alate vivii'ara : Size 1.8 mm. long; body without definite color markings:
antennal tubercles but moderately developed, diverging ; antennae dusky to black-
ish beyond base of III, extending to beyond cornicles; antennal III, 0.54 mm. long
with 19 to 23 sensoria; IV, 0.39; V. 0.3 to 0.32; VI, 0.125 to 0.14 + 0.53 to 0.54
mm.; rostrum reaching second coxae; rostral IV -h V (fig. 4), 0.095, obtuse;
hind tibiae 1.54; hind tarsi (fig. 5) 0.158 mm. long; cornicles pale, cylindrical,
0.395 ; Cauda pale, 0.22, with 3 hairs on each side.

Collection : On Galium or Rudbeckia, Big Tree Camp, Mt. Tini-
panogos, Utah, June 7, 1940.

Taxonomy : This aphid keys to Myciis scammelli Mason in the
Mason (U. S. Dept. Agr. Misc. pub. 371 : 5, 1940) key, from which
it differs in: Head with more distinct antennal tubercles, more sen
soria on longer antennal III, longer unguis, cauda lacking a definite
constriction. In Gillette and Palmer's key (Ann. Ent. Soc. Amer. 27:
201, 1934) haywardi runs to M. mahaleh Koch ( = lytJiri (Schr.) )
from which it differs in having more elongate cauda, more sensoria
on a longer antennal III, and shorter cornicles.

Key to Aptera of the Mac. albifrons Group

1. Cornicles black cioitcusis K.

Cornicles pale 2

2. Cauda slightly constricted before base t'unpanoiios n. sp.

Cauda tapering 3

3. Antennal III of aptera with 20 to 45 sensoria albifrons Essig

Antennal III of aptera with 5 to 17 sensoria thcrmopsaphis K.

(1) Contribution from the Entomology Department. Utah Agricultural Ex-
periment Station, Logan.

CEOKCiK F. KXOWLTON

The Great Basin Naturalist

Vol. Ill, No. 1,

Macrosiphum timpanogos Knowlton, n. sp. (fig. I, 6-9)

ApTiiROi's viviPAUA : Color pale; size large, 4.1 to 5 mm. long ; abdomen 2.75
wide; width tlirough eyes 0.74; ocular tubercles present; rostral IV + V (fig. 6),
0.17; antennae 5.75 mm. long, pale to dusky, darker beyond middle of V ; antennal
III, 1.23 to 1.26 mm. long, with 11 to 22 sensor ia (average 16) ; IV, 0.95 to 1.21 ;
V, 1.03 to 1.09; VI, 0.24 to 0.25 + 1.64 to 1.7 mm. long; pleural margins of
thoracic segments rugulose ; cornicles pale, darker at tip, 1.11 to 1.22 mm. long
with distal 0.9 to 0.11 reticulated; cauda pale, 0.63 to 0.65 mm. total length, slightly
constricted before base with about 5 pairs of lateral hairs ; hind tibiae 3.8 to 3.95 ;
hind tarsi 0.24 mm. long.

Collection: Host? (Probably from a lupine of some kind). At
Hidden Lake Camp, Mt. Timpanogos, Utah, July 23, 1940.

Taxonomy: Macrosiphum timpanogos n. sp. differs from M. ci-
onoisis Knit, in having pale rather than black cornicles, more sensoria
on antennal HI, has longer unguis, cornicles; averages fewer sensoria
on antennal TIT, has longer antennal V, cauda, hind tibiae and body
than AI. alhifrons Essig. It differs from M. tJicrmopsaphis Knit, in

I-'ig. 1. Myzus haywardi n. sp., alate 1-5. Macrosiphum- ti)iipa>wgos n. sp.,
aptera 6-9. .Ipliis ribicnsts G.-P., alate 10. Cinura osbonii n. sp., aptera 11-15,
20. Macrosiphum con'cni (Hunt.), aptera 16-17. FlabeUomicrosiphum tridcntata
(Wil.), aptera 18. Annecia qucrci (Fitch), alate 19.

June 15, 1942 aphids from mt. timpanogos 7

being larger in size, having longer antennae, longer rostral IV + V,
and averages more sensoria on antennal 111.

MACROSIPHUM STANLEYl Wilson

Specimens of this species were collected on Sambucus niicrobotrys
at Big Tree Camp, Mt. Timpanogos, June 4, August 1 and 2, 1940,
and Lost Lake, Uinta Mountains, in Utah, August 28, 1940.

Cinara osborni Knowlton n. sp."^-' (fig. I, 11-15, 20)

Apterous viViPAi^.^ ; Body 3.48 to 3.0 mm. long and 1.93 to 2.2S wide across
the abdomen; head width 0.85 to 0.93 mm. through eyes ; ocular tubercles (lig. 20)
well developed; antennae 1.49 to 1.65, pale except distal ends of ill, iV, V and
most of VI which are darker; antennal III, 0.63 to 0.665, without sensoria; IV,
0.1% to 0.26; V, 0.2 to 0.265, without secondary sensoria; VI, 0.142 to 0.158 +
0.049 to 0.06 mm. ; rostrum reaching mid-abdomen ; rostral IV + V acute at tip,
0.315 mm. long; hind tibiae 2.53 long (fig. 13) largely pale; abdominal segments
with broad pleural sclerotized areas with irregular margins and detached, small,
broken off, sclerotized "islands" ; body hairs abundant, 0.08 to 0.095 ; cornicles
with broad bases, armed with both long hairs (0.14 mm.) interspersed with more
numerous short, fine hairs (fig. 12) ; anal plate rounded, dusky.

Collection. On Psendotsuga mucronata at Aspen Grove, Mount
Timpanogos, Utah, June 30, 1940.

Taxonomy: This species runs to Cinara solitaria (G. and P.) in
Gillette and Palmer's key (Ent. Soc. Amer. Ann., 24: 844, 1931).
From this it differs in being larger in size, having longer hind tibiae
and antennae, and relatively longer antennal III in proportion to
length of IV and V. It differs from Cinara pergandia (Wilson) in
possessing paler hind tibiae w^ith less spine-like bristles, lacking sec-
ondary sensoria on antennal V, and in having well developed oculai
tubercles.

Types for the present in the collection of the writer. Paratype of
Macrosiphimi timpanogos n. sp. in the insect collection of the Depart-
ment of Zoology and Entomology, Brigham Young University.

Dr. Hayward also collected: Macrosiphum stanleyi Wilson on
Samhucus niicrobotrys, Macrosiphum crenicornum S.-K., probably on
Geranium and Mindarus abietiniis Koch on Pseudotsuga mucronata.
This latter species was probably accidental on this host.

Some aphids collected around the lower slopes and along highways
of Mount Timpanogos by the writer include: Anoecia qucrci (Fitch)

(2) Named in honor of my distinguished Professor, Dr. Herbert Osborn.
The writer is indebted to Professor M. A. Palmer for her suggestions concerning
this species.

The Great Basin Naturalist
8 GEORGE F. KNOWLTON \'ol. Ill, Xo. 1,

( fii^-. 19) on Coniiis stolonifera, Eulachnus agilis (Kalt.) on Pinus,
fiuccrapliis ijillcttci Dav. on .llnus, Cliaifophunis viminalis Mon. on
Salix, Pcriphyllus ncyutidinls (Th.) on Acer ncynndo, P. popuHcola
(Thos.), Clavigeriis salicis (L.) and C. bicolor (Oest.j on Salix, Aphis
artcmisicola Wms. on Artemisia tridcntata, A. franyidae Kalt. on
Nepeta cataria, A. gregalis Knit, on Chrysothamnus viscidiflorus, A.
helianthi on Helianthus, A. ribiensis G.-P. (fig. 10) and A. varians
Patch on Rites, Cavariella capreae (Fab.) on Salix, Epameibaphis
frigidae Oest. on Artemisia, Flabellomicrosiphum tridentatae (Wils. )
(fig. 18) on Artemisia tridentata, Microsiphum arfcmisiac ((iill.) on
.Irtemisia vidgaris and A. tridentata, Amphorophora nervata (Gill.)
on Rosa, A. ribiella (Dav.) on Ribes, A. rubicola (Oest.) on Riibus.
A. sonchi (Oest.) on Ribes, Capitophorus glandnlosus (Kalt.) on Ar-
temisia, C. gregariits Knit, and C. oestlundi Knit, on Chrysotliarnnus
nanseosns, Kakimia cynosbati (Oest.) on Ribes, Macrosiphiim coweni
(Hunt.) (figs. 16-17) on Artemisia, M. packi Knit, on Chrysothamnus
naitseosus, Tliecabius popidi-monilis (Riley) in bead-like leaf galls of
Popidus angustifolia, and Forda olivacea Rohwer on grass roots.

THE GENUS HESPEROTETTIX IN UTAH
(Orthoptera. Locustidae. Cyi'tacanthacrinae)

W. W. HENDERSON

Professor of Zoology and Entomology
Utah State Agricultural College

I— HESPEROTETTIX IN GENERAL
Hespero =■ western ; tcfti.v = grasshopper.

This genus was set up by Scudder in 1876 to include a new species,
viridis, previously described by Thomas and assigned l)y him to the
genus Caloptenus.

Scudder's original description of the genus Hesperotettix (4: 262)
includes the following :

"Head not very prominent ; vertex very narrow between the eyes, with a light
median pit : the lastigium broadening considerably in front, declivent, shallowly
sulcate in the middle, the sides rounded. . . The frontal costa equal, scarcely con-
tracted at the extreme summit."

His later descripti(jn of the genus (11: 55-56) adds:

"Body almost parallel sided, very little enlarged at tlie nietathorax, more
or less but not greatly compressed. . . Pronotum long and sknder, the dorsum
fully half as long again as broad, the prozona the longer, sometimes half as long
again as the motozona. . . .Subgenital plate of male furnished with a prominent,
subapical, more or less conical tubercle, the lateral nurgins of the plate suddenly
ampliate at base; furculae always distmctly present as a pair of projecting lobes."

These descriptions point out the more evident features which char-
acterize the genus Hesperotettix. It may be added that all the Utah
species are decidedly greenish in color, if specimens are not too old and
faded, and are marked with a color pattern streaked with white or
yellow. Rehn and Hebard ( 19: 159-160) found species of this genus
living on and among rabbit weed, Isocoina hcteropliylla. All of the
Utah species are found conspicuously connected with snakeweed, (jr
matchbrush, ( (iutierrezia ). Tlic soil in wliich this plant grows is good
for agricultural usage, but is often too dry for the raising of crops
without irrigation. Where crops are grown in or near lands covered
with Gutierrezia, these crops are often infested with species of Hes-
perotettix, especially H. viridis (Thomas).

Three species of the genus are plentiful in Utah. In //. viridis
(Thomas) the tegminae and wings are fully developed, reaching to
the end of the abdomen when folded and at rest. In H. pacificns

The Great Basin Naturalist
10 W. W. HENDERSON Vol. Ill, No. 1,

Scutlder and //. curtipennis Scudder, the tegminae and wings are
vestigial.

In pacificHs the tegminae are bluntly rounded at the tip and are
short, only a third the length of the abdomen or less; in curtipennis
the tegminae are narrowly rounded or pointed at the tip and more
elongate, commonly about half as long as the abdomen, though some-
times a little shorter than this. Three other species or races are said
to exist in Utah but are not represented in Utah collections. ^^^

II — HESPEROTETTIX VIRIDIS Thomas. PI. I, fig. 1.

1. Synonymy:

1. 1872 — Thomas, Caloptenus viridis, U. S. Geol. Survey Rep. Mont. Adj. Terr.,
p. 450.

2. 1873 — Thomas, Onimatolampis viridis, Syn. Acrid. No. Amer., p. 156.

3. 1873 — ^Thomas, Onimatolampis viridis, U. S. Geol. Survey Sixth An. Rep.
Terr. Mont. Idaho, Wyo. Utah, pp. 724-5.

4. 1875 — iScudder, Ommatolamphis viridis, U. S. Geol. Survey Rep. Terr. 100
Men, pp. 506-7.

5. 1876— Scudder, U. S. Geol. Survey I!ul. Terr. 11, p. 262.

6. 1883— Bruner, U. S. Ent. Com. III. Rep., p. 59.

7. 1897— Scudder. U. S. Nat. Mus. Proc. 20, pp. 55-56.

8. 1897^Lugger, Minn. Agr. Exp. Sta. Bui., pp. 266-267.

9. 1904— Rehn, Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila. Proc, p. 570.

10. 1931^Hebard, Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila. Proc. 83, p. 173.

2. Description :

The description given here is based on more than two hundred
specimens collected from June 13 to September 27, from many dif-
ferent localities in Utah, and all from arid lands. The species is rather
small in size, slender in form, bright green to greenish brown in color
and streamlined with thin whitish or yellowish longitudinal streaks.

The face is noticeably slant, especially in males. Vertex very nar-
row between the eyes, but expanding quickly and widely immediately
in front of the eyes. Sulcation of the vertex conspicuous, but nearly
pinched out at the narrowest portion. Frontal costa wider than the
narrowest portion of the vertex, sulcate throughout and slightly nar-
rowed immediately below the ocellus. Compound eyes large, twice or
more the length of the genal groove and directed distinctly forward at
the tip, especially in males.

Pronotum cylindrical above ; lateral and median carinae obliterated
or nearly so, the median carina striped with a whitish line which
arises on the occiput, bordered on each side with blackish, and extend-
ing to the tip of the metazone. A whitish line more or less indistinct
arises on the margin of the occiput against the compound eye and

(1) Determinations of Utah material has been confirmed by Hel>ard to whom
we are greatly indebted for extensive assistance.

June 15, 1942 the genus hesperotettix in utah 11

passes along the humeral angle to the metazone and down the humeral
angle of the tegmina, this stripe more or less obscure, and in places
entirely obliterated in some specimens. Tegminae and wings pellucid
and extending to the tip of the abdomen; tegminae streaked longi-
tudinally with thin white lines at the lower edges, the humeral angles
and the center, obscure or even obliterated in some individuals appar-
ently older and worn.

Hind femorae elongate and slender, reaching to the tip of the ab-
domen in females, beyond in males, often tinged with pinkish and
often with a pink annulus just above the knee. Hind tibiae with a
bluish tinge in most specimens, obscure brownish in some.

It seems apparent that the coloration of this species follows that of
the vegetation on and among which it lives. The vegetation is gen-
erally green when most of the individuals come to maturity, but fades
out to greenish brown and later to brownish as the dry season ad-
vances. Specimens are green if captured when they are so young as
to show little wear, but are mostly brownish if captured when they
are older and much worn. Color evidently fades out on the insects
as it does on the vegetation.

Cerci broad at base, narrowing to half the width of the first third,
or first half and extending as an elongate cone to the pointed tip.
Tubercle of the subanal plate well developed, but scarcely rising above
the margin and extending caudad.

3. Measurement.s:

Male:

mm.

Body length (average for 100 specimens) 16.70

shortest body in 100 specimens 13.00

longest body in 100 specimens 20.00

Hind femora (average length for 88 specimens) 10.00

shortest length for 88 specimens 9.00

longest length in 88 specimens 12.00

Tegminae (average length of 93 specimens) 12.50

shortest length in 93 specimens 10.00

longest length in 93 specimens 15.00

One specimen shows a tegmina length of 7.00 mm.

Female :

mm.

Body length (average for 100 specimens) 21.61

shortest body in 100 specimens 19.00

longest body in 100 specimens 27.00

Hind femora (average length for 98 specimens 12.00

shortest length in 98 specimens 10.00

longest length in 98 specimens 14.00

Tegminae (average length for 65 specimens) 15.00

shortest length in 65 specimens 12.00

longest length in 65 specimens 19.00

The Great Basin Naturalist
12 W. VV. HENDERSON Vol. Ill, No. 1,

4. Geographical Distribution :

This species was first known in Colorado, Wyoming and Kansas
(1: 450). A year following the original description, that is in 1873,
(2: 156) Thomas added Nebraska to the territory in which the species
was then known. In 1876 Scudder (4: 262) added Utah and Cali-
fornia (5: 506). In 1883, Bruner (8: 59) gave the geographical dis-
tribution of the species as "Utah, Colorado, Nebraska, Minnesota,
Kansas & C." Scudder added New Mexico, Texas, Arizona, New
Jersey, Iowa and Nevada in 1897 (11: 57-59). There is probably
some error in regard to New Jersey. In 1908, Bruner (18: 315) re-
corded "Hab. North America, Southern States, Mexico," which prob-
ably covers a little too much territory. Hebard recently finds the
species in South Dakota (23: 98), Montana (24: 266), Alberta, Can-
ada (26: 393) in addition to previous records.

This species has been found to be "the most abundant species on
the plains of eastern Colorado" (25: ^12). It is also numerous in
Utah on range lands where species of Gutierrezia plants are found and
on many dry farms where Gutierrezia once thrived.

The present distribution, therefore, may be near correctly stated
as Great Plains from Canada to Mexico and westward to California.

The species has been collected in Utah by Henderson in the follow-
ing counties: Juab, Kane, Rich, Salt Lake, Summit, Uintah, Wasatch,
Washington, and Wayne. In other counties in the state it has been
taken as follows : Cache County by King. Harmston, Knowlton, Nye,
Stafford and Thatcher ; Box Elder County by Janes, Henderson,
Knowlton and Smith ; Utah County by Henderson, Knowlton, and
Thornley; Davis County by Henderson, Knowlton, and Thornley;
Grand County by Hammond, Henderson and Knowlton ; Duchesne
County by Harmston, Stains and Stoft'ers ; Garfield County by Ham-
mond ; Emery County by Harmston ; Carbon County by Knowlton ;
Millard County by King, Hanson, Henderson, Sorenson and Thornley.

Ill — HESPEROTETTTX PACTFICUS SccnnEK. PI. I, fig. 2.
1. Synonymy:

1. 1898^Scudder, U. S. Nat. Mus. Proc. XX, pp. 61-62.

2. 1904— Bruner, Col. Agr. Exp. Sta. Bui. 94, p. 6,1
.3. 1910— Kirby, Syn. Cat. Orth. III. p. 499.

2. Description :

Body sparsely covered with line short hair extended over head,
legs and tegminae ; general color brownish to greenish witli darker and

lune 15. 1942 the genus hesperotettix in utah 13

lighter marking, brown more prevalent among specimens than green.

Head with median dark patch or stripe, which is penetrated through
the center with a white median streak ; face very slant.

Vertex sharply narrowed between the apex of the eyes to distinctly
less than the width of the frontal costa, and expanding sharply in front
to more than the width of the frontal costa ; lateral carinae of the
fastigium nearly or totally continent in the narrowest portion with a
scarcely elongate sculcus or pit behind the confluence and a shallow
but broader sulcation in front.

Frontal costa fairly straight, narrow and rather deeply sulcate for
its entire length.

Pronotum diml}- striped lengthwise with two lateral and one median
whitish and darker stripes, the post-ocular blackish band located f)e-
tween the two lighter lateral stripes, the latter stripes ending at the
main transverse incision, but the median, edged with darker, or black
continues to the end of the posterior lobe. Pronotum much rounded
from one lateral lobe to the other so that lateral and median carinae
are scarcely or not at all evident.

Tegminae short, only about one-fifth the length of the abdomen,
nearly as broad as long with tip broadly rounded in females, more
narrowed and elongate in males. Wings much smaller, only about
one-fourth as large as the tegminae. Hind femorae varying in color
among specimens from light brown to greenish, outer face darker,
little or no tendency to banding on outer face, but slight tendency to
banding on upper and inner faces in some specimens. Hind tibiae
also varying in color as the hind femorae, with tendency to greenish
in most specimens, spines colored as the tibiae and tipped with black.
Abdomen brownish or slightly greenish, not much marked with any
contrasting color, and with tendency to show median dorsal carina.
Cerci broad at base but narrowing quickly from both sides to an
elongate tip. Subanal plate of the male with central tubercle arising
behind and elevated above the dorsal margin.

3. Measurements:

Male:

mm.

Body length (average for 10 specimens) 15.10

shortest body in 10 specimens 14.00

longest body in 10 specimens 16.00

Hind femora (average for 8 specimens) 8.20

shortest in 8 specimens 8.00

longest in 8 specimens 9.00

Tegminae (average for 10 specimens) 3.60

shortest in 10 specimens 3.00

longest in 10 specimens 4.00

The Great Basin Naturalist
14 W". W. HENDERSON Vol. III. X(). 1,

Female :

mm.

Body lengtli (average for 23 specimens ) 20.34

shortest in 23 specimens 18.00

longest in 23 specimens 24.00

Hind femora (average for 17 specimens) 11.00

shortest in 17 specimens 9.00

longest in 17 specimens 13.00

Tegminae (average for 23 specimens ) 5.00

shortest in 23 specimens 4.00

longest in 23 specimens 6.00

4. Geographical Distribution :

Hesperotettix pacificus was described by Scudder from two males
and eight females all of which were taken in southern California
(11: 62). He says that "Koebele reports it from the Shasta district
in Northern California." Utah is apparently the only other state in
which the species is known. The Utah collection consists of 11 males
and 25 females, all taken in desert regions of the southern portion of
the state since 1920. More specific collection data follow : Garfield
County, Gardner ; Washington County, Rowe ; Iron County, Gardner
and Hammond ; Beaver County. Gardner, Hammond and Tanner ; Mil-
lard County. Hammond. The species is of no economic importance,
although it is probably more abundant and more widespread than the
few specimens actually collected would indicate.

IV — HESPEROTETTIX CURTIPENXIS Scuddek. PI. I, fig. 3.
1. Synonymy:

1. 1898— Scudder, U. S. Nat. Mus. Proc. XX. ])p. (\2-h3.

2. 1904 — Rruner, //. roloradciisis, Colo. Aer. 1'",n]). Sta. lUil. 94. ]>. Oo.

3. 1905— Caudell. U. S. Nat. Mus. Proc. XXVIll, pp. 4f.5-4f.f..

4. 19KJ— Kirhy, Svn. Cat. Orth. III. p. 499.

5. 1925— Hebard, Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila. Proc. I. XXX I . p. 374.

6. 1935- Hebard, Amer. Ent. Soc. Trans. LXI, pp. 301-302.

2. Description :

Body sparsely covered with fine, short hair. exte:i(led over head,
legs and tegminae ; general color olive gray or brownish gray to bright
green with darker and lighter markings, greenish more prevalent
among specimens than brownish.

Head willi median dark stri])e or patch, sometimes nearly as broad
as the summit, and often containing a faint light stripe; face dis-
tinctly slant.

Vertex sharply narrowed between th ai)ex of the eyes, to distinctly
less than width of the frontal costa, and expanding in front to more
than the width of the frontal costa, the edges of the fastigium nearly

June 15, 1942 the genus hesperotettix in utam

15

confluent at the narrowed point, a scarcely elongate narrow sulcation
or pit behind the confluence and a very shallow but broader sulcation
in front.

Frontal costa, fairly straight, narrow and rather deeply sulcate for
its entire length.

Pronotum distinctly striped lengthwise with one median and two
lateral whitish and greenish or lighter and darker stripes, the post-
ocular greenish or blackish band located between the two lateral ones

..-' r \

Plate I

Fig. 1. Hcspcrotcfti.v znridis (Thomas) ; fig. 2. Hespcrntettix pacificus Scudder ;
fig. 3. Hesperotettix curtipennis Scudder.

The Great Basin Naturalist
16 \V. W. HEXDERSOX Yol. Ill, Xo. 1,

terminate with the main transverse incision, but the median stripe,
edged with darker color, continues to the tip of the posterior lobe.
Median and lateral carinae of the pronotum scarcely visible, the pro-
notum rounded from side to side. Three transverse incisions well
impressed, the posterior most conspicuous, the other two sinuous with
the middle incision closer to the one in front than the one behind it.
Posterior lobe about three-fourths as long as the anterior and ver}-
liroadly rounded at the tip.

Tegminae about twice as long as broad, one-third to one-half as
long as the abdomen, narrowly tipped, greenish or olivaceous in color ;
wings nearly as long as the tegminae.

Hind femorae about the same color as the body, the outer face
darker or even blackish, inner face lighter, in some specimens slightly
ruddy. Hind tibiae green, varying from a slight hue to a brilliant
light green, tibial spines whitish or greenish tipped with black. Ab-
domen yellowish brown to greenish, marked generously wath darker
patches, and with a rather distinct median carina. Cerci broad at
base and tapering from both sides to an elongate tip, the cerci smaller
in females. Subanal plate of the male with central tubercle arising
behind and elevated above the hind margin.

3. Measurements:

Male:

mm.

r>'idy length (average for 31 specimens) 15.50

shortest body in 31 specimens 13.00

longest body in 31 specimens 18.00

Hin 1 fenicira (average for 26 specimens) 9.50

shortest femorus in 26 specimens 8.00

longest in 26 specimens 10.00

I egrnin'ie (average for 31 specimens ) 5.00

shortest in 31 specimens 3.00

longest tegmina in 31 specimens 7.00

Female :

mm.

Body length (average for 63 specimens) 20.33

shortest in 63 specimens 15.00

longest in 63 specimens 24.00

Hind femora (average for 58 specimens) 11.00

shortest in 58 specimens 10.00

longest in 58 specimens 13.00

Tcgniinac (average for 63 specimens) 7.00

shortest in 63 specimens 5.00

longest in 63 specimens 10.00

4. Geoc.uaimiical Distkiiu'tion :

The original description by .Scudder (11: 62) was based on two
females taken in Colorado. Caudell obtained two females and one

Tune 15. 1942 the gknus iikspf.rotktttx ix utait 17

male a few years later in southern Arizona (15: 465) and described
the male of the species from this one specimen. In 1929 Hebard (25:
374 I obtained a large series from Colorado and New Mexico to bring
the distribution of the species to the three states named. The Utah
collection contains 31 males and 63 females collected as follows: Sum-
mit. Duchesne, Juab. Millard, Sevier, Piute and Emery Counties by
Henderson; Beaver by Henderson and Knowlton ; Wayne by Gardner
and Henderson; Garheld by Gardner, Hammond and Henderson.

V — OTHER HESPEROTETTIX IX UTAH

//. fcstivus Scudder. Scudder described this species in 1897 (11:
60) from a single male specimen taken at "Lake Point. Salt Lake" by
Packard in 1875. and which Scudder has previously referred to as H.
viridis Thomas (4: 262). He also referred to this species, one speci-
men "from Mt. Nebo, L'tah, taken in August, and one from Spring
Lake" recorded in a paper by Thomas in 1876 (6: 262). A record
which Bruner makes of //. viridis (Thomas) in Utah in 1883 (8: 58)
is also referred to by Scudder as H. fcstivus.

In connection with his description of //. fcstivus, Scudder notes
66 males, 58 females, names four places in Utah and then Los
Angeles County. California. How many of these 124 specimens were
taken in Utah is not disclosed. In 1904 Bruner (13: 62) records H.
fcstivus for Colorado and includes this remark: "Hind femora with-
out red pregenicular annulation or only faint signs of one." which
seems to make this character an issue in distinguishing the species.
Bruner would say that H. fcstii'us must not have pregenicular red
annuli. In the same year Rehn (14: 570) took five specimens in Ari-
p^ona and says, "All five specimens posses reddish pregenicular annuli."
Rehn says then, that //. fcstivus must have pregenicular red annuli.
In 1906 (16: 400) Rehn and Hebard say they found the species on a
"Hillside at Salt Lake City." "Top of Ensign Peak" and "This species
was by far the most plentiful of the genus Hesperotettix which I
found, and individuals were quite common in the sage growing frcmi
the foot to the top of Ensign Peak."

Again in 1907. Rehn (17: 73-77) took a male specimen at Tucson,
Arizona and remarked. "This individual has the pregenicular annuli
very distinct, but shows no traces of the black penciling of the pronotal
sulci seen in H. viridis." This remark sustains red annuli for //.
fcstivus and points out another important character, the absence of
"black penciling of the pronotal sulci." Rehn and Hebard found 34
specimens of this supposed species in Arizona in 1908 (19: 393-394)

The Great Basin Naturalist
18 W. W. HENDERSON Vol. Ill, No. 1,

and remark: "Red pregenicular annuli on all but three specimens
which are in, or approach the brownish stage."

We have before us 277 specimens of H. viridis (Thos. ), 36 speci-
mens of H. pacificus Scud, and 99 specimens of //. curtipcnnis Scud.
Nearly all of these specimens show at least some trace of pregenicular
red annulus and variability is exhibited from this trace through every
stage of expression to very distinct. Rehn and Hebard (loc. cit. ) hint
the true significance of variability in pregenicular annulus. It is
probably an age trait, and has no specific importance. We find this
to be true also of "black penciling of the pronotal sulci." (Rehn and
Hebard (loc. cit.). If species cannot l)e allowed reasonal)le varia-
bility, they can easily be multiplied in number so that species status
would almost coincide with specimen status.

Although we have sought diligently, we cannot find //. fcsiivus in
Utah unless we partly close our e}es and pick it out somewhat care-
lessly from H. viridis. We not with satisfaction that Hebard recentl\'
said (24: 393) "Fcstivus must be considered a race of viridis." Iwi-
dence here would lead to the conclusion that in Utah, fcstivits is viridis.

//. viridis ncvadcnsis Morse.

This supposed species was described by Morse in 1903 (12: 115)
from three males and three females found in Nevada. This descrip-
tion is concerned largely with color variations which have little if any
significance in discriminating the various species of Hesperotettix.
Large series of H. viridis and H. curtipcnnis both include the varia-
tions given by Morse for PI. ncvadoisis. Description of structural
features mention the tegminae and wings as being "about one and
one-third times as long as the exposed part of the abdomen." Morse
gives the length of tegminae as 6.3 to 6.7 mm. for the male and 8.5 to 9
mm. for the female. Total length is given as male 16; female 21 mm.
In the Utah series of //. ciirfipciuiis the tegminae length for 31 males
varies from 3 mm, the shortest, to 7 mm, the longest, witli ihe average
of 5 mm. For females these figures are, shortest 5 mm, longest 10
mm, with average for 63 specimens of 7 mm. r>o(l\- length of the
Utah specimen shows an average of 15.50 mm for males and 20.33
for females. These measurements all coincide closely enougli lliat
no margin is left for species dilTerence, so we find no place as \el for
llie //. )icvadciisis in L'tah. Mr. Hebard lielpfully gave llie author a
male and a female of //. ncvadcnsis which he took at Kanosh. L'tah.
We cannot distinguish these from H. curtipcnnis.

June 15, 1942 the genus hesperotettix in utah 19

//. iicvadensis tcniiiiius Hebard.

Hebard (21 : 163-166) described //. iicz'adcnsis terminus as a new
Ideographic race, based on a few specimens taken in Utah and Nevada.
His description for this race is similar to that of the very short, trun-
cate tegminae of //. pacificits and runs very much like a description
for it. Hebard (loc. cit.) also tinds H. ncvadensis giUcttc in Utah
(loc. cit.).

The following species and races of Hesperotettix are known there-
fore in Utah: H. viridis viridis (Thomas)

H. znridis iicz'adcnsis Morse

H. 7'iridis (jUlcttc Bruner

H. viridis terminus Hebard

H. I'iridis fcstiz'us Scudder

H. pad fie us Scudder

H. curtipennis Scudder

VI — LITERATURE CITED

1. 1872 — Thomas, Cyrus. Notes on the saltatorial Orthoptera of
the Rocky Mountain regions. U. S. Geological Survey. Pre-
liminary report of Montana and portions of adjacent regions . . .
by F. V. Hayden. Ft. 4 Zoology and botany, pp. 423-466.

2. 1873 — Thomas, Cyrus. Synopsis of the Acridiidae of North
America. U. S. Geological Survey. Survey of the territories,
by F. V. Hayden. Vol. 5 Zoology and botany, pp. 9-262.

3. 1873 — Thomas, Cyrus. Notes on Orthoptera. U. S. Geological
Survey. Sixth annual report of the territories embracing por-
tions of Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, and Utah ... by F. V. Hay-
den. Pt. 3, pp. 719-725.

4. 1876 — Scudder, vSamuel H. List of the CJrthoptera collected b}-
Dr. A. S. Packard in Colorado and the neighboring territories,
during the summer of 1875. U. S. Geological Survey. Survey
of the territories. Bui. no. 3 (?).

5. 1876 — Scudder, Samuel H. Report upon the Orthoptera collected
by the expedition for geographical surveys west of the 100th
meridian during the field season of 1875, Sent. Geo. M. Wheeler.
Corps of Engineers, U. S. Army in charge. U. S. Chief of Engi-
neers. Annual Report. Appendix H 9, pp. 498-515.

6. 1876 — Thomas, Cyrus. List of Orthoptera, collected by J. Dun-
can Putnam of Davenport, Iowa during the summer of 1872, 3
4 and 5, chiefly in Colorado, Utah and Wyoming territories.
Davenport Acad. Sci. Proc. 1 : 249-267.

7. 1877 — Bruner, Lawrence. Lir.t of Acridiidae found in Nebraska.
Canad. Ent. 9: 144-145.

The Great Basin Naturalist
20 W. W. HENDERSON Vol. III. No. 1,

8. 1883 — Bruner, Lawrence. Notes on other locusts and on the
western cricket. U. S. Entomological Commission. Third report
. . . Ch. 4, pp. 53-64.

9. 1897 — Scudder, Samuel H. Guide to the genera and classification
of the North American Orthoptera found north of Mexico. Cam-
bridge, Edward W. Wheeler, pp. 1-89.

10. 1897 — Lugger, Otto. The Orthoptera of Minnesota. Minn. Agr.
Exp. Sta. Bui. 55, pp. 91-386.

11. 1898 — Scudder, Samuel H. Revision of the orthopteran group
Melanopli (Acridiidae), with special reference to North Ameri-
can forms. U. S. Natl. Mus. Proc. 20: 1-421.

12. 1903 — Morse, Albert P. New Orthoptera from Nevada. Psyche,
10: 115-116.

13. Bruner, Lawrence. Some new Colorado Orthoptera. Colo. Agr.
Exp. Sta. Bui. 94, pp. 51-67.

14. 1904 — Rehn, James A. G. Notes on Orthoptera from Arizona,
New Mexico and Colorado. Acad, of Nat. Sci. Phila. Proc. pp.
562-575.

15. 1905 — Caudell, Andrew Nelson. On a collection of Orthoptera
from southern Arizona with descriptions of new species. L^. S.
Natl. Mus. Proc, 28: 461-477.

16. 1906 — Rehn, James A. G. and Hebard, Morgan. A contribution
to the knowledge of the Orthoptera of Montana. Yellowstone
Park, Utah and Colorado. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila. Proc, pp. 358-
418.

17. 1907 — Rehn, James A. G. Notes on Orthoptera from Arizona
with descriptions of new species. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila. Proc,
pp. 24-80.

18. 1908 — Bruner, Lawrence. The Acridiidae. Biologia Centrale-
Americana. Insecta Orthoptera, 2: 1-342.

19. 1909 — Rehn, James A. G. and Hebard, Morgan. An orthoptero-
logical reconnaissance of the southwestern United States. Pt. 2.
New Mexico and western Texas. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila. Proc.
pp. 111-176.

20. 1910 — Kirby, W. F. A synoptic catalogue of Orthoptera. Vol.
3 Orthoptera Saltatoria. Pt. 2 (Locustidae vel Acridiidae) pp.
1-674. London, British Museum.

21. 1918 — Hebard, Morgan. New genera and species of Melanopli
found within the United States (Orthoptera; Acridiidae) Amer.
Ent. Soc Trans. 44: 141-169.

Tune 15, 1942 the genus hesperotettix in utah 21

12. 1920 — Blatchley, W. S. (Jrthoptera of northeastern America.
Indianapolis, The Nature Publishing Co., pp. 1-784.

23. 1925 — Hebard, Morgan. The Orthoptera of South Dakota. Acad.
Nat. Sci. Phila. Proc, 17: 33-155.

24. 1928— Hebard, Morgan. The Orthoptera of Montana. Acad.
Nat. Sci. Phila. Proc, 80: 211-306.

25. 1929 — Hebard, Morgan. The Orthoptera of Colorado. Acad.
Nat. Sci. Proc, 81 : 303-425.

26. 1930— Hebard, Morgan. The Orthoptera of Alberta. Acad. Nat.
Sci. Phila. Proc, 82 : 374-403.

27. 1931 — Hebard, Morgan. The Orthoptera of Kansas. Acad. Nat.
Sci. Phila. Proc, 83: 119-227.

28. 1935 — Hebard, Morgan. Studies in the Orthoptera of Arizona.
Part II. A list of the Dermaptera and Orthoptera with new
records and corrections of the literature subsequent to 1909.
Amer. Ent. Soc Trans., 61 : 269-316.

29. 1935 — Hebard, Morgan. Orthoptera of the upper Rio Grande
Valley and the adjacent mountains in northern New Mexico.
Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila. Proc, 87: 45-82.

Insect Food of the Kock Wren

The rock wren, Salpiiictcs obsoletiis obsolctiis (Say), is a common and ;iume-
times abundant denizen of many rocky local semi-desert areas frequented by the
sugar-beet leafhopper, Eutcttix tend his (Baker), the false chinch bug, Nysius
cricac (Sch.), Say's plant bug, Chlorochroa sayi Stal, army cutworm, various
grasshoppers, Choricayrotis auxilaris (Grote), and certain other insects which
move from range land to attack agricultural crops in the cultivated areas. Dur-
ing a season of unusual beet leafhopper abundance, as many as 59 E. toiclliis
have been found in the stomach of a rock wren collected near Timpie, Tooele
County, Utah on October 6, 1934. Fifty-three adult and 11 nymphal Nysius ericuc
were present in the stomach of a specimen taken at Timpie on September 11, 1937,
besides 16 E. tcncllus, 2 mirids, Lyyus licspcnis Knt., 1 Coleoptera larva, 2 ants
and 1 Lepidoptera larva. In 1940, with grasshoppers abundant, 22 of the 26
stomachs collected contained 51 grasshoppers, mostly adults. One stomach held
658 winged ants, besides parts of 1 grasshopper, an aphid, 1 beetle, 1 scutellerid
bug and a beet leafhopper.

The total recognizable insect contents in the 88 stomachs examined, collected
throughout Utah from 1935 through 1941, consisted of: 1 Thysanura; 10 Col-
lembola; 104 Orthoptera, 92 being adult and 3 nymphal grasshoppers, among them
being recognized Melanopliis mexicanus Sauss., Cammila pcllucida (Scudder),
Chorthippus curtipcnnis (Harris), Trachyrhachis kiowa (Thos.) and Trimeritropns
spp. ; 4 Isoptera; 3 Odonata, dragonflies; 5 Neuroptera included larval ant lions
and 1 Raphidiidae ; 11 Trichoptera ; 418 Hemiptera, 208 adult and 51 nymphal
Nyshts ericac, besides 5 Gcocoris dccoratus Uhl , 1 Scutelleridae, Homacuiiis
aciiijrons (Say), 48 Pentatomidae which included Chlorochroa sayi, C. nhlcri
Stal, C. ligafa (Say) and Thyanta ciistator (Fabr.), 8 Miridae, 3 being Lygus
hcspcnis and 1 L. clisiis Van D. being recognized, 1 Anthocoridae, Oriiis tristi-
color (Wh.), 1 Nabidae, Nobis alternatus Parsh; of 776 Homoptera, 326 were
leaf hoppers, 166 being adult and 152 nymphal Eutettix tcncllus, with Aceratigallia
saiigiiiiiolciifa (Prov.) and Dikraneiira sp. also represented; 1 Fulgoridae ; 417
Aphididae, recognized among them being Cinara sibcricac (G.-P), 12 Macrosipliiiin
cscalantii Knit., 2 M. coweni (Hunter), Aphis carbocolor Gill., A. bonncvillcnsis
Knit., and A. medicaginis Koch; 8 Coccidae; 3 of the 106 Coleoptera found were
larave ; the rest included 1 Carabidae, 6 Chrysomelidae (4 being flea beetles), 1
Buprestidae, 1 Scarabaeidae, and 2 Melyridae, Collops bipunctatiis Say ; 43 Lepid-
optera, 17 being larvae, and in addition there were 45 lepidopterous eggs; 29
Diptera, one a Pipuimciiliis sp. larva protruding from a beet leafhopper abdomen,
besides 4 Culicidae, 4 Tipulidac. 1 Chironomidae, 1 Syrphidae, 1 Calliphoridae and
2 Tabanidae, 1 a Chrysops fidvaslcr O. S. ; 1,171 Hymenoptera, 1,097 being ants
including many Pogonomyrmcx occidcntalis (Cresson), 1 Braconidae and 1 wild
bee. There also were found 51 miscellaneous insect eggs, 5 spiders, 1 large red
mite, 1 Solpugida. and 30 seeds (mostly from weeds). A number of the stom-
aclis held plant fragments, besides some extra grasshopper mandibles which may
have been used as grit.

Because of its feeding so extensively upon injurious species of insects, the
rock wren should be considered a beneficial and desirable inhabitant of the western
range and farm lands. — George F. Knowlton and V. C. Harmston, Utali Agri-
cultural Experiment Station, Logan.

22

STUDIES JN THK WEEVILS OF THE WESTERN UNJTEU
STATES x\U. \': A NEW SPECIES OF MlL0DER01DES^i>

VASCO M. TANNER

Professor of Zoology and Entomology

Brigham Young University

Miloderoides vandykei Tanner, new species

i- EM ale: lioQy robust, oblong, black, antennae club golden brown, vibrissae
and setae yellowish brown, imbricate scales, white, black and brown interspersea,
w ithout a sheen which gives the body a dull appearance. Head one third longer
man the prothorax ; rostrum broad, the width two thirds the length, flattened
above, with parallel sides, pronounced basal constrictions and with a well detined
median longitudinal groove which is not covered with scales. The rostral sulcus
terminates in a well developed frontal fovea. The subapical area slightly de-
pressed and angular ; the scrobes deep, terminating below the eyes which are
sligntly ovalute, black and prominent, the scape reaches beyond the middle of the
eye. The first joint of the funiculus is longer than the third and fourth joints;
tiie club is received in the cupped seventh funicular segment. Prothorax wider
than long, (2.1 mm. : 1.9 mm.), the greatest width near the apical region; pos-
tocular lobes absent, vibrissae long reaching the eye; dorsal area tuberculate cov-
ered with black scales and brownish yellow setae which arise from the tubercules,
lateral portion with a whitish vittae of scales. The elytra widest just before the
middle ; the surface flat ; the striation and punctation obscured by the imbricate
scales ; the setae are similar in color and length on the rostrum, head, prothorax
and elytra. There are two rows of scales on each elytral interval, and these arise
in very small punctures. When the scales are removed the surface is black and
shining. The setae of some of the males are longer and more dense than that of
the females. This along with the expanded third tarsal segment distinguishes the
males from the females. The legs are whitish except for the corbel spinules and
the ventral tarsal spines which are black and the distal tips of the femora which
are covered with black scales. The spinules of the tibial comb are more closely set
and slightly longer than in other species of this genus. Before the tibial spine
on the anterior leg there are 13 to 17 spinules. All the tibiae are mucronate ;
the ventral surface of the tarsal segments are covered with black spines in the
females while the pad on the third segment is slightly silvery in color. The
fourth segment is as long as tlie other three ; tlie claws are widely separated and
long.

The female genitalia is distinctive. The valvifer and coxite are not clearly
separated, however, the styli are small but distinct. The eighth sternite is a help-
ful character in practically all the species of this and realted genera. The male
genitalia differs from other species in this genus due to the size and shape of the
median oriface (No. 2). Total length of the prothorax and elytra is 6.0 mm. to
7.4 mm.

(1) Contribution No. 99. Department of Zoology and Entomology, Brigham
Young University

23

The Great Basin Xaturalist
24 VASCO M. TANNER \'oI. lii, No. 1,

AIales : The male is similar to the female except the setae of the elytra are
usually much longer and more dense, and the third tarsal segment is expanded
and padded with a slightly silvery colured thick, setae. The length of the males
is 5.6 mm. to 7.0 mm.

Typk Locality: The Virgin River at St. George, Washinglon
County, Utah. The holotype, allotype and four paratypes were col-
lected in 1892 by C. J. Weidt on the Virgin River south of St. George;
and four paratypes were collected by Angus M. Woodbury at St.
George in 1923. One paratype is being sent to each of the following:
Dr. E. C. Van Dyke of the California Academy of Sciences, Mr. P. C.
Ting of San Francisco, California, and to Mr. L. L. Buchanan of the
U. S. National Museum, Washington, D. C. The remaining seven
specimens are in the author's collection at Brigham Young University.
The specimens collected by C. J. Weidt were in the Charles Leng
collection. 1 am pleased to name the species in honor of Dr. Van Dyke
who has done so much to promote the study of Entomology and espe-
cially the study of the Coleoptera of the Western United States.

Discussion : In the accompanying illustrations there are draw-
ings of the corbel of the anterior leg of the three species of the genus
Miloderoides. Number 3 shows the iimer surface of the left corbel of
M. vandyki with the tarsus removed. There are 13 to 17 spinules in
the distal comb up to the tibial spine, then one or two spinule just
below and a little in from the tibial spine, followed by a row of fine
long setae and then 4 to 6 close set long spinules in the anterior
comb. While the number of spinules are variable in the specimens of
this species, there are more than in tnaculatus. In the two specimens
of maculatus which I have examined the maximum number of spinules
in the distal comb is 10 and in the anterior comb 3 to 4 (No. 5). In
both of these species the spinules are black and long while in cinereus
they are amber colored and most of the distal comb ones are short and
blunt (No. 4).

In a previous paper^^) ^ drawing of the female genitalia of M. van-
dykei was reported as Cimbocera buchanani, due to a mixing of speci-
mens of these two species. This should have been avoided, however,
since the genitalia of the two genera are fundamentally different.
This has been pointed out by Mr. Ting in his useful paper.(^) In
order that I may correct this error a drawing of the genitalia of
buchanani is included in this study. The genital structures of 4 speci-

(2) Tanner, Vasco M., 1941. Studies in the Weevils of the Western United
States No. TV: A New Species of Cimbocera. Great Rasin Nat. Vol. II, No. 1,
pp. 29-32.

(3) Ting, P. C, 1940. Revisional Notes Concerned with Cimbocera and Re-
lated Genera. Bull. So. Calif. Acad. Sci., Vol. 39. Part 2. pp. 128-157.

June 15, 1942

A NEW SPECIES OF MFLODEKOIDES

25

mens have been studied. 1 now have 18 specimens of buchanani in the
collection. These are from San Maroial. New Mexico (1 paratype
from Mr. Ting) ; Santa Fe, New Mexico (1) ; El I'aso. Texas (12
from the Charles Leng Collection) ; Peach Springs, Arizona (2 from
Leng Collection) ; and Grand Junction, Colorado (2).

The structures which T have called the styli in C. bitchaiiaiii and
pctersoni are considered as extensions of the coxites by Ting. From
my observation of these structures they seem to l)e movable distinct
structural units. In buchanani it appears that there is a baculum ex-
tending from the base of the stylus into the coxite. This in some
specimens seems to be continuous with and a part of the coxite. By
making a glycerine mount of these structures and studying them under
a compound microscope these structures may be more readily ob-
served. Here we hr.ve a different type of stylus to that found in

--8tht

Figure I. (1) Ventral view of the female genitalia of Milodcroidcs vandykci;
(2) Male genitalia of M. vandykci; (3) Anterior corbel showing spinules of the
di.stal and anterior combs of M. z'andykci ; (4) spinules of the combs on the an-
terior tibia of M. cincrcns; (5) some of M. viaculafus; (6) and (7) ventral and
lateral view of the female genitalia Cimboccra huchanani. sty — stylus; vf — valvi-
fer ; 8ths — ^eighth sternite ; spi 8 — eighth spinacle ; c — coxite; b — baculum; 9ths —
ninth sternite ; au — anus ; v — vulva.

The Great Basin Naturalist
26 VASCO M. TANNER \'ol. Ill, Xo. 1,

vandykci and many other weevils and familis of Coleoptera. In some
of the CicindeUdae and Carabidae the styH are similar to what we
have in this case. The structures called the styli in Cimbocera are not
setiferous as usual, l)ut they are movable and surrounded by setae
which arise in both the membranous and sclerotized surrounding coxite.
The styli in buchanani are longer and stand more erect than in petcr-
soni. On several of the specimens there is a ventral inner sclerotiza-
tion of the valvifer which constitutes a baculum, this is as Ting
observed not so pronounced as in pauper. The eighth sternite is dif-
ferent from other species of Cimbocera which I have studied. The
genitalia of buchanani and pctersoni are similar in many respects but
distinctive in others which renders them useful in classification.

Three species are now ascribed to the genus Miloderoides. They
may be separated as follows :

(1) Rostrum without triangular shaped depression in subapical area.
Corbel spinules black well spaced, 10 in distal comb ; setae long,
blackish and brownish on head, prothorax and elytra. Antenna
club blackish, scales gray and dark brown mottled with a sheen ;

eighth sternite less sclerotized ; size 5.7 mm. to 5.9 mm

nmculatus ^^an Dyke

Corbel spinules black fairly closely set, 17 in the distal comb ;
setae short, and golden on head, prothorax and elytra. Antenna
club golden brown ; scales white, gray and black intermixed with-
out a sheen given a dull lead color ; eighth sternite more sclero-
tized. Size 7.0 mm. to 7.6 mm vandykci new species

(2) Rostrum with subapical area depressed, triangular shaped.
Corbel spinules, blunt amber colored. 15 in distal comb; setae
short and golden ; scales gray and reddish with a distinct sheen.

Size 7.2 mm cincrcus (Van Dyke)

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Volume III

Number 2

The Great Basin Naturalist

December 23, 1942

^»iAN 121943 '
TABLE OF CONTENTS -.j^nanMii.

Page

A Review of the Genus Notolepidomyzon with a Description of

a New Species (Pisces-Catostomidae), Vasco M. Tanner . 27

Obsei-vations on the Ecology and Natural History of Anura IX.
Notes on Breeding Behavior in Oklahoma, Arthur N. Bragg
and Charles C. Smith 33

Some Unusual Winter Visitors or Late Migrants to the Bear
River Marshes, Utah, Clarence Cottom, C. S. Williams, and
C. A. Sooter 51

Notes on the Occurrence of Gulls at Utah Lake 54

Gull Banding Notes at Utah Lake No. 2 55

George Paul Engelhardt (1871-1942) 57

Sheldon P. Hayes Collects Cold-Blooded Vertebrates in Arizona 59

Notes on the Birth and Growth of Horned Lizards 60

Published at Provo, Utah, by the

Department of Zoology and Entomology ot

Brigham Young University

The Great Basin Naturalist

Vasco M. Tanner, Editor
C. Lynn Hayward, Assistant Editor

A journal published four times a year by the Department of
Zoology and Entomology, Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah.

Manuscripts. Only original unpublished manuscripts, pertaining
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Great Basin Naturalist, Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah.

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The Great Basin Naturalist

Published by the Xei?^ ** '"'^ '"*'•'-,

AjfP Zoctepy

„ DepartmilNt of Zoology and Entomology r'^ ,.m 4^ .,..r,

IQLLir T} X7 TT ID TT i ^^ U1943

I iw it i> Brigham Young University. Provo. Utah \

J. J 8 K A ftj^

Y'OLUME III DECEMBER 23, 1942 No. 2

A REVIEW OF THE GENUS NOTOLEPIDOMYZON WITH
A DESCRIPTION OF A NEW SPECIES
(PISCES-CATOSTOMIDAE) w

VASCO M. TANNER

Professor of Zoology and Entomology

Brigham Young University

In 1876 when Professor Cope^^^ established the genus Pantostcus
for the mountain suckers found in the Rocky Mountains and Great
Basin he made Minomus plafyrhynchus Cope the type of the genus.
Species of this genus were said to differ from those of a closely re-
lated genus Catostomiis by having the bones of the head thick with
the parietals and frontals more or less united thus, in some instances,
obliterating the f ontanelle ; also both jaws with cutting edges and
lower lip not very deeply cleft.

Mr. Henry W. Fowler"^-^) in 1913 proposed that Paiitosteiis arizonae
(Gilbert) be made the type of a new sub-genus Nofolcpidoinycon ;
since the

"scales along predorsal region and l)ack all well en-
larged ; less than twenty between occiput and origin of
dorsal, and contrasting with the small scales in the lateral
line."

It will be noted that Mr. Fowler's characterization of this sub-
genus is based upon the enlarged anterior scales of a single species in
the Gila basin.

(1) Contribution No. 100, Department of Zoology and Entomology, Brigham
Young University.

(2) Cope, E. D. and Yarrow, H. C, 1876. Report upon the Collection of
Fishes made in Portions of Nevada, Utah, California, Colorado, New Mexico, and
Arizona during the years 1871-2-3 and 4. Rept. Geog. and Geol. Expl. and Sur-
vey, West of the One Hundredth Meridian. Vol. V. Zoology pp. 635-703.

(3) Fowler, Henrv W., 1913. Notes on Catostomoid Fishes. Proc. Acad.
Nat. Sci. Phila., p. 47.

27

The Great Basin Xaturalist
28 VASCO M. TANNER Vol. 11 J , No. 2,

A comparative study of the species of tlie genus Pantosteus was
made in 1916 by I'rofessor J. O. Snyder*'*' which resulted in his sepa-
rating the species

"into two well defined, natural groups, one characterized
1)}' a thick cranium in which the parietals and frontals
meet in a close, strong suture, and another by a relatively
thin cranium where parietals and frontals are separated
by a long, often very narrow fontanelle which apparently
does not close even in very old individuals."

For the first group Professor Snyder used the subgeneric name
Notolepidomyzon of Fowler and for the second, Cope's Pantosteus.
He assigned the following species to the genus Notolepidomyzon :
clarki, santa-anae, generosus, and plebieus. . In 1932 the writer^-'')
added the species iifaJicnsis, and in this paper is described the sixth
species of the genus interniedius. This leaves the following species
in the genus Pantosteus: platyrhynchus, type of the genus; dclphinus;
jordaiii, colnnihianus ; vircscciis; and lalionfan.

My study of the species of these genera supports the conclusion
that Notolepidomyzon and Pantosteus represent natural genera char-
acterized by definite characters and that they are, in the main, geo-
graphically separate. Dclphinus is the only species of Pantosteus found
in the Colorado River basin. A large series of this species should be
studied in the light of our understanding of these genera. It is now
known that Notolepidomyzon, as here considered, is not represented in
the Great Basin fauna. According to the geographical distribution of
the species of this genus the center of distribution for the complex is,
undoubtedl}-, the Colorado River basin.

These genera may be characterized as follows:

Lips will well defined cutting edges ; cranium thin ; no fontanelle ;
scales between the occiput and dorsal larger and usually less than
on anterior lateral line : Colorado River basin and eastward in
distribution Notolepidomyzon

Lips with well defined cutting edges ; cranium thin ; fontanelle
poorly to well developed ; median scales between occiput and
dorsal small, about the same in number and size as on the an-
terior lateral line; mainly Great Basin and westward Pantosteus

A morphological study of the species of Notolepidomyzon has re-

(4) Snyder, John ().. 19U). Notes en a collection of h'ishes made by Dr.
A. Meanis from rivers tributary to the Gulf of Califorina. Proc. U. S. Nat. AIus.
Vol. 49. pp. 473-586. 2 pis. Li this paper Snyder illustrated the crania of several
catostomids including Notolepidomyzon and Pontosteus.

f 5) Tanner. Vasco M.. 1932. A Description of Notolepidomyzon utahensis ;
a new Catostoniid from LItah. Copeia. No. 3, pp. 135-L36.

Dec. 23, 1942 the genus notolepidomyzon 29

suited in the separation of the species by means of tlie following key :

a. Scales of back very much to only slightly enlarged.

b. Scales between occiput and dorsal fin 15 to 17 along the
median line ; 8 above the lateral line : 75 scales in the lateral
line: head broad and flat above. Gila Basin of Arizona..
clarkK^''' (Baird and Girard)

bb. Scales between occiput and dorsal fin 27 to 29 along the
median line; 11 above the lateral line; 75 to 85 scales in
the lateral series ; ventrals reach the anus ; head 4 into
length, flat above; White River. Nevada. During Pleisto-
cene epoch this river drained into Colorado River ; now a
closed isolated basin infcnucdiiis. n. sp.

bbb. Scales between occiput and dorsal fin 29 to 33 along the
median line; 14 to 15 above lateral line; 76 to 80 lateral
line ; ventrals do not reach the anus ; Santa Ana River,
Southern California saiita-a)Mc Snyder

aa. Scales of back not noticeably, if at all, enlarged.

c. Scales between occiput and dorsal fin 34 to 40 along median
line; 14 to 17 above lateral line; 90 to 100 lateral line;
Colorado River drainage from \'irgin River north to Green
River in Utah utahcnsis Tanner

cc. Scales between occiput and dorsal fin 40 ot 50 along median
line; 15 to 17 above the lateral line; 80 to 92 in the lateral
line series.

d. Head short and small, 4.9 to 5.1 in length; body slender;
total length 3 to 6 inches. Rio Grande basin in Colo-
rado gcncrosusC^^ (Girard)

dd. Head fairly large, 4.5 in length ; body robust ; 10 to 12
inches in length ; Rio Grande basin of Colorado to
Chihuahua f^Icbcins fBaird and Girard)

Notolepidomyzon intermedius Tanner n. sp.

Description of the Type No. 4252: Head 4.0 times in length to base of
caudal; depth 5.1 ; depth of caudal peduncle 11 ; dorsal rays 11 ; anal rays 7; scales
before the dorsal 29; scales above lateral line 11 : scales below the dorsal line 12;
scales on the lateral line 85 ; snout to dorsal in proportion to total length 2 ;
scales on the caudal peduncle 11 to 12.

The head is long and slender, depth about 2/3 the length, interorbital width
2.1 of length; top of head flat; fontanelle completely closed; width of mouth
contained four times in length of head ; width of mouth including lip 10 mm ;
papillae in 4 rows on upper lip and 8 to 9 rows on lower lip, the outer and inner
rows smaller ; cleft on lower lip moderate ; 9 rows of papillae cleft to inner
cutting edge of mouth.

(6) Ariconac Gilbert is considered as a synonym of clarki.

(7) The writer concures in Professor Snyder's suggestion, Proc. U. S. Nat.
Mus. Vol. 59, 1922, p. 23, that gcuerosus and picbchis may be one and the same
species. A large series of these forms is needed in making a study.

30

The Great Basin Naturalist

VASCO M. TANNER

Vol. Ill, No. 2.

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Dec. 23, 1942 the genus notdlepidomyzon 31

The dorsal is about 1/4 greater in height than length of base; anal 1.3 in
head; the anal just reaches base of caudal; the ventrals just reach the anus; 5
scales above the lateral line on the caudal peduncle ; lateral line straight except
for a short upward curve at its origin where it passes above the operculum.

In life this species is greyish to olive green above becoming light yellow to
whitish on the venter. In alcohol the specimens are dark to blackish above ;
mottled above, along and irregularly below the lateral line and whitish on the
belly region; with a dark circular area on the operculum.

Comparison : Notolcpidomyzon intcrmcdius is closely related to
cotype specimens of A', santa-anac which are before me. In santa-
anac the ventrals do not reach the anus while in intermedins they do.
Inteniicdiiis is also a much coarser scaled species than utaliensis, as
well as a smaller fish, being only 4 to 5 inches in maximum length.

Type Locality : White River, streams and springs, at Lund and
Preston, White River Valley, White Pine County, Nevada. The type,
no. 4252, paratypes Nos. 4253 to 4258; 4898 to 4902 and 5002 to 5011
and 5 small untagged specimens were collected by Mr. Guy L.
Hendrix in July, 1942. The type and paratypes, except two each that
are being deposited in the U. S. National Museum, Washington, D. C,
Natural History Museum, Stanford L^niversity and Muesum of Zool-
ogy, University of Michigan, are in the Vertebrate Collection of the
Brigham Young University.

Associated Species : The following species were collected with
A^. iiitennedius: Crcnichthys baileyi (Gilbert) ; Rhiniciiihys {apocope)
vclifer Gilbert, or a new subspecies of it; and Rhiniclithys (apocope)
nevadensis Gilbert.

The White River Drainage: During the Pleistocene epoch this
area, as well as the entire Great Basin, according to erosional fea-
tures, was alternately dry and humid. Aside from large lakes of the
basin, such as Bonneville and Labontan, there were many small ones.
These small ones were connected by streams during the humid years
and isolated or dry during the arid times. Fossil remains of a drain-
age system which connected White River with the Muddy and Colo-
rado rivers is clearly preserved throughout its course. According to
Mr. Everett Carpenter*^^) there are two well defined

"drainage systems in southeastern Nevada, those of
Virgin River and of Las Vegas Wash, are tributary to
Colorado River. Virgin River rises in southern Utah,

(8) Carpenter, F.verett, 1915. Water-supply paper 365, Department of In-
terior, United States Geological Survey, p. 9.

The Great Basin Naturalist
52 VASCO M. TANNER Vol. Ill, No. 2,

flows southeastward across the northwest corner of Ari-
zona, enters Nevada at Mesquite, flows past Bunkerville
and St. Thomas, and discharges into Colorado River.
The main tributary to this stream is Muddy River, which
at present rises in the Moapa Indian Reservation but
which in former geologic times had its source many
miles to the north in the head of the White River valley.
A well-deevloped and open channel extends from near
the town of Preston southward through Pahranagat
valley and into the Muddy River valley."

Acknowledgments: The writer is indebted to Mr. Grant 13.
Harris, principal of the Lund High school and a former major stu-
dent of mine, for his encouraging Mr. Guy L. Hendrix, one of his
students, to collect and preserve for us the fishes of this report. 1
also appreciate the loan of specimens, which were used in this study,
from Dr. George S. Myers of Stanford University.

or.SKRVATlONS ON THE ECOLOGY AND NATURAJ.

HISTORY OF ANURA IX. NOTES ON l'.RI-:i-:i )1NG

r.lCHAXlOR ]N OKLAHOMA^"

ARTHUR N. 15RA(jG and CHARLES CLINTON S.\nTH

It is well known that some single species of frogs or toads ma}-
breed at different times of year and use somewhat different types oi
breeding" sites in different portons of their geographical ranges. This
seems to be especially true of those forms whose distributicju is oi
wide extent, particularly if the range traverse several degrees of lati-
tuile (Wright and Wright, 1933). It is less commonly understood
that the details of breeding or other habits may vary, usually slightly
but sometimes markedly, in different ecological situations; and that
such changes of habits are often of great importance in the adjust-
ment of a given species to the differences in various habitats within
its geographical range (Bragg, 1940d; see also Blair, 1941). Be-
cause of these facts, it is not safe to generalize concerning the breed-
ing habits of any species of Anura from its study in one locality only.
Instead, one must study these habits in each ecological community
wherein the species is found to determine ( 1 ) whether any variations
in breeding pattern occur, and (2) if so, what factors (ecological or
physiological) are involved in the changes. Only in this way can we
approach complete understanding of the adjustment of a species to
its environment and of the reasons for its geographical distributi(jn
and possible ecological segregation.

The breeding habits of Anura in Oklahoma are still imperfectly
known. Those of some species of Bufo have been analyzed and notes
on some others have been given in the earlier papers in this series
(Bragg, 1940, 1940a, b, c, d, 1941 ; Bragg and Smith, 1942). The habits
of Scaphiopus boinbifrons Cope were given consideration by Trow-
bridge and Trowbridge (1937). Except for these papers, only inci-
dental notes have been found in the literature dealing specifically w^th
the Oklahoma forms as observed within this state. Since we have
made observations upon breeding habits, breeding dates, and breeding
sites in connection with our extensive field trips in Oklahoma during
the past four years, it seems desirable that our findings be presented.

(1) Contribution from the Zoological Laboratory of the University of Okla-
home, No. 229. Aided by a grant from the faculty research fund of the university.

33

The Great Basin Naturalist
34 BRAGG AND SMITH Vol. Ill, No. 2,

Our general method of procedure has been to follow the weather
reports as given by the local press or radio and to take trips at night
during spring, summer, and autumn from Norman to other parts of
the state wherever and whenever heavy or violent rains were reported.
Since most species are influenced in their breeding behavior by the
coming of rain, this method has enabled us to locate hundreds of
breeding congresses and to observe the breeding reactions in as much
detail as individual circumstances made to seem desirable. Our observa-
tions have naturally been more intensive, as well as more extensive,
within a fifty-mile radius of our starting p(nnt at Norman in central
Oklahoma. They have been least extensive in the panhandle. We
have, however, visited at least once every one of the seventy-seven
counties in the state.

Twenty- five species or subspecies of Anura are recognized as oc-
curring in some part of Oklahoma. Of these, seven of the rarer
forms have not been observed by us in breeding congresses. Three
others have been found only a few times. The remaining fifteen have
been seen often enough to justify our belief that we understand, at
least in broad outline and often in some detail, the breeding pattern
exemplified by each in Oklahoma. This is especially true as to the
characteristic breeding sites used and as to the extent of the breeding
season.

The observations are presented in three divisions: (1) the earliest
and latest breeding date observed, together with other pertinent data,
are presented for each species in Table 1 ; (2) annotated lists of
breeding sites are given; and (3) miscellaneous unpublished observa-
tions on the breeding behavior of several species, thought for one
reason or another to be of special interest, are presented. Identifica-
cations of all forms are by us. Specimens have been deposited in the
University of Oklahoma Museum of Zoology.

In the preparation of Table 1, care has been taken to report only
those congresses of Anura which we have reason to believe were of
such nature that eggs were eventually produced. Slight rains often
stimulate a few males of some species to start calling without this
resulting in actual breeding. Often, calling hylas and sometimes even
calling ranas and Inifos do not indicate breeding. Tlie finding of
tadpoles in pools we have taken, of course, as proof that breeding has
occurred but these have been used as indicative of a breeding date
only in exceptional circumstances: for example, if tadpoles of ScapJii-
opiis bomhifrons or Biifo cor/natus are found two weeks after the
only rain has occurred in the region, one seems justified in fixing the

Dec. 23, 1942 ecology and natural history of anura 35

date of Qgg production as on the night following the rain or within
two or three days thereafter/-^ This is because these species breed
only after rain. A similar situation involving any species of Rana,
Bufo w. woodhousii, or B. a. amcricanus in Oklahoma does not neces-
sarily indicate this. In all such cases, we have used our best judgment
based upon our total experience. It should also be noted that in con-
struction of Table 1, the number of congresses reported is not the
actual number visited in the course of this study. On some of our
trips we have found areas as large as whole counties which sounded
like one huge chorus of amphibian voices. We may have visited as
many as fifteen or more separate congresses in such an area on a
single night. Ordinarily we have considered such cases as one experi-
ence for each species represented at each type of breeding site within
the area and have so recorded them in Table 1.

Weather data given in this paper are from three sources: (1) from
summaries obtained from the U. S. Weather Bureau at Oklahoma City,
(2) from the local station at the University of Oklahoma, and (3)
from our own observations of air and water temperatures taken in
the field in a few instances.

BREEDING SITES

Breeding sites for Anura in Oklahoma are quite varied in char-
acter. In the wooded and hilly regions of eastern Oklahoma, streams
are often clear and, in some reaches, fairly swift. Some, how^ever,
like the Kiamichi, are in some parts sluggish, deep, and muddy. In
the region of the mixed-grass prairie (central Oklahoma) most streams
are trancient, their floodplains being either broad sandy wastes or
deep dry ravines for long periods between floods. Small streams en-
tering such rivers as the Canadian or Cimarron in central Oklahoma,
especially from the east or north, are often blocked by sand dunes and
form sloughs along the edges of the flood-plain. Such sloughs vary
much in character with the season, with the amount of rainfall, and
with local conditions. They may be muddy or clear and, during the
hot weather of summer usually run through the cycle typical of stag-
nant water anywhere, eventually disappearing altogether if not re-
plenished by rains. Several species of frogs and toads utilize these
sloughs for breeding, especially in early spring.

Muddy cattle tanks are present in large numbers in almost all

_ (2) B. cognatus may call for from one to five nights under the stimulation of
a single rain; S. bombifrons may call from one to three nights. Eggs of the for-
mer are most often laid on the second night, those of the latter, on the first.

The Great liasin Xalur.ilisl
36 BRAGG AND SMITH Vol. Ill, No. 2,

regions of Oklahoma. iJuffalo-vvallows occur in all of the niixcil-
grass and most of the short-grass prairies, i. e., from the central por-
tion of the state westward. They do not occur in the more sandy
soils of the eastern part of the state nor in the sand prairies of the
short-grass association in the west. They cannot occupy these re-
gions because the sandy soil fails to become puddled t(j such extent
as to hold the water. Buffalo wallows may have either clear ov
ni'uddy water, depending upon local conditions. In the mixed-grass
prairie, they are more commonly clear, unless located in severely over-
grazed pastures.

Flooded fields and ditches are of several different kinds. In sonic
regions, such areas may be very extensive and, althcjugh temp(jrary,
quite deep after heavy rains. We have waded waist-deep in temporary
water on several occasions. (Jn the other hand, S(jme extensively
flooded fields are shallow, not more than one foot at the deepest part,
and often with an acre or more of water only a few inches in depth.
Either type may be muddy or clear depending upon local conditions ;
but shallow, temporary water, whether in fields or ditches, is more
often clear than muddy. In contrast, deep temporary water in Okla-
homa is usually muddy.

As will be seen froni the following lists, some species use only
certain types of these sites for their breeding activities; others use
several. This ecological segregation is best noted when radically dif-
ferent conditions are found in two pools situated close together. On
several occasions in central and western Oklahoma we have found
Bufo cognatus separated in this way from B. woodhoiisii ivoodhoiisii
(see also Bragg, 1940 and 1940a). In one case we found them segre-
gated in two parts of the same pool. The local situation was a peculiar
one. A fence separating two fields crossed a depression in which the
pool was formed. One field had been plowed ; the other had not.
During a violent shower, muddy water from the plowed field rushed
into the depression from one side while clear water drained from the
grass-covered unplowed field opposite. The result was a pool in which
the water graded from quite clear at one end to excessively muddy at
the other. The whole pool was shallow and only slightly deeper on
the muddy side. There was a large chorus of B. cognatus at and near
the clear end of the pool and a smaller number of B. zv. woodhoiisii
(probably about twenty) calling in the muddy section. We found no
evidence of the mixing of the two species.

Some species are kept apart within a single breeding site by the
reactions of individuals of both sexes to the calls of their own species

Dec. 23, 1942 ecology and natural history of anura 37

(see IJragg, 1940a for a case of this kind among several species of
r>ufo). Other closely related species do not intermingle much due to
different reactions of the males. This is well seen in Scaphiopus.
J>\ coucliii often breeds in the same pools with .V. bombifro}is in south-
ern and southwestern Oklahoma. Males of the former call from the
bank or from very shallow water at the pool's edge. Females gather
about a male in a sort of semicircle. Eventually, the male jumps and
catches a female and they enter the water together (Ortenburger,
1924). Males of .?. bombifrons seldom call from the bank (we have
observed this on two occasions). Usually they call sprawled out on
tJTC water and attract their females to them here (Trowbridge and
Trowbridge, 1937). In this way these two species are segregated until
females have been mated. There is some indication that other species
of Scaphiopus may be segregated in the same manner. This is sug-
gested by our limited observations on S. hurterii and also by those of
Smith and Leonard (1934) who found this form breeding with 5".
bombifrons in central (Jklahoraa. It is not quite clear how this segre-
gation w^orks when J^. bombifrons occupies the same pool as S. ham-
mondii but some recent observations in New Mexico suggest strongly
that there is such a mechanism (I^ragg, 1941a). We have not seen
these species together in Oklahoma.

Some closely related species are known to be interfertile and others
are strongly suspected of being so. Such differences in habits as de-
scribed above will go far toward explaining why interbreeding is so
infrequent in nature even though two interfertile species may use the
same water at the same time. (See also Blair, 1940, 1941). When such
factors are not operative for any reason, as when a species changes
its habits at the border of a range, interbreeding may occur more
frequently. The detailed study of habits, therefore, may be of great
value to those interested in intergradation of subspecies where ranges
meet.

OUTLINE OF BREEDING SITES AND THE SPECIES USING
THEM IN OKLAHOMA

- 1. Permanent deep ivaicr (rivers, artificial lakes, deep ponds).
Acris crepitans and Rana splienoceplwla on or near the edge in shal-
low water, usually among aquatic vegetation. Rana catcsbeiana calling
on or near the bank, eggs floating in deeper water. Biifo w. woodhousii
commonly breeds in muddy backwashes of large rivers and creeks and
occasionally in artificial lakes of whatever size. B. w. fowleri was
found calling in numbers on the muddy bank of the slow-flowing and

The Great Basin Naturalist
38 BRAGG AND SMITH V'ol. 1 11, No. 2,

deep Kiamichi river one night. Tadpoles of ihe same species have
been found in clear deep water of the Mountain Fork River in Mc-
Curtain County.

2. Small, clear-water streams (eastern and southern Oklahoma).
Bufo aiiiericaiiits americanus and rarely B. w. woodhousii in shallow
flowing water; these species and Acris crepitans, Hyla versicolor versi-
color, Pseudacris triseriata, and Rana sphenocephala in shallow back-
washes and overflow areas. B. w. fotvleri also used clear, sandy-
bottomed streams.

3. Sloughs and backwashes on the floodplains of muddy creeks and
rivers (certainly of the Arkansas, Cimarron, Canadian, and N. Ca-
nadian and probably of the Red) Bufo a. americanus occasionally
(two observations), B. w. zvoodhousii very abundantly, Rana spheno-
cephala very abundantly, Pseudacris triseriata rarely and in small
numbers.

4. Sloughs of relatively clear water on the floodplains of large
rivers. Acris crepitans and B. iv. woodhousii very abundantly; Pseu-
dacris streckeri characteristically ; Rana sphenocephala very commonly ;
Ps. triseriata (one observation).

5. Flooded shallow fields and shallozv ditches of clear water, usu-
ally ivith considerable vegetation protruding through them. Bufo cog-
natus, B. compactilis, Microhyla olivacea, Pseudacris clarkii, Ps. tris-
eriata, Scaphiopus couchii, all in large numbers ; B. w. woodhousii, Ps.
streckeri, Rana sphenocephala, and Scaphiopus bombifrons in small
numbers. Bufo insidior has been taken in this situation in small num-
bers also but the small numbers are thought to be due to the com-
parative rarity of this species.

6. Buffalo wallozi's of clear water or similar small shallow clear-
zvater pools. Bufo cognatus, B. compactilis, Microhyla olivacea, Ps.
clarkii, and Ps. triseriata, often in large numbers; Scaphiopus bombi-
frons in small numbers.

7. Deep, muddy pools of all sorts (ditches, flooded fields, cattle
tanks, etc.). Bufo americanus, B. zvoodhousii fozvleri, B. w. wood-
housii, B. compactilis, B. insidior, (in shallow water near edge) ; tiyla
versicolor versicolor, Rana areolata arcolata, Rana sphenocephala,
Scaphiopus couchii, S. hurterii, and S. bombifrons (characteristic
breeding site). Rana catesbeiana is often present in large numbers in
some such pools and has been heard calling in them once or twice.
They breed here sometimes, for their tadpoles have been found in
cattle-tanks.

8. Rock-bottom pools of small extent. Bufo puuctatus embryos,

Dec. 23, 1942 ecology and naturai. history of anura 39

just hatching, were found once in the Wichita Mountains (i>ragg and
Smith, 1942).

9. Pools in creeks. Acris crepitans and Rana sphenocepliala occa-
sionally.

The condition as to roiliness and depth of water may be summa-
rized thus :

1. Species characteristically breeding only in clear, shallozv, tem-
porary pools. Bufo cognatus, and Ps. triseriata.

2. Species to zvhicii roiliness of the water seems to make little
difference. Acris crepitans, Bufo a. americanus, B. compactilis, B. zv.
woodhoiisii, Hyla v. versicolor, Microhyla olivacea, Pseudacris strcck-
eri, Ps. clarkii, Rana spenoccphala, Scapliiopus boinbifrons, S. couchii,
S. hurterii.

3. Species usually using zvater not more than 10 inches (usually
less) in depth. Acris crepitans, all species of Bufo, Hyla v. versicolor,
Microhyla olivacea, all species of Pseudacris with the exception of Ps.
streckeri, probably Rana a. areolata (too few observations for cer-
tainty).

4. Species usually requiring deep n'ater (one foot or more). Rana
catesbeiana, R. sphenocepliala (some exceptions), Scapliiopus bonibi-
frons, S. couchii, and .9. hurterii. .S. bonibifrons sometimes breeds in
shallow water in small numbers (buffalo wallows). In New Mexico
it sometimes uses very shallow pools (Bragg, 1941a), and we have on
two occasions found males in shallow water in Oklahoma.

MISCELLANEOUS OBSERVATIONS
A. The Breeding Season

The question of a breeding season among several species is of
some interest. Most species of frogs and toads are thought to have
a quite definite breeding season, in the southern states often more
extensive than in the northern. Except for the fact that most Okla-
home species breed only in the warmer months (March to Septem-
ber), we find that several forms have no such season ; and those which
do not have one are typically those species especially adapted to life
in the prairie (Bragg, 1940d, 1941; Bragg and Smith, 1942). Other
species have a definite breeding season here, as well as elsewhere.
Three species are of special interest in this respect, Pseudacris streckeri
Wright and Wright, Microhyla olivacea (Hallowell), and Scapliiopus
bonibifrons Cope.

Ps. streckeri breeds (or at least calls vigorously) in midwinter in

The Great Basin Naturalist
40 BRAGG AND SMITH Vol. I II . Xo. 2,

Oklahoma. The earliest record is that of January 1 I 1941 ) followini,^
heavy rains. On this date thousands of males were calling in Pontotoc,
Coal, and western Hughes counties during a day somewhat warmer
than usual for this season. ^^^^ At Norman, they have been heard in
numbers in the sloughs of the Canadian river many times between
February 1 and mid-May. Rain after May 23 does not seem to stimu-
late further breeding activities. The earliest that we have known a
female to produce eggs was on the night of February 26. but these
eggs did not develop. It would seem, therefore, that Ps. strcckcri, like
its close southern relative. Ps. ornafa (Holbrooke tends to have an
exceptionally early breeding season. We have records of males call-
ing at an air temperature of degrees C. and in water near 0° C.
(For details of breeding habits, see Bragg, 1942.)

Microhyla olivacea is in marked contrast to the above. We have
heard this species only incidentally before April 30 and usually not
in numbers before May 8. From this time on through the summer
into September, it breeds only after rains ; and any rain of appreciable
amount will bring them to pools and ditches in numbers. We have
often found clasped pairs and eggs in pools containing well-developed
tadpoles, and in several other instances, have observed metamorphos-
ing young leaving a pool in which males were calling vigorously and
females were present. This is a species, therefore, which starts its
breeding rather late in the spring, at least in Oklahoma, thereafter
following the rains throughout the summer. It seems probable that
earlier breeding is inhibited by low temperatures.

Scaphioptis homhifrons is especially interesting, since our obser-
vations indicate interpretations somewhat different from those of some
other workers. It is often stated or implied that the plains spadefoot
typically emerges to breed only once in a season in any one locality.
We find this not to be true, either in New Mexico (Bragg, 1941a)
or in central Oklahoma. Three large congresses developed at Norman,
Oklahoma in the spring and early summer of 1940, coming on May
21-22, June 12-13, and July 2-3, in each case during or immediately
after very violent or heavy rains. There were also several large con-
gresses here in the spring of 1941.

Trowbridge and Trowbridge (1937) studied this species over a
period of three years at Norman. Among other things, they point out
that for the period from 19,34 to 1936 inclusive, this spadefoot did

(^) We are indebted to Afr. O'Ricllv Sandoz, while acting- as ecolop:ical field
worker for the Oklalioma Fish and Gaire ComnMssion, for these observations.

Dec. 23, 1942 ecology and natural history of anura 41

not breed after the first spring rain but did breed later in the spring
of each year after rains, sometimes of less extent than those which
had come earlier. They found also that the spadefoots did not breed
until at least a total of 3.66 inches of precipitation had accumulated.
From this evidence they thought it probable that S. hombifrons has a
definite breeding season, modified b}- the coming of rain and that a
certain amount of precipitation must accumulate before breeding ac-
tivity commences. It was clearly stated that this conclusion was only
tentative and an appeal was made for other workers, who had oppor-
tunity, to check it.

This we have attempted to do from observations made principally
in the area studied by the Trowbridges at Norman and often from ex-
periences at the same pools visted by them. It is deemed best to pre-
sent the evidence in some detail in order that our observations may
be compared with theirs. The observations cover the five-year period
from 1937 to 1941 inclusive. During 1937 one of us (Bragg) was in
the field with A. H. Trowbridge and in 1938 and 1939 with M. S.
Trowbridge to whom we are indebted for certain observations and
notes. All remaining observations were made by us and the interpre-
tations of all of the observations were made without consultations with
the Trowbridges. We are, therefore, wholly responsible for the con-
clusions drawn.

In 1937, Febraury was very dry at Norman, only 0.31 inches of
precipitation being recorded. In March, the total was 2.17 inches, the
largest amount (0.55 in.) falling on the 13th. April had a total of
1.83 in., most of it coming in a single storm on the 20th. (1.25 in.).
The total precipitation from February 1 to April 20 inclusive was 4.11
inches, i. e., 0.34 in. above the minimum found effective as a breeding
stimulus by the Trowbridges. The spadefoots did not breed at this
time, despite the fact that the minimum temperature on the day of
the storm was not below that critical for emergence (see beyond). The
rainfall in May totaled 2.13 inches. The spadefoots did not breed
after rains of 0.57 in. on the 11th, or 0.96 in. on the 30th, amounts
which at other times have brought them out in this and other areas.
Temperatures were much too high to have had an inhibiting influence.
June continued rather dry and the weather became hot. Light showers
of from 0.10 to 0.48 in. fell during five of the first ten days. On the
16th a sharp shower brought 0.66 in. of rain and that night A. H.
Trowbridge and one of us found a small congress south of the uni-
versity campus. Several clutches of eggs were produced here and.
later, tadpoles were found in a buffalo Avallow nearby which had been

The Great Basin Naturalist
42 BRAGG AND SMITH VOL llJ.Xo. 2,

dry before the storm. There had been a total of 8.54 inches of pre-
cipitation since February 1, most of it in the form of hght showers
or slow rains.

In 1938, a total of 7.35 inches of precipitation fell in i''eln-uary,
all storms of 0.90 inch or more at temperatures low enough to inhibit
breeding, even if it could otherwise have occurred. March was dry
till the 26th, a total of only 0.35 in. in two showers being recorded.
On the 26th a storm totaling 2.02 in. came. That night, the tempera-
ture was 9° C. and no breeding occurred. The following day had in-
termittent showers totaling 0.90 in. That evening spade foots were
calling in numbers all about Norman at a temperature at just less
than 12° C. The following day was rainy (total 2.19 in.). There had
been a total precipitation of 5.11 inches in three days. That night,
the whole country-side was reverberating with anuran calls, the spade-
foots in great numbers among them. The temperature at 9:15 was
just less than 12° C. and at 1 :00 A. M. it had risen to 14° C. Numer-
ous clutches of eggs were produced in at least a dozen breeding sites
about Norman. There was no further breeding activity either in April
or after rains in May which brought out B. cognaius. Observations
were not made in June or July.

In 1939, precipitation in March totaled 1.86, most of it in one
rain (1.03 in.) on the 28th and 29th. Temperatures w^ere too low
(3° C. at one time) for breeding. April was dry (total 0.51 in.) but
May had 4.18 in., the largest storm being 1.27 in. on the 13th. The
species did not breed. June had numerous light showers with a rain
of 1.6 in. on the 12th. and another of 0.95 in. on the 25th. The first
congress of spadefoots occurred on June 28th during and after a rain
totaling 3.78 in. The total for June prior to this time was 3.84 in.

The season of 1940, in some respects, showed more than those of
the previous three years. Total precipitation for the spring months
was as follows: February, 3.18 in.; March, none; April. 4.25; May
(to the 21st), 3.39. Significant storms occurred as follows: Apr. 5-6,
1.33 in.; Apr. 11, 1.30 in.; Apr. 28, 1.20 in.; May 16, 0.65 in.; and
May 21-22, 1.80 in. The spadefoots first emerged to breed on the
night of May 21 after a particularly violent storm late in the after-
noon. As mentioned earlier, there were also two other heavy con-
gresses at Norman late in the spring and earlv in the summer.

These observations may be summarized as follows: (H Scaphiopns
homhifrons bred only after rain in each of the four years. (2) The
least rain after which they bred was 0.66 in. (June. 1937). (3) The
least accumulated rain before their breedinir was 6.44 0937). (4)

Uc'C. 2o, 1942 IXULOGV AiND NATLKAL. mSTORV OF ANURA 43

Thc\" someliiiK'S did nol breed after more dian an inch of rain when
the accumulated precipitation was more than the minimum observed
b\- the Trowbridges. (5j They usually did not breed after the first
spring rains and often failed t(j do so after rains greater in amount
ilian other rains after which they had been observed to breed at other
tunes. (^Oj .V. bouihifrois failed to breed below a temperature of
9° C, but did breed abundantly at just below 12° C. when other con-
ditions seemed favorable (observations of 1938). We may set the
temperature below which they do not ordinarily breed as close to
11° C.

From the above facts, it is evident that at least one factor not
shown in the observations of the Trow^bridges must be operative as
a stimulus for the initiation of breeding behavior. Further analysis
of the data indicates that this is the violence of individual storms.
(Jne-half inch of rain falling within one-half hour is often as great a
stimulus as more than twice this amount spread out through a period
of several hours. Both the absolute amount of rain and its rate of
fall are factors in the situation, the largest congresses developing dur-
ing and after heavy rains in which sharp showers fall, i. e., when
both factors are operating together. Below are presented some obser-
vations which tend to illustrate these things.

The rain of April 20, 1937, totaling 1.25 in., was slow and pro-
gressed through several hours. Notes, written on that date, say, "It
rained intermittently nearl}- all day. D. cognatus were calling in num-
bers tonight but only a single S. bombifrons was heard." Contrast
this with the notes taken on June 17, 1937. "Estimated about one-
half inch of rain in the hour before nine A. M. Later, hot most of the
day, out in the evening in bright moonlight south of the campus. Con-
gress of Scaphiopus in cornfield, attaching eggs to leaves of Poly-
gonon sp. — water temperature at the surface, 38° C, six to eight
inches below, 29° C." Another illustration came on May 12, 1939. A
rain totaling 1.27 inches fell slowly during most of the night. No
spadefoots were found out the night of the 13th; but on Jtme 28 they
bred abundantly after what the notes say was a "heavy rain in sev-
eral showers" (total, 3.78 inches). A third experience is of six-cial
interest because it illustrates to some extent the intensit}- of the stimu-
lus of a very violent storm. This occurred near Clinton in western
Oklahoma. On April 11, 1940, the Norman Transcript carried a story
of a violent storm in this region. Among (jther things it said. "A hail
storm slashed at Clinton and nearby .\rapaho for thirt}' minutes last
night — automol)iles were swept into ditches as water gushed from a

The Great Basin Naturalist
44 BRAGG AND SMITH Vol. Ill, Xo. 2,

2.44 inch downpour." The U. S. Weather llureau corroborates the
newspaper's statement as to the amount of precipitation but indicates
that "The hail storm continued for about one hour." Tlie storm was
accompanied b\' a marked drop in temperature, the lowest readinj.;'
of the month at Clinton (24° F.) being recorded on the 12th. 'Ihis
is much below the critical temperature for the emergence of 6". bombi-
frons as found at Norman. On the night of the 13th, we visited this
area. A medium sized congress of J>'. bonibifrons was found in a deep
cattletank about three miles northeast of Clinton in water uncom-
fortably cold to wade. Both males and gravid females were present.
Hailstones were still piled along one side of the tank. No other Anura
were found breeding between Arapaho to the north of Clinton and the
northern city limits of Cordell, Washita County, to the south. Since
the temperature was much too low immediately after the storm, it is
probable that no spadefoots bred before the night of the 13th. That
they did so on the 13th indicates that the exceptional violence of the
storm constituted a stimulus so great that the i)reeding urge remained
through two days of cold weatlier becoming expressed in a breeding
congress as soon as the slowly rising temperature allowed.

The above experiences are only samples of several similar oljser-
vations in various parts of Oklahoma. See also l>ragg (I'Mla) for
observations in New ^Mexico. Our total experience, therefore, indi-
cates the following conclusions as regards tlie initiation of I)rt.eiling
behavior of A", bonibifrons : (1) lireeding may occur at least between
late March and early July in Oklahoma w lienever the following con-
ditions are met: fri) the temperature must not be lower than about
11° C, (bi it must have rained at least about 0.50 in., (ci a small
amount of rain falling as a violent shower is a greater stimulus than
a much largei- amount coming slowl}' over a longer period of time.
(2) There is no true breeding season in this species; breeding can
occur at any time in spring or summer wlicn the couditicjns oulhned
above obtain. ^"'^ (3) The amount of accumulated moisture in tlie
springtime as emphasized as a possible factor l)y the Trowbridges lias

(4) Auf^ust l)recding in Oklahoma is still uiKiliscrved. However, it has been
seen in the plains of Kansas (H. ^[. Smith, 19.i4), which is soinethint? like Okla-
homa ecologically, as well as in Xew Mexico (Bragj:, 1941a). Tt saams probable
that the scarcity of records in summer in Oklahoma is due in part tt) the very hot
dry weather characteristic of July and .'\up:ust in most years and in part to the
fact that durin.u; most seasons storms of the violent type come in spring so that
most spadefoots have a chance to complete their breeding before sunmicr. It does
not seem probable that they would repair to breedinjr pools after rain if their sex
products have already been shed. The gonadal cycle undoubtedly has some in-
fluence.

Dec. 23, 1942 ecology and natural hlstorv of axura 45

either net^^lis^ihle or no effect upon the breeding of this species. (4)
The fact that the spadefoots do not ahvays breed after the first spring-
rains is due to the effect of low temperatures, to the lack of violence
of the individual storms, or to the combined effect of these two
factors.

B. TJDic of Day Diiriiuj ivhicli Breeding Oeenrs

The time of day during which anuran breeding occurs in Okla-
homa varies somewhat with conditions and w^ith species. As might
be expected, most breeding congresses are built up at night; when they
occur in the daytime, they usually foretell a much larger congress in
the evening and through the night of the same day. Such species in
central Oklahoma, where most detailed observaticjns have been made.
include Bitfo cognatus, Pseudacris clarkii and Microhyla alivacea.
More rarely Bitfo w. zvoodhousii and Scaphiopus homhifrons behave
in this manner also. Another group of species may start calling, often
in large numbers, at any time of day or night. In central Oklahoma
Acris crepitans, Pseudacris triseriata,^^'' and Ps. streckeri are examples.
Concerning the second of these, we have several times heard con-
gresses in bright sunshine about Norman only to find the pool com-
pletely silent when we returned in the evening to secure specimens.

Daylight breeding congresses are true breeding aggregations. We
have often found clasping pairs within them, especially of the bufos.

C. Effect of Severe Cold on a Breeding Congress of
Biifo w. zvoodhousii

Below about 13° C, B. zv. zvoodhousii rarely starts breeding ac-
tivity; but if a large and active congress is in progress w'hen the
temperature falls suddenly to freezing or below, this continues to the
probable production of eggs. Obsei'vations supporting these statements
follow.

After a 1.33 in. rain on April 6 and 7, 1940, a very large mixed
chorus of B. zv. zvoodhousii and Pseudacris streckeri developed on the
evening of the 10th. in the sloughs of the Canadian river near Norman.
Many clasping pairs of the bufos were observed in water four to six
inches deep at about 9 :30 P. M. At about midnight, a heavy thunder-
shower accompanied by a violent north wind brought cold weather

(5) This is the species of Pseudacris mentioned by Bragg (1940a) as unrec-
ognized in Cleveland County.

The Great Basin Naturalist
46 BRAGG AND SMITH Vol. Ill, No. 2,

(min. temp. 5° C. ) and a continued wind (20 miles per hcjur near the
j^round) the next day. A visit to the l)ree(hn£;- site early in the after-
noon revealed that conditions were much as the day before, except
that there was much more water in the sloughs. Males were still call-
ing in small numbers, mated pairs were present (about twenty were
counted ) mostly lying on the bottom or along the edge where the
latter were buffeted by waves. No eggs could be found and none of
the pairs were producing them. Evidently conditions were such that
females refused to lay their eggs even though many had been clasped
for a long time by males. Some of the toads were slow and lethargic,
particularly the mated pairs on the bottom. Others were still alert to
danger and some of the unmated males plunged into the water when
approached. The temperature continued to fall and the next morning
was below freezing (26° F.) although it had warmed to 40° F. by
noon. Another visit to the breeding site at 2 :00 P. M. showed con-
ditions to be almost exactly as the day before.

Because of making trips to other parts of the state, observations
were discontinued here until the 25th, on which date thousands of
tadpoles of Bufo w. ivoodhotisii were present. They appeared to be
about two weeks old, judging by their size. Since they could not have
come from eggs laid before the 10th, and probably not before the 13th,
we think it likely that they came from the mated pairs seen here dur-
ing the cold wave. Assuming this to have been the case and inter-
preting on the basis of our hypothesis as to the function of the clasp
of the male (Bragg, 1941), the cold inhibited the functioning of the
pituitary until the weather warmed on the 13th and 14th. Then normal
breeding was resumed.

D. Position of the Males of Some Species While Calling.

Rana areolata arcolata often calls while sprawled out on the water
something after the manner of the plains spadefoot. While thus en-
gaged, it is not particularly disturbed by a flashlight and is relatively
easy to collect. Some individuals of this species, as well as of R.
sphenocephala, call from the bank. Pseiidacris clarkii, like most other
members of this genus in Oklahoma, usually utters its breeding call
from under banks or from clumps of vegetation to which it is hanging
with its hands. Sometimes, however, it calls in umbers from tall
grasses sorrte distance from the water. This usually occurs in late
afternoon prior to a night very favorable for the breeding of this
species and almost always after rains. This ])robably occurs as the

Dec. 23, 1942 ecology and natural history of antra 47

males are movinii" in towards tlie pools to form a hreeflinj^' congress,
for the whole appearance is as though the little fellows just cannot
wait to find water before starting their calls. The habit may have a
function such as the guilding of other members of the species to proper
pools but of this we are not certain.

Scapliiof'us Intrtcrii has been seen by us in breeding congresses on
a few nights only. Males in one congress called from temporary
muddy pools bordering a flooded ditch in water about three feet deep.
These were spread out on the water. Others in this congress called
from shallow water near the bank. vSome miles away, another con-
gress had developed in a shallow muddy ditch. Some were sitting in
the muddy water and others were calling from the bank. comp!etel\'
out of water. In 1941 they bred three times in one pool under obser-
vation but did not enter a slightly deeper pool near by. These obser-
vations suggest those of Smith and Leonard (1934) on a congress of
this form in Cleveland County, Oklahoma. We are able to confirm
also that the call of this form is distinctive. It is a single not un-
pleasing squawk given rather suddenly and explosively at intervals of
about two seconds. It has some carrying power but is not nearly so
loud as that of S. hombifrons. Judging from the work of Ball (1936),
our observations on the call and calling position tend to confn'm the
anatomical evidence of H. M. Smith (1937) that S. Iiurterii is dis-
tinct, taxonomically, from S. Jwlbrookii holbrookii (Harlan).

E. The Coll of Bitfo zv. ivoodhousii

Attention was given earlier to the fact that B. zv. ivoodhousii has
two radically different types of call (Bragg. 1940a). We have since
found that the typical breeding cry of this subspecies is surprisingly
variable in character. It is sometimes a very short call ; at other times
much longer. Often it is hoarse ; at other times, much higher. The
various variations are next to impossible to describe but they are
quite evident in almost any fairly large congress in any part of the
state. One variation, given several times consistently by two different
individuals in different breeding congresses, suggests the cry of a
young human baby. The variations do not seem to be correlated with
size of individuals, type of breeding site, or the numbers present.

SU\a[ARY

Intensive and extensive field observations over several years on
the breeding of Anura in all parts of Oklahoma form the basis for an

The Great Basin Naturalist
48 BRAGG AND SMITH Vol. Ill, No. 2,

analysis of breeding sites, breeding dates, and a series of miscellane-
ous notes on isolating mechanisms tending to show ecological segre-
gation even of closely related forms. The principal conclusions are :
(1) Some species in Oklahoma have a breeding season in the usual
sense of this term — others do not. (2) In the latter, initiation of
breeding behavior is brought about by the coming of rain. (3) The
prairie-limited species invariably breed only after rain ; those not so
limited may be stimulated by rain but commonly breed without it.
(4) Breeding sites differ for different species : Some prefer clear
water, some muddy water, others show no selection on this basis ;
some use only shallows, others only deeper lakes, rivers or ponds ;
some use only temporary water, others only permanent water, and
still others both. (5) Interspecific isolation in breeding within one
pool is often effected partly or solely by differential behavior of males,
of females, or both, particularly in regard to the attention paid to the
call of the male and in the specific behavior pattern of the males in
securing mates.

A considerable discussion of observations over a period of four
consecutive years shows that the tentative conclusions of Trowbridge
and Trowbridge (1937), namely that Scaphiopiis bomhifrons breeds
only after a certain amount of precipitation has accumulated, is un-
founded. Instead, this animal breeds at any time, at least from late
March to early September, after violent (as opposed to heavy) rains
provided the temperature is not below approximately 9° C. Most
breeding occurs after heavy rains coming in several violent showers,
but a violent rain of as little as 0.5 in. is a greater stimulus than one
of 2.0 inches which falls slowly.

A table of inclusive breeding dates observed for nineteen of the
twenty-five species known in Oklahoma is presented.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Hall, Stanley C, 1936. The distril)ution and behavior of the spade-
foot toad in Connecticut. Trans. Conn. Acad. Sci. 32: 351-379.

r.lair, Albert W, 1940 Isolating mechanisms in two species of toads.
Anat. Rec. 78 (suppl.) : 105.

, 1941. Variation, Isolating mechanisms and hxbridi-

zation in certain toads. Genetics 26: 398-417.

P>ragg, Arthur N., 1940. Observations on the ecology and natural
history of Anura. 1. Habits, habitat, and breeding of Bufo cog-
natus Say. Amer. Nat. 74: 322-.349 and 424-438.

Dec. 23. 1942 f.colo(;y and NATrRAi. history of anura

49

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in

c«2

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en

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t/5

1/

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CI.
o

X

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5

5

^ .j::

"o

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■'^

^

^ 1;

tn

u

~

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O ^

O

CI,

03
Tin

O
O

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c5

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rt

X

^

en

c/T

13

■^ c/T

t/2

p

'M

b/3 i->

O

Oh

a.

ui~

tfi

en

^

rt

13
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03

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o

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o

jll

'So

5

rt

=^ 'bJc

1^

b/.

'rt

5

to

a,

^

~ a

a

"rt

CU

ii 3

H-l

ijc

.s

^

ex
S

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OJ

Sc

£

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15

03

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15

03

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CO ^ O

r^ t^ ^

O Lo o

-H ^ Tt

'- ■ CM O

o LO Tf CM CM r^

CM

(N

<^ooot^cMOot\r^

Tt .-c CM ^ ^ On

LC r^j vO X ro O LO O O (N LO -^ LTV ro ^ (Ni

r« if '-*--

O O O S

?^ j;^ S S> Q

'-i S . . . ?^

^ U '^

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«ri '-J t-; e • •

Q, Q, O, (i; C^ Cv

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H

The Great Basin Naturalist

5j ukagg and smith Vol. Ill, No. 2,

...; ■ , 1940a. (Jvservations, etc. 11. Habits, habitat, and

breeding of Lhtfo ZL'oudhousii wvodhousii (Girard) in Oklahoma.
Amer. Midi. Nat. 24: 306-321.

, 1940b. Observations, etc. 111. The ecological dis-
tribution of Anura in Cleveland County, Oklahoma, with notes
on the habits of several species. Amer. Midi. Nat. 24: 322-335.

, 1940c. Observations, etc. V. The process of hatch-
ing in several species. Okla. Acad. Sci. 20: 71-74.

, 1940d. Observations, etc. VT. The ecological im-
portance of the study of the habits of animals as illustrated by
toads. The Wasmann Collector 4: 6.16.

, 1941. Observations, etc. Vlll. Some factors in the

initiation of breeding behavior. Turtox News 19: 10-12.

, 1941a. Some observations on Amphibia at and near

Las Vegas, New Mexico. Great Basin Nat. 2: 109-117.

, 1942. Observations, etc. X. The breeding habits of

Pseudacris streckeri Wright and Wright in Oklahoma, including
a description of the eggs and tadpoles. The Wasmann Collector
(in press).

Bragg, Arthur N. and Charles Clinton Smith, 1942. Observations on
the ecology and natural history of Anura IV. The ecological dis-
tribution of toads in Oklahoma. Ecology (in press).

Harper, Francis, 1937. A season with Holbrooks' chorus frog (Pseu-
dacris ornaia). Amer. Midi. Nat. 18: 260-272.

Ortenburger, A. I., 1924. Life history notes — Scaphiopus, the spade-
foot toad. Proc. Okla. Acad. Sci. 4: 19-20.

Smith, Charles Clinton and Arthur N. Bragg, 1942. Observations, etc.
VII. Food and feeding habits of Oklahoma toads. (Mss.)

Smith, Hobart M., 1934. The amphibians of Kansas. Amer. Midi.
Nat. 15: 377-528.

, 1937. Notes on Scaphiopus luirtcrii Strecker. Her-

petologia 1 : 106-108.

Smith, Hobart M. and A. B. Leonard, 1934. Distributional records
of reptiles and ampliibians in Oklahoma. Amer. Midi. Nat. 15:
190-196.

Trowbridge, A. H. and Minnie S. Trowbridge, 1937. Notes on the
cleavage rate of Scapliiopiis hoiiihifroiis Cope, witli additional
remarks on certain aspects of its life liistor}-. Amer. Nat. 71:
460-480.

Wright, A. A. and A. H. Wright, 1933. llandljook of frogs and
toads. XI + 231 pp. Comstock I'ubl. Co.. Itliaca, N. Y.

SOME UNUSUAL WINTER VISITORS OR LATE MIGRANTS
TO THE BEAR RIVER MARSHES, UTAH W

CLARENCE COTTAM, CECIL S. WILLIAMS,

and

CLARENCE A. SOOTER

The marsh and water area near the mouth of the Bear River
in northern Utah is one of the Nation's most important nesting-
and concentration points for marsh and water birds. No fewer
than two million ducks concentrate here late in the summer and
early in the fall, and probably as many marsh and shore birds find
a favorable habitat during this period.

It is not surprising, therefore, that within such concentrations
the bird student should occasionally find rare or accidental visitors
or abnormal individuals that have failed to migrate or that have
postponed migration until winter has begun. This refusal to mi-
grate — or the unseasonably late migration of species that normally
migrate in the fall — may be due to physical handicap or physio-
logical abnormality ; it may also be associated with unusual weather
conditions. Most of October and much of November 1941 were
not unusual, although periods of freezing temperatures occurred
after Thanksgiving. December was surprisingly warm during the
first 2 weeks, the weather becoming severe on the 19th. Much
of the marsh and water area in northern Utah was frozen over
periodically after mid-November, and it is strange that delayed
migrants did not leave at that time.

An account of the more uncommon birds found near Great Salt
Lake, mostly during the latter part of December, 1941, follows:

Acchmophorus occidcntalis. Western Grebe. Three individuals were seen in
the main canal near Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge headquarters on De-
cember 14, 1941. by Superintendent Vanez T. Wilson and members of the staff.
Larger numbers had been seen on the Refuge before this date. On December 28
— during a period of heavy snow, strong wind, and freezing temperature —
Williams and Sooter observed two Western Grebes in a spillbox runway of
Unit 5. Two more of the species were seen on the Refuge on Decem'ber 27, and
two were noted near Ogden on January 10, 1942.

Podilymhus p. podiccps. Pied-billed Grebe. This species commonly winters
in small numbers at the Refuge ; during the winter it may be found on open
water throughout Salt Lake and Utah Valleys. No fewer than 50 individuals
were seen on the Refuge on December 16, 1941, and 1 was seen on December 28

(1) Contribution from the United States Fish and Wildlife Service.

51

The Great Basin Naturalist
52 COTTAM, WILLIAMS AND SOOTER Vol. Ill, No. 2,

during a blizzard. Sooter and Williams observed 18 birds on January 5, 1942,
in an unfrozen pot-hole of the Bear River.

Fclecamis erythrorhynchos. White Pelican. One bird flew into a telephone
wire on Noveinber 15, 1941, and broke its wing. This bird was rescued later
and placed in the "hospital" pond near Refuge headquarters. The bird seems
to have recovered and is enduring the weather very well.

Ardea herodias trcganzai. Great Blue Heron. Probably a limited number
of Treganza's Herons winter each year on the Bear River Refuge. On Decem-
ber 16, 1941, the writers were much surprised, however, to find about 75 (a num-
ber far greater than that recorded for a December date in any preceding year)
on the Refuge. Sixteen birds were recorded on December 27, two on December
28, 1941, and one on January 5, 1942.

llyrctta thiila brczvstcri. Brewster's Egret. A few Snovvy Egrets, presum-
ably of this race, were found on the Refuge until the end of the first week of
December 1941. They are common summer nesters in this section of the State.

Nycticorax nycticorax hoactli. Black-crowned Heron. A limited number of
Black-crowned Night Herons normally winter on the Bear River Refuge. Young
were noted in nests during a snowstorm on March 8, 1940, indicating that nesting
began in February. Nests may be found early each spring. Eight birds were
observed by the Refuge staff during the Christmas bird census, December 27, 1941.

Plcyadis gnantiDia. White-faced Glossy Ibis. These are common summer
visitors to the Refuge but usually migrate late in September or early in October.
During the fall of 1941, fair numbers remained in October; 12 were seen near
Refuge headquarters on December 7 ; and 4 birds remained on Unit 1 until De-
cember 26. They were an annoyance to some duck hunters ; the birds circled
excitedly over the hunters' blinds, giving their discordant alarm calls that tended
to spoil the duck shooting.

Cygnus colmn-bianus. Whistling Swan. The Bear River marsh area is the
favored fall and winter home of thousands of Whistling Swans. Supt. Wilson
estimated that there were about twelve thousand on the Refuge during the Christ-
mas bird census on December 27, 1941.

Querquedtda cyanoptcra. Cinnamon Teal. Although Cinnamon Teals are
comiBon nesters in favorable habitat in northern Utah, the birds usually migrate
early, very few remaining by the first of October. It may be of interest to re-
port that on the last day of the open season (December 14, 1941) one Cinnamon
Teal was shot on the shooting grounds of Bear River Marshes, and that during
the 8-week open season (October 16 through December 14) 121 passed through
the checking station. Cottam has seen this bird on Utah Lake about the middle
of February (1926).

Glaucionctta islandica. Barrow' s Golden-eye. A pair of Barrow's Golden-
eyes were seen on Unit 2, in company with five American Golden-eyes. The for-
mer are listed here merely because they are infrequently recorded in Utah, al-
though they are probably more common as winter visitors to the State than our
records indicate. Dr. E. R. Quortrup reports seeing several birds on the Bear
River Refuge during the 1939-40 and 1940-41 winters, and he adds that he has
a male skin taken on the Refuge during the 1939 hunting season.

Clanguhi hycmalis. Old-squaw. This bird is of rare and erratic occurrence
in Utah, although 13 specimens were taken on the Bear River Refuge during the
1934 hunting season. Occasionally, others have been seen just before the winter
freeze. On December 10, 1941, Dr. Quortrup and Supt. Wilson observed an adult
male on Unit 5.

Mclanitfa dcglandl. White-winged Scoter. Because of the paucity of scoter
records in Utah, it may be of interest to report that one bird was seen on Unit 5
of the Refuge on October 1, 1941, and two birds were taken on the shooting
grounds during the open season.

Iliiliarrfiis IciicoccpJialus. Bald Eagle. 1 he American embletu is an uncom-
mon visitor to Utah during the summer hut a conspicuous visitor to the Bear
River Marshes during the coldest part of the winter. Tliis fact strongly suggests
that the Utah winter bird is of the northern race H . 1. alascniuis. althougli critical
study of the specimens has not yet been made. On Deceiribcr 16, 1941, one Bald
and one Golden Eagle were seen on the Refuge ; three were seen on December

Dec. 23, 1942 winter visitors, hear river marshes 53

11; and two Bald Eagles were observed along the Bear River on January 5, 1942.
During January and February, 6 to 10 birds may be found wintering there.

CapcUa dclicata. Wilson's Snipe. Wilson's Snipe may be found sparingly
during winter, even in northern Utah, provided the spring or stream seeps and
borders do not become frozen over. On December 21 four birds were seen at a
seep at Spring Run, south of Salt Lake City ; on the preceding day a bird was
flushed from an irrigation ditch at St. George. Cottam has taken this bird near
Utah Lake during Christmas week. On December 28 Williams and Sooter ob-
served eight individuals near Brigham City. On January 11, 1942, 28 birds were
seen in almost the same area. Mr. Joseph Peterson states that two alighted on a
small patch of gravel exposed in deep snow at the C.C.C. Camp in Brigham City
on January 12, 1942.

Niuiicnius a. ampricanits. Long-billed Curlew. Curlews remained at the Ref-
uge unseasonably late in the fall of 1941. Dr. Quortrup and personnel from the
Refuge staff observed 11 on November 21. The birds were seen in one fliock
near the Perry cabin. Unit 5, and were probably getting ready to migrate. They
were not recorded after that date.

Totanus mchuiolcucus. Greater Yellow-legs. This species is one of the
latest fall and earliest spring migrants. One bird lingered on the Refuge until
December 10, when it was last recorded by Dr. Quortrup and Dr. Sudheimer.

Limnodromns griscus scolopaccus. Long-billed Dowitcher. A single bird was
seen on Unit 3, December 12, 1941, by Dr. Quortrup and Dr. Sudheimer.

Liinosa fcdoa. Marbled Godwit. On December 16, 1941, the writers ob-
served at close range two Marbled Godwits on Unit 3. One bird appeared some-
what lame in one leg, although powers of flight seemed normal. \ hese or other
individuals of the same species were seen repeatedly during November and De-
cember.

Rccurvirostra amcricana. Avocet. Nine individuals — in three groups of one,
two, and six — were observed on December 16, 1941. Four were recorded on the
Refuge during the Christmas census made December 21, 1939. No previous win-
ter records for Utah are known.

Lams ariicntatus smitJisonianus. Herring Gull. Only in recent years has
the Herring Gull been observed in Utah. A number of specimens have been col-
lected during the past 3 years. One individual was observed on the Refuge in
September, two were noted on December 16, two on December 27, and one on
December 28, 1941.

Tehiiatodytcs paliistris picsius. Western Marsh Wren. The 1931 Check-List
states that this bird "winters from California and central Texas (casually farther
north) south to Cape San Lucas, Sinaloa, and Tamaulipas." It should be reported
that the bird is a common resident at the Bear River Marshes. Fairly large
numbers can be seen daily. Ten individuals were seen in the tules between Unit 1
and Unit 2 on December 16, and four were observed in a tule marsh near Brig-
ham City on December 28, 1941.

Myadcstrs to-u'iisciidi. Townsend's Solitaire. This species is not uncommon in
the mountains of Utah, although its presence in the almost treeless area of the
Bear River Marshes is indeed rare. On November 19 an individual was seen to
alight on a blind within 2 feet of a hunter. After a few moments the bird then
rested on the back of a wooden duck decoy.

XautlwccpJialus xanthocephalus. Yellow-headed Blackbird. This conspicu-
ously colored bird normally winters from western Louisiana to Mexico. Its pres-
ence on the Bear River Refuge on December 16 is therefore worthy of record.
Near it were Red-winged Blackbirds and two Brewer's Blackbirds, and not far
distant were a small flock of Red-wings and at least two Cowbirds.

The Great Basin Naturalist

54 Vol. Ill, No. 2,

Notes on the Occurrence of Gulls at Utah Lake

While studying the flight activities of the Ring-billed Gull at the mouth
of Provo River at Utah Lake on February 21 , 1942, I noticed a large gull flying
in company with the Ring-billed Gull. At first I thought it was a California
Gull. As the bird came closer I decided to collect it for further identification.
The bird proved to be a new record for Utah Lake and its environs. It was the
Herring Gull, Lams arcjentatiis smithsonianits.

With the addition of the Herring Gull to other records of gulls, we now
have six species resident, at or near Utah Lake.

It is felt that the occurrence of these species is deserving of notation and
I am pleased to record the following information concerning the six species of
gulls from Utah Lake.

The California gull, Lams calif ornicus, has been a resident of the state of
Utah for a great number of years. The earliest records of explorers and pio-
neers to Utah report the presence of the California Gull in the northern and
central part of Utah.

During the past twenty-five years there has been an increase of numbers of
Lams calif ornicus inhabiting Utah Lake and nesting on Rock Island.

About the time the majority of the California Gulls have migrated to the
Pacific Coast (late September), the Ring-billed Gull, Lams dclazvarensis comes to
Utah Valley. These birds are common residents throughout the winter. They
are often mistaken for the California Gull which is a larger bird. There are,
however, a few California Gulls which remain all winter but they are only seen
as occasional specimens.

During the summer months it is not unusual to see a specimen or two of tlie
Franklin Gull, Lams pipixcan, resting on the waters of the lake. The writer has
never seen more than three specimens in one group at a time, and the most usual
observation is a single specimen. These birds have been alone and have not been
associated with other species of gulls or other birds. No doubt the occasional
visitor to Utah Lake is one of the resident forms from Salt Lake Valley where
they are known to nest.

Bonaparte's Gull, Lams Philadelphia, was collected first at Provo Bay near
Utah Lake on May 13, 1933 by C. L. Hayward and D. E. Johnson. Another speci-
men was collected on October 21, 1934 at Utah Lake by Mr. D. E. Johnson.

A single adult male specimen of the Glaucous Gull, Lams hypcrborcus, was
collected by Mr. D. E. Johnson on March 3, 1934. This bird was one of two
birds of the same species wliich Mr. Johnson had under observation between
February 22 and March 14, 1934.

I am indebted to Dr. Clarence Cottam of the Fish & Wild Life Service,
Washington, D. C. for the verification of the Herring Gull. According to Dr.
Cottam, the bird is a rare visitor to Utah and has not been noticed until the last
few years. — D. Elden Beck, B. Y. U.

Dec. 23. 1942

55

Gull Banding Notes at Utah Lake No. 2

For the third consecutive year young California Gulls were banded on Rock
Island in Utah Lake, Utah County, Utah, on June Zl , 1942.

Tl.e banding party consisted of Ray Broadbent, V. Jordan Tanner, J. C.
Bement. D. E. Beck, and Vasco M. Tanner. We reached the island at 9:15
a. m. and banded three hundred birds by 12:00 noon. The bands consisted ol
red and yellow celluloids and aluminum Fish and Wild Life Service bands. These
were placed on the legs as follows : Right leg yellow above aluminum and left
leg red band. The survey bands were numbered 42-609501-609800. This year t!ie
banding was done later than previous years which resulted in great difficulty
in capturing the young birds. The writers visited the island un April 11, 1942
and found that egg laying was just beginning. Many nests were being built and
one egg was found on this date.

Since Report Xo. 1 was published^ additional data concerning the migra-
tory movement of the gulls banded on Rock Island in 1940 and 1941 have been
sent to the writers by Dr. F. C. Lincoln of the Fish and Wild Life Service. This
is brieflv summarized as follows :

Date of
Banding

Band
Numbers

June 15. 1940 40-79587

40-680208

40-680031

40-680553

40-680675

40-680869

40-680271

SURVEY RECORDS

Location

Picked up with botulism at
Riverton, Wyoming by L. J.
Merovka, Albuquerque, New
Mexico.

Found dead at Crow's Land-
ing, California by John Baty,
Jr., Crows Landing, California.

Found dead at Tulare Lake,
California by R. Dunham,
Avenal, California.

Found dead at Newport, Cali-
fornia by C. D. Thompson, of
Hollywood, California.

Found dead at Milner, Idaho,
by Earl Pharris of Hazelton,
Idaho.

I'V>und dead forty miles from
Colima, Colima, Mexico, by
Octavio Garcia Ibarra, Co-
lima, Colima, Mexico.

Found dead at Bear River
Ref., Brigham. Utah, by Vanez
T. Wilson, Brigham, Utah.

Date of
Observation

August 10, 1941

March 19, 1941
December 13, 1940
May 4, 1941
May 25, 1941
December 1, 1940

August 31, 1940

1 Tanner. Vasco M., "Gull Banding Notes at Utah Lake," Great Basin Naturalist,

Vol. 2, Xo. 2. page 98, June 1941.

56

The (jreat Basin N'aturalist

Vol. Ill, No. 2,

40-680670

40-680423
40-680354
40-680221
40-680253
40-680277
40-680309

June 17, 1941 41-649446

41-649902

41-649089

41-649560

41-649671

41-649051

41-649375

41-649375

41-649475

41-649834

41-749351

41-649276

41-649308
41-649023
41-649508

Killed by airplane at Stock-
ton, California. Reported by
Norvelle Chaudron, 80th School
Squadron, Stockton F i e 1 d,
Stockton, California.

These specimens were found
dead at Rock Island, Utah
Lake, Utah County, Utah, bv
Ralph ]]. Williams, Salt Lake
City, Utah.

Found dead at Eureka, Cali-
fornia, by F. S. Smith, Eu-
reka, California.

Found dead at Quincy, Cali-
fornia, by L. \V. Stevenson,
Quincy, California.

Found dead at Samoa, Cali-
fornia, by C. J. Chirchill, Sa-
moa, California.

Found dead at Savary Island,
B. C, by Mrs. E. J. Pickett,
Vancouver, B. C.

Found dead at Seattle, Wash-
ington, by E. H. Clark, Seattle,
Washington.

Shot on Mare Island, Cali-
fornia, by Harry Miller, Rio
Vista, California.

Found on beach with broken
wing, amputated ; can't fly,
still alive; at Bandon, Oregon,
by Donald W. Stryker, Ban-
don, Oregon.

Found dead at Bandon, Ore-
gon, by Melvin G. Alvery,
Bandon, Oregon.

Found dead at Klipson Beach,
Washington, by E. A. Flowers,
Portland, Oregon.

Shot at Hay ward, California,
by Don Harder, Hayward,
California.

Found dead at Puerto Cortes
Island, Santa Margarita (west
coast of California) reported
by phone to F. & W. Service.

Captured and released at Hay-
ward, California, by 1^ E. Jen-
sen, Hayward, California.

These specimens were found
dead at Rock Island, Utah, bv
M. M. Neal. Salt Lake City,
Utah.

January 25, 1942
September 22, 1940

.\ugust 2, 1941
July 29, 1941
September 10, 1941
September 18, 1941
October 13, 1941
November 24, 1941
December, 1941

September 30, 1941
September 10, 1941
November 3, 1941
February 26, 1942

January 20, 1942
July 25, 1941

Dec. 23, 1942 57

41-649932 "Remains found; also 1 red Xovembcr 11, 1941
and 1 yellow celluloid ring,"
at Bird Island, Utah Lake,
near Provo, Utah, bj' M. Vern
Thurber.

Forty one taps were recovered July 17, 1941
from dead gulls by the writers
at Rock Island. The high mor-
tality of the young banded
gulls was no doubt due to the
fact that many of them did not
get back to their nests after
banding and were killed by
mature nesting birds.

During the three years, 1940, '41 and "42, we have banded 2300 specimens
of young California gulls. Of this number we now have information concerning
102 individuals. These banding operations are a part of an extended study of
the life history and habits of the California gull at Utah Lake. — Vasco M. Tanner
and D. Elden Beck.

George Paul Engelhardt (1871-1942)

It is with deep regret that we report the passing of Mr. George P. Engel-
hardt, ardent student of the Argeriidae and one who endeared himself to his
many friends throughout this country.

He was born in Hanover, Germany, on November 23, 1871, and died at Harts-
dale, New York on May 24, 1942. He graduated from the Gymnasium at Boden
Boden in 1886 and after coming to the United States became assistant curator of
the Children's Museum in Brooklyn in 1902, which position he held until 1913.
In 1913 he was made curator of invertebrates at the Brooklyn Museum in which
capacity he labored until 1930 when he was made honorary curator.

Mr. Engelhardt early became acquainted with the western states, especially
Utah. In all he made five collecting trips to this state; the first one in 1904
and the last one in 1938. As a result of my reading his interesting reports on
Utah's Dixie I began corresponding with him in 1924, which continued up until
the time of his death. In 1933 it was my good fortune to act as his host and
companion for several days while he collected in areas around Provo ; including
Mount Timpanogos and Utah Lake. At this time he was in search of life history
material on local species of acgeriids. After Mr. Engelhardt's return home he
wrote to me under date of September 7, 1933 as follows :

"My trip this summer has turned out very satisfactory. Must have
added between a hundred and two hundred aegeriids including, what is
most important to me, a number of new life histories. Wish the mount-
ing and degreasing was done.

"In telling of my summer's rambles I always like to dwell on the
good times enjoyed at Provo and on Mt. Timpanogos. As you know I
hold your people in the highest respect. This long established apprecia-
tion has been strengthened on my visit this summer. I hope I may be
privileged to meet you and your fine family again,"

The Great Basin Naturalist

58 Vol. Ill, No. 2,

It was largely through his efforts that I was able to purchase the weevil
collections of Charles W. Leng and Charles F. Schaeffer. His interest in these
matters and his assistance in evaluating the collections was greatly appreciated.

George Engelhardt was very fond of his wife and son. He often spoke of
them in his letters and reported his son's marriage in September, 1933 to Miss
Elizabeth Sherman, daughter of John D. Sherman of Mount \'ernon, Xew York,
and subsequently, February 12, 1941, announced that he was twice grandfather.

We hope that the results of his years of study of the clear-wing moths will
be made available.

The following articles relating to Utah were written by George P. Engel-
hardt as a result of his collecting and study here :

1917. Hunting Lizards with a "Beanshooter." Copeia, No. 49. October 4,

1917. (Report of collecting seven species of lizards in Washington
County by means of the "flipper" or "beanshooter."

1918. Batrachians from Southwestern Utah. Copeia, No. 60. August 18,

1918. (Reports six species taken mainly at Bellevue, Washington
County in May and June 1917.)

1918. Faunal Zones in Southwestern Utah. Jour. N. Y. Ento. Soc. XX\'I,
p. 230.

1918. Dixieland of the Mormons. The Brooklyn Museum Quarterly, Vol.
V. No. 1, June 1918. pp. 27-52. (An interesting report on collecting
in Pine Valley Mountains in Washington County.)

1924. Field Work for Habitat Groups in Southwestern Utah. The Brook-
lyn Museum Quarterly. Vol. XI, No. 3, July 1924, pp. 116-125 and
No. 4, October 1924, pp. 144-152. (A narrative of the Museum's col-
lecting work in Utah, 1923.)— V. M. T.

Dec. 23, 1942 59

Sheldon P. Hayes Collects Cold-Blooded Vertebrates in Arizona

In the spring of 1938 Mr. Sheldon P. Hayes, while teaching at the Gila Junior
College in Thatcher, Graham County, .Arizona, collected many interesting species
of fishes and reptiles. Some of these he contributed to the herpetological collec-
tion of the Brigham Young University. Because many of these represent new
records from this region for our collection, it is deemed advisable to make the
following report on some of the rare species.

FISHES

Agosia chrysogastcr Girard

There are 78 well-preserved specimens of this cyprinid in the collection. Alany
of the specimens are well colored, having a dark lateral band anterially above the
lateral line but posterially on the lateral line and terminating in a dark spot at the
base of the caudal fin. Dorsally the specimens are dark with a median dark
stripe. Below the lateral line all the specimens are yellowish white. The teeth
are 4 — 4, pointed and curved, without a grinding surface. The dorsal and lateral
portions of the head of the males are covered with small tubercles. The measure-
ments of the following specimens are given in millimeters ; these and the scale
counts were made with the aid of the binocular microscope:

Museum No. 4223 4224 4225 4226 4227 4228 4229

Sex c^ ? ? c? ? ? ?

Length

Head

Scales

Eyes

Depth

Dorsal

Anal.

Sah'odnra grnliainiac hcxalcpis (Cope)

Arizona cicgans occidcutalis Blanchard

Thamnoplns cqiics (Reuss)

Thamnophis inarcianiis (Baird and Girard)

Tantilla ivilcnxi Stejneger

Micriiroidcs ruryxaiifhiis ( Ktnnicott )

Crotalus 7-iridis ''iiidis Rafines(|ue. — \'. M. 1 .

58

65

53

51.2

57

59 55

14.5

16

13

13.5

14

15 13

18-87-14

18-93-

14

17-85-

14

17-86-

14

17-85-14

18-90-14 18-83-

3

4

2.8

3

3

3 3

14

16

13

11.5

13.3

13.7 12.5

1-8

J -8

1-8

1-8

1-8

1-8 1-8

1-7

1-7

1-7

1-7

1-7

1-7 1-7

SNAKES

The Great Basin Naturalist

60

Vol. Ill, No. 2,

Notes on the Birth and Growth of Horned Lizards

On July 25, 1942 Mr. Wilmer W. Tanner collected a female horned lizard,
Phrynosoma douylassii ornatum Girard, at Indianola, Sanpete Co., Utah. This
is 38 miles southeast of Provo on Thistle Creek, a tributary of the Spanish Fork
River, which flows into Utah Lake. This specimen which was given to the
writer, was placed in a glass jar in the laboratory on July 31. It was kept
under observation until the afternoon of August 7, when T saw some little
lizards moving around, some of them on the back of the mother lizard. I counted
seven young and within a half hour the eighth one was born.

Professor H. J. Pack W in 1916 collected several female horned lizards west
of Salt Lake City, which he kept in cages. On August 14th, two females had
given birth to living young and another one on August 16th.

These records agree with field observations that have been made for the
past twenty years ; namely that the horned lizards of this area gives birth to
living young during the late summer and early fall months and that the young
lizards do some feeding, doubling or trebling their weight before hibernation.

For the purpose of determining, in a general way, the rate of growth of the
young, during the first year, the eight little lizards were weighed 15 hours after
birth. The results are shown as follows :

No. 1 0.60 of a gram

No. 2 0.82 of a gram

No. 3 0.90 of a gram

No. 4 0.80 of a gram

No. 5 0.50 of a gram
No. 6 0.75 of a gram
No. 7 0.76 of a gram
No. 8 0.79 of a gram

Total 5.92 grams

The female weighed 13 grams after the birth of the young.

The following are the weights of 12 young specimens of this same species
collected at the Desert Experiment Station, 50 miles west of Mil ford, Beaver
Co., Utah, on September 4. 1937, by the writer.

No.

1

2.00

grams

No.

2

2.00

grams

No.

3

3.00

grams

No.

4

2.20

grams

No.

5

2.15

grams

No.

6

2.10

grams

No.

7

1.80

grams

No.

8

1.65

grams

No.

9

2.00

grams

No.

10

1.55

grams

No.

11

1.55

grams

No.

12

1.60

grams

These specimens, no doubt, belonged to a number of litters, as they were
collected within a radius of two to three miles of the station. T am also of the
opinion that they were more or less than four weeks old and that they had in
this time doubled to trebled their weight. .\n examination of the stomachs of
the above specimens shows that their food consisted of ants, in the main (959^.).
At least three species were common in the diet ; one of these being PofifliioniyDiicx
harhatcs var. One stomach contained two specimens of Blapstinus sp. — Y . AT. T.

(n H. J. Pack, Copeia, No. 6.1, Nov. 21, 1918. iip. 91-92.

BRIGHAM YOUNG UNIVERSITY

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Volume III

Numbers 3 and 4

The Great Basin Naturalist

December 31, 1942 ^--nTcrr-^

A^*^ ZooJ«nv V>

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Page

Breeding Records of Utah Birds, Robert G. Bee and John

Hutchings 61

John Hutchings and Robert G. Bee — Pioneer Utah Valley Nat-
uralists, C. Lynn Hayward 86

Life History Notes on the California Gull, No. 1, D. Elden Beck 91

A Frequency Distribution of Eastern and Western Kingbirds in

Montana, Robert W. Hiatt 109

Index to Volume III . , 115

Published at Provo, Utah, by the

Department of Zoology and Entomology ot

Brigham Young University

The Great Basin Naturalist

Vasco M. Tanner, Editor
C. Lynn Hayward, Assistant Editor

A journal published four times a year by the Department of
Zoology and Entomology, Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah.

Manuscripts. Only original unpublished manuscripts, pertaining
to the Great Basin and the Western United States in the main, will be
accepted. Manuscripts are subjected to the approval of the editor.

Illustrations. All illustrations should be made with a view to
having them appear within the limits of the printed page. The illus-
trations that form a part of an article should accompany the manu-
script. All half-tones or zinc etchings to appear in this Journal are
to be made under the supervision of the editor, and the cost of the
cuts is to be borne by the contributor.

Reprints. No reprints are furnished free of charge. A price
list for reprints and an order form is sent with the proof.

Subscription. The annual subscription is $1.50, (outside the
United States, $2.00). Single number, 50 cents.

All correspondence dealing with manuscripts, subscriptions, re-
prints and other business matters should be addressed to the Editor,
Great Basin Naturalist, Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah.

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The Great Basin Naturalist

Published by the
Department of Zoology and Entomology
Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah

Volume HI DECEMBER 31. 1942 Nos. 3 & 4

BREEDING RECORDS OF UTAH BIRDSW
ROBERT G. BEE, Provo, Utah
JOHN HUTCHINGS, Lehi, Utah(2)

The breeding records of Utah birds appearing in this report are
the result of field observations extending over a period of approxi-
mately 17 years from 1926 to 1942 inclusive. Most of the work has
been carried out in spare time in Utah County, especially in the vicinity
of Utah Lake, but considerable data are also available from Salt Lake
and Davis counties as well as scattered localities within the borders
of the State.

In the main, it may be said that most of the records here presented
represent sets of eggs collected. These eggs have been carefully pre-
served and the data accurately recorded. Both eggs and data repose
in the private collections of the authors and at Brigham Young LTni-
versity. In addition to the ones collected there are included numerous
records of nests and eggs observed and recorded in siiu.

The nesting data are arranged according to counties, specific lo-
calities and dates. Where more than one record is available for any
date the appropriate number is placed in parentheses following the
date. Observations of the two authors are designated by (B) for Bee
and (H) for Hutchings. A few records from Brigham Young Uni-

(1) Contribution No. 103 from the Department of Zoology and Entomology, Brigham
Young University, Provo, Utah.

(2) It is fortunate that we are able to present for publication at this time a summary
of the ornithological work of two of Utah's most enthusiastic and energetic bird students.
It has been my pleasure to associate with both Mr. Bee and Mr. Hutchings for a number
of years. I have been in the field with them on many occasions and can personally vouch
for their intimate knowledge of Utah's avifauna as well as the meticulous care with which
their observations have been made and recorded. Both men have been connected with us
at Brigham Young University for a nvimber of years and have contributed much to our
mounted bird and zoological collections. Mr. Hutchings is an accomplished taxidermist
and has contributed life history displays of several species of birds which are now on
exhibit. James W. Bee and Harold Hutchings, sons of the two writers and now serving
in the U. S. armed forces, have both been students at Brigham Young University and have
contributed materially to our natural history collections through field expeditions conducted
by the University. — C. Lynn Haj'ward.

61

T!ie Great Basin Naturalist

62 BEfe !\ND HUTCHixXGs Vol. Ill, Nos. 3 & 4,

vcrsit}', not i)i"eviously published arc included and indicated l)y (Y).
Comments pertaininji; to nestini;^ habits and most active nestinj^ pe-
riods are made whenever sufficient data are at hand. Notes on tlie
construction of nests and ty[)ical nesting' habits ajipl}' only to particular
cases observed anfl should not be construed to refer to the habits of
a species in general.

The nesting" dates given do not necessaril}- indicate the beginning
of tlie nesting process since in some instances the eggs when collected
were far advanced in incubation. Late dates are often accounted for
by a second clutch being laid when the first set is lost by inundation,
vandalism, scientific collecting or any of the many catastrophies that
befall nesting birds.

The writers wish to express appreciation to their sons, James W.
r>ee and Harold Hutchings who have assisted in the collection and
preparation of the data, and to Dr. C. Lynn Hayward of Brigham
Young University who has collaborated in tlie compilation and edit-
ing of the manuscript.

LIST OF r.Rl^EDlNG RbX'OUDS OF UTAH BIRDS

C'olyinhus n'uiricoUis calif orniciis (Heermann). Eared Grebe. Utah Ci'iinfy:
1 mile soutli of outlet, Prove I!ay, May 28 (B) ; north end, Utah Lake, June 30
(H). Salt Lake County: Bhtck Slough area, June 5 (B). Davis County: Mouth
of Jordan River, June 5 (P>). IVasatch County: east end Strawberry Lake,
July 27 (50) (H).

Xests observed were composed of floating masses of dead, water-soaked
rushes or grasses attached to tules or grasses slightly depressed to hold the eggs.
They were located near tlie margins of lakes where the water depth was about
one foot and near the source of food.

Acchinophorns occidciitalis (Lawrence). Western Grebe. Utah County: Mouth
of Spring Creek, iVIay 12 (B) ; South of Lehi, June 16 (nest ready for eggs) (H).

Nests were floating platforms of partly decayed rushes depressed on top to
receive the eggs. They were placed in water about 18 inches deep near the
margins of streams that meander through fields of rushes or vegetated shallows
of lakes where the food supply is abundant.

I'odilynihus podiccps podiccps (Linnaeus). Pied-billed Grebe, l^tah County:
West side Utah Lake, June 30 (TT). Salt Lake County: Black Slough, June 5
(H); IVasatch County: Nortli end of Strawberry Lake, July 26 (3) (R), July 27
(US) (H).

The nests observed were floating masses of dead rushes with nuui added to
the slight depression. A large colony, estimated at 125 pied-billcd and 50 eared
grebes, was visted at Strawberry Lake, Jid_\- 27. 1938. On tlio following day a
high wind destroyed almost all of them and luuulrcds of eggs could lie seen on
the bottom of the lake in 10 to 14 inches of water.

Dec. 31,1942 nRKEDixo records of utah birds 63

Pclccanus crythrorhynchos Gmeliii. White Pelican. Tooele County: Hat
Island, Great Salt Lake, May 16 (B).

Xest.s were slight depressions in the ground, occasionally witli a few weed
stems at the rim.

Phalacrocorax auritiis aurilus (Lesson). Double-crested Cormorant. Salt
Lake County: Egg Island, Great Salt Lake, May 15 (5) (B). Cache County:
five miles west of Logan, May 13 (Y).

Xests on the island were rude masses of weed and sage sticks depressed to
hold the eggs and heavily coated with excrement from the birds. The Cache
\'alley colony nested in dead trees along the banks of Little Bear River in com-
pany with Treganza's heron. The nests of the cormorants were on the lower
branches while those of the herons were higher up.

Ardea iicrodias frecjanzai Court. Treganza's Heron. Utah County: near
mouth of Hobble Creek, Provo Bay, April 14 (5), 15 (3), 16 (2), 19 (6), May 7
(8) (BHY) ; south of Lehi, April 20 (H) ; 8 miles south of Pelican Point, Utah
Lake. May 1 (H). Cache County: Little Bear River, 5 miles west of Logan,
May 13 (Y) (young in nest).

Xests are platforms of sticks either on limbs of cottonwood trees or in
marshes. A large colony of these herons formerly occupied a grove of cotton-
wood trees on the west shores of Utah Lake, 8 miles south of Pelican Point.
When the colony was visited. May 1, 1923, then nests were placed so close in the
trees that they appeared as a solid mass from a distance. Due to cutting of trees
and persecution this site has now been abandoned.

Egrctta thula brczvstcri Thayer and Bangs. Brewster's Egret. (//(//; County:
Marsh area east of Provo Bay, May 4, 8 (4), 12 (2) (B); Utah Lake west of
Springville, April 19 (H). Salt Lake County: Black Slough area, April 29
(6) (B).

In the area studied the nests are platforms of dead rushes, slightly depressed
at the top, and built up about 18 inches above the water in marsh areas near open
water. X^ests of this species average about 10 inches higher above the water
than the following.

Nycticora.v uycticorax hoacfli (Gmelin). Black-crowned Xight Heron. Utah
County: Mouth of Hobble Creek, Provo Bay, April 15 (3), 16, 19, (7) (BH),
May 4 (2), 6, 8 (2), 7, 12 (BH). Salt Lake County: Black Slough, May 9
(2) (B).

X^ests are composed of mats of weed stalks and sticks built up approximately
10 inches above one foot of water.

Botaurns lentiginosus (Montagu). American Bittern. Utah County: Slough
southwest of Provo, May 9 (B) ; slough and stream margin near Lehi. May 17,
June 4 (B) ; vicinity of Lehi, May 1, 15, 20, 31. and June 1 and 4 (H).

Nests are composed of dead rushes, built in and over water about 16 inches
deep. In many instances a runway of rushes connects the nest with the water
level. The usual nesting habitat is swamp areas near streams.

Plegadis guarauna (Linnaeus). White-faced Glossy Ibis. Salt Lake County:
Black Slough area. Alay 29 (17). June 13 (2) (B). Boxelder County: Bear River
Marshes, Mav 6 (B).

The Great Basin Naturalist
64 BKE AND HUTCHINGS Vol. TIT, NoS. 3 & 4,

Nests are rude masses of new and (or) last year's tules and attached to grow-
ing tules. They are placed above about 22 inches of water.

Brnnfa cmiadciisis nnwdcnsis (Linnaeus). Canada Goose. rtali Cniiiity:
Provo Bay area, April 2. 11, 12 (2), 19, 26, and May 1 (B) ; Rock Island. Utah
Lake, .April 9 (B). Daz'is Couutv: Farmington Bay, April 28 (3) and May
6 (B).

Large nests composed f)f old tules and with the depressions lined with bits
of rushes, down and feathers. Xests are found on small islands or broken down
rush mats.

Aims platyrhyiiclios platyrhyiiclifls IJnnaeus. Common Mallard. Utalt County:
Provo Bay area. April 10, 18, 19 (BY), May 5 (Y), June 8 (B). Dazns County:
Farmington Bay, April 5, 15 (5), 28 (4), May 6, 8, 27 (B) and June 13 (2) (B).
Salt Lake County: Halloran Duck Club, April 9 (B).

Nests are composed of coarse grasses lined with finer grasses and feathers.
They occurred on grown over accretion ground near stream, pond or lake.

Chauh'Iasiinis sfrcpcrus (I^innaeus. Gadwall. Utali County: Rock Island,
Utah Lake, June 1 (B). Davis County: Farmington Bay area, June 25 (B).

The Rock Island nest was composed of tule stems and feathers and placed
in a slight depression. It was approximately 150 feet from water.

Dafila acuta tzitdhoa (Vieillot). American Pintail. Utah County: North
margin of Provo Bay, April 15 (B). Dains County: Farmington Bay area,
April 15 (B).

Nests were composed of rushes and weeds and lined with down. They were
found among weeds about 30 feet from the lake.

.\ cttion carolincnsc (Gmelin). Green-winged Teal. Davis County: Farm-
ington Bay, May 6 (B). Utah County: Utah Lake, April 28 (H).

Grass and weeds lined with down compose the nests. They were found in
marsh areas near streams.

Qucrqiicdula discors (Lmnaeus). Blue-winged Teal. Utah County: North
margin of Provo Bay, May 24 (B). Daz'is County: Farmington Bay, May 16 (B).

The Provo Bay nest was a cup of grasses lined with feathers. It was about
20 feet from a marsh area near the confluence of a stream and the lake.

Oncrqncdula cynioptcra (Vieillot). Cinnamon Teal. Utah County: Provo
Bay area. May 28, June 3, 8 (B); Lakeview, May 13 (Y). Salt Lake County:
Black Slough, May 6 (B). Davis County: Farmington Bay, .\pril 28 (2), May
13 (2), 27, and June 13 (3), August 9 (2) (B).

Nests are composed of dry grasses lined with down.

Spatula clypcata (Linnaeus). Shoveller. Davis County: Farmington Bay,
April 30 and May 6 (B).

The nests were depressions in the ground with the rims formed of weed
stems and the cups lined with down, 'i'hey were located in a pasture area a few
feet from a water-filled borrow pit.

Nyroca ainericana (Fyton). Redhead. Utah County: north margin of Provo
Bay, April 15 (B). Davis County: Black Slougli area. May 7, June 4, 5 (B).

Dec. 31,1942 nuEEDiNG records of itaii birds 65

Nests were placed over water about one foot deep. They were composed of
masses of dry rushes fastened to tules. A few feathers were in the cup.

Erisiiuitura jinnairciisis nihida (Wilson). Ruddy Duck. Salt Lake County:
Black Slough, June 5 (B); Halloran Uuck Club, June 5 (H). Davis County:
Marsh north of Jordan River, June 5, 10 (B).

Nests were over about 10 inches of water. The base was made up of old
rushes topped with bayonet grass and neatly cupped. A few feathers of the bird
were in the cup. In one case the nest was cupped in a mass of water-soaked
rushes.

Mcrgus scrrator Linnaeus. Red-breasted Merganser. (-^^ Salt Lake County:
property of Jordan Fur and Reclamation Company, June 7 (a female with young
on the lake was reported to Mr. Bee by A. Bater). On June 13, 1936 a parent
and 3 young was seen in the Jordan River, Black Slough Area by R. G. Bee and
.\rthur Bater.

Cathartcs aura scptcntrionalis Wied. Turkey \'ulture. Utah County: Cave
in Hobble Creek Canyon, May 26, June 5, (11) (B).

This nesting site was in a cave about 12 miles up the canyon. The eggs
were placed on the bare ground.

Astur atricapillus atricapillus (Wilson). Eastern Goshawk. Utah County:
Head of Slate Canyon, May 16 (B) ; Mutual Dell, American Fork Canyon, May
17 (H) ; Deer Creek, American Fork Canyon, May 17 (H) ; Silver Lake, Ameri-
can Fork Canyon, April 20 and May 21 (H) ; Slide Canyon, Maple Flat, May 21
(B) ; American Fork Canyon, May 26 (H) ; Aspen Grove, Mt. Timpanogos, June
5 (Y) ; Salamander Lake, June 7 (Y) ; Altamont, Mt. Timpanogos, June 10 (H).
Salt Lake County: Doty Gulch, Bingham Canyon, May 16 (B).

Nests are bulky masses of sticks, slightly cupped to hold the eggs. Bits of
conifer or aspen bark are often in the cup. The nests are built both in conifer
and aspen trees usually 35 feet or more up, and they are generally near the trunk
of the tree or in the forks.

Accipitcr vclox vclox (Wilson). Sharp-shinned Hawk. Utah County: Box-
elder Canyon, northeast of Alpine, May 25 (B) ; Alpine Canyon, May 29, 30
(BH) ; Alpine Canyon, June 4 (H) ; Provo River Bottoms, June 9 (B) ; Hobble
Creek Canyon, June 6 (B); Maple Canyon, June 18 (B) ; two miles north of
Lehi, June 20 (H) ; near Vivian Park, July 24 (H). Salt Lake County: Dry
Fork of Bingham Canyon, June 3, 19 (B) ; Butterfield Canyon, June 21 (B).

The nests are platforms of aspen, conifer or other twigs depressed to hold

(3) Although the breeding status of the red-breasted merganser is based upon sight
records and the close field resemblance betweeen the females of the American and red-
breasted is recognized, it is not unlikely that the birds in question were red-breasted
mergansers and that this species does breed in small numbers within the State. Mr.
Bates who lives at Jordan Eur and Reclamation Company has frequently seen males and
females of this species together throughout the summer and Mr. Bee has had the same
experience. It is often stated (see for e. g. Peterson, A Field Guide to Western Birds,
1941, p. 38) that the red-breasted merganser is rare "in the Great Basin and Rocky Moun-
tain Region.' My own experience in the vicinity of Bear Lake, Utah-Idaho, and Utah Lake
does not bear out the concept that this merganser is rare in Utah. In three years of bird
work in Bear Lake Valley I did not often encounter the American merganser although the
red-breasted was a common spring and fall migrant. I have also occasionally found males
and females in pairs during the nesting se.^.son m that area. Out of 13 specimens of mer-
gansers in the Brigham Young University collection, taken at various localities in Utah,
about half are red-breasted. — C. L. H.

The Great Basin Naturalist

66 lii-'i-^ AND HUTCHiNGS Vol. llI,Nos. 3&4,

the eggs. Bits ui bark are fuuiid in the cup. Tlvey are placed 12 to 15 feet up
(occasionally iiigher) in a bush or tree ii'. wooded areas.

Accipitcr coopcri (Bonaparte). Cooper s Hawk. Utah County: Cedar Val-
ley area, May 17, 18, 23, 27, and June 25 (H). Salt Lake County: Barney Canyon,
Oquirrh Range, June 1 (B) ; Dry Fork of Bingham Canyon, May 24 and June 2,
5 (B) ; Eutterfield Canyon, May 15 (B). Davis County: Mill Creek Canyon,
southeast Bountiful, June 2 (B).

Nests are bulky masses of sticks lined with bits of bark or hay usually in
oak or other trees in thicket areas near streams. In two cases, nests were lo-
cated on great piles of tumble weeds and the nests themselves were composed of
tumble weeds. In two otlier cases old magpie nests were utilized.

Butco borcalis cahirus Cassin. Western Red-tailed Hawk. Utah County:
Diamoiid Fork of Spanish Fork Canyon, April 11 (B); Slate Canyon, April 15
(B); Lake Mountain, April 2, 21, 26, 16, 17, 6, 20. and June 4 (BH) ; Cedar
Valley area, April 9, 17, 26, 21, 30, 2, and June 15 (BH) ; Dry Canyon, Mt.
Timpanogos, April 3 ( Y) ; Big Tree Camp, Mt. Timpanogos, June 5 (young) (Y) ;
north of Lehi, May 9 (H); east of Moseda, May 2 (H). Wasatch County:
Strawberry Valley, May 30, 25 (B) ; Wallsburg Switch, April 27 and May 4 (B) ;
Charleston, May 4 (2), 6 (B) ; Strawberry Valley, May 25 (B) ; Wallsburg, April
20 (B). Salt Lake County: Doty Gulch, Bingham Canyon, May 14 (B).

Nests are bulky structures composed of sticks and lined with bits or strips
of bark or sometimes hay. In mountainous areas they are placed in cliffs or
high in trees. In the desert, tops of junipers or rocky ledges are used.

Butco s-ii'ainsoni Bonaparte. Svvainson's Hawk. Utah County: 1 mile Pass,
Cedar Valley, April 20, 29, and May 25 (H) ; near Elberta, May lO (H) ; west
slope of Lake Mountain, May 9 (H) ; west of Saratoga, May 3 (H). Tooele
County: Orr's Ranch, A'lay 2 (nest ready for eggs) (B). Wasatch County:
Wallsburg Switch, Alay 4 (B); Strawberry Valley, May 25 (B).

The usual nesting site is in the top of a juniper on a hillside overlooking sage
and grease-wood flats. Nests are masses of sticks lined with juniper bark.

Butco rcgalis (Gray). Ferruginous Rough-leg. Utah County: Goshen Pass,
.\pril 9, 8 (BH) ; west side Lake Mountain, April 10, 1, 8, 22, 6, 9, 7, 15, 30 and
May 1 (BH) ; east side Lake Mountain, April 22 (B) ; Cedar Valley area, March
3, April 6, 14 (4), 17, 9, 15, 12, 8, 26, and January 15(4) (H) ; sand knolls west
of Utah Lake, May 1 (H); south of Moseda. .April 16 (H). Tooele County:
north end of Rush X'alley, April 2 (3) (H) ; Orr's Ranch, May 2 (2) (H) ; 5
mile Pass, April 11 (B); SW Mercur, April 26 (B) ; west slope of Stansbury
Range, April 20 (P.); 0(|uirrh Range, April 27 (2) (R). Salt Lake County:
Parley's Canyon, April 27 (II).

Nests are bulky masses of sticks lined with juniper bark. They usually con-
tain considerable other material such as cattle dung, wool and newspapers. They
are generally placed in low jiniii)irs i)iit in niountainous areas may be placed in
high trees or on ledges.

(4) The January IS. 19oS nesting record is extren.ely interesting. The record was
made by Mr. Hutchings who states in his notes tliat the bird was found on the nest. A
set of 2 eggs was collected. The nest was composed of sticks and tumble weeds and was
well lined with bark. It was situated about 7 feet up in a small jimiper. This early nest-
ing date coincides with the mild winter and extremely earlv spring of 193.S.— C. L. H.

Dec. 3I,1'>42 HkKKDlNC kKCOKDS OF ITAll BIRDS 67

Aqiiilj chrysaetos canadensis (Linnaeus). Golden Eagle, ('tali County: Hox-
elder Canyon, east of .\l])ine. March 18 (B) and .\pril 23 (H) ; east slope of Lake
Mountain, March 28, and April 4, 12 (I>); Grove G;inyon. Mt. Timpanogos, .\pril
2, 10. 10 and May 2 (eggs hatching) (B); V Mountain, east of Provo, June 18
'young in nest) (B); Wildwood, Provo Canyon, April 2, 31 (B); (joshen Pa:s,
April 9. 21 (BH); Diamond Fork, Spanish Fork Canyon, April 24 (B) ; Pole
Canyon, Cedar Valley, .\pril 21 (B) ; Lehi Mountain, April 4, 7 (H) ; 5 Mile
Pass, .\pril 14, 16 (H). Toocic County: Oi|uirrh Range, Aitril 23 (young and
pipped egg) (B) and May 9 (two young reported hy H). Paris County: Ante-
loi)e Island, Great Salt Lake, March 23 (B). Millard County: 8 miles soutii of
Kanosh, March 20 (B).

In desert areas the nests are comp(Jsed of sage, conifer i>v other available
sticks lined with juniper and sage bark strips. Occasionally other material such
as wire or newspapers are found in these nests. In conifer and aspen conununi-
ties the nests are made of coarse sticks with occasionally a few corn stalks,
topped with several inches of new conifer boughs depressed to hold the eggs.
Nesting sites in desert regions are in juniper trees or shelves of cliffs ; in moun-
tains, trees or niches in cliffs are used. The same nest may be used year after
year unless disturbed, but a pair of birds may have as many as three nests in the
same general area.

Circus Iiudsonius (Linnaeus). Marsh Hawk. Utah County: Marsh area,
vicinity of Lehi, May 3, 4, 11, 12 (2), 22, 25 (2), and June 7, 19, 20, 29, 30 (H) ;
\icinity of Provo Bay, April 10, 18, 20, 23 and May 1, 19 (2) (B). Salt Lake
County: Barney's Canyon, April 20 (B).

Nests are placed on the ground, on slight elevations in a marshy area or on
l)roken-down rushes over water. They are composed of old matted rushes, grasses
or weed stalks.

I'diulion haliactus carolincnsis (Gmelin). Osprey. Duchesne County: Mirror
Lake, Uinta Mountains, August 24 (a single fully fledged young was seen at the
rim of the nest) (B). Summit County: Trial Lake, Uinta Mountains, July 19,
30 (adults were seen carrying fish to a nest overlooking the lake) (Y). Scz'icr
County: Rock Creek Basin near Fish Lake, July 22, 1928. This nest was situ-
ated about 60 feet up in a dead fir tree. Birds w^ere seen at the nest (B).

/■"(//c() niexicanus Schlegel. Prairie Falcon. Utah County: Chimney Rock
Pass, April 3, 15, 17, 23 (BH) ; Lake Mountain vicinity, March 3, April 2, 7 (2),
8, 9 (2), 14 (2). 16 (2). 17. 18 (2), 20 (2), 21 (2), 22 (2), 26 (BHY). May 1, 2
(2). (H), and June 15 (H); 5 Mile Pass, April 8 (B) ; Boxelder Canyon east of
Alpine, April 20 (B) ; creek north of Lehi, May 3 (H) ; Cedar Valley, April 6,
10 (H) ; Dry Canyon, Mt. Timpanogos, May 6 (Y) ; Goshen Pass, April 12 (H).

Shelves or niches of rocky ledges are used as nesting sites. The eggs are
placed on the bare ground or the nest of a raven may be utilized.

Palco pcrcgrinus anatum Bonaparte. Duck Hawk. U taJi County: Lake
M.juntain near Pelican Point, May 20, 1935 (H).

The eggs were placed on bare ground on a ledge overlooking Utali Lake.
There were four in number and fresh at the time of collection. Mr. Cedar-
strom who lives at Pelican Point reports that the birds have nested there for

The Great Basin Naturalist

G'.\ !;i:i-: AND HUTCH iNGs \'ol. I II. Xos. 3 & 4,

many years. One of tlie birds was collected to verily identification and is ntjw
in the collection of John Hntchings.

IUjIco sparz'criiis phalarna (Lesson). Desert Sparrow Hawk. Utah County:
west of Provo, May 20 (B); vicinity of Lehi, May 9, 14, 12, 16, 17, 24 (2), 26,
92 (4) (BH). Salt Lake County: Ft. Duchesne, May 17 (B). PVasatch County:
Charleston, May 15 (2). Wallsburg Switch, May 28 (B). Davis County: Center-
ville, June 3 (B) ; Farmingtou Bay, June 2 (B). Boxcldcr County: Brigham
City, May 6 (B).

Xests are generally placed in a cavity of a tree or in an old magpie nest.

Dcndrayapus obscurus obscurus (.Say). Dusky Grouse. Utah County: Amer-
ican Fork Canyon, June (j (young in natal plumage) (B) ; east of Power Plant,
Alpine, June 4 (empty shells), June 1 (eggs pipped) (H) ; West Canyon, west of
Lehi, May 30 and June 11 (hatching) (H) ; west face, Mt. Timpanogos, June 8
(B); near Soldier Summit, May 30 (B).

Xests found were scratched out cups lined with dry leaves and a few feathers
of the incubating bird. They were found on high ridges.

Bonasa umbcllus sspS^) (Douglas). Ruffed Grouse. Utali County: On
May 17, 1942 a nest was discovered by C. L. Hayward and R. G. Bee, in a small
hollow south of Aspen Grove, Mt. Timpanogos. The nest was at the base of a
bent aspen on a gently sloping area and consisted of a hollow scooped out of dry
aspen leaves. It was quite damp from recent storms. Four eggs were in the
nest, and three of them were buried somewhat in the leaves and stained as if they
had been there for some time. The site was marked and revisited May Z3 at
which time the nest contained 7 eggs. This time the nest showed more evidence
of continued use. 1 he bulk of it was dry aspen leaves lined with a few branches,
twigs, and 2 or 3 feathers.

Ccntroccrcus uropluisianiis (Bonaparte). Sage Hen). Utah County: hills in
north end of Cedar Valley, May 16 (B) ; Tickville, Cedar Valley, May 16 (H),
I (H) ; West Canyon, west of Lehi, June 10 (H). Wasatch County: Strawberry
Valley, May 10, 15, 29, 30 (BH) ; Wallsburg, June 7 (H). Mon/an County:
April 29 (B).

Xests are slight hollows or scratched out cups sparsely lined with feathers,
hay and weed stems and placed at the base of a sage ridge of valley, or slope.

Lophortyx calif arnica calijornica (Shaw). California Quail. Utah County:
vicinity of Provo, May 24, 30, June 11, and Jul\ 13 (B).

Xests are scratched out cups sparsely lined with feathers and (or) dry leaves
and grasses in sheltered situations under logs or in thckets.

I'hasianus coh-hicus tortiualus (imelin. Ring-necked Pheasant. Utah County:
vicinity of Provo Bay, May 13, 24, 28 (B) ; Lehi, June 8 (B).

The usual nesting sites are weed patches, rushes, hedgerows or thickets.
Nests are cups in the ground lined with feathers or stalks of weeds. Duck's
nests are occasionally used.

C-rus canadensis tabida (Peters). Sandhill Crane. Juab Countx: Fish

(5) According to information received from John W. .Mdrich, tlie ruffed grouse of
our locality have been recently placed in a new subspecies. However, the new name is
not available to us at this writing.— C. L. H.

Dec. 31, 1942 bkkeding records of utah birds 69

Springs area. April 30 aiul ^[ay 4 (BH). L'lali County: noted adult with young
in the vicinity of Lehi, season of 1939 (H.)

Xests observed were platforms of bayonet grass with two or three stray
fL-athers and were in and above water. They were placed in small clearings in
a bayonet grass marsh near a spring creek.

Ralliis liiiiicola Hiiiicola Vieillot. Virginia Rail. Utah County: vicinity of
Lehi, May 25, 22 (H) ; June 4 (2j, 18, 19 (HB).

These nests were composed of old marsh grass or cat-tails, recessed to hold
the eggs. They were partially hidden b\ overhanging marsh growth, over water,
or among grasses of wet meadows.

I'orca)Ki Carolina (Linnaeus). Sora. Utah County: Lehi, June 4 and 7
(BH). Wasatch County: Charleston, May 30 (B) ; Wallsburg, June 7, 9 (3),
11 (HB). Salt Lake County: south of Salt Lake City, June 2 (B).

Generally the nests have been found in the growth of marsh, bog, or inun-
dated pasture. They are cups formed from dead grasses or flags.

Fulica anicricana amcricana Gmelin. American Coot. Utah County: west
of Springville, May 27, 28 29 (B) ; Lehi, April 28, and May 29 (B) ; Provo Bay
area, April 15 and May 15 (B). Boxcldcr County: May 28 (Y). Davis Cotmty:
May 27 (6), 19, 13 (3), 6 (4), June 4 (10), and July 1 (B). Salt Lake County:
Black Slough, May 16 B).

Nests consist of rushes matted and depressed to hold the eggs. Often a run-
way of rushes connects the water level with the nest. Typical nesting areas are
marsh growths near the margins of creek, slough or lake.

Charadrius nivosus )iiz'osus (Cassin). Western Snowy Plover. Utah Cou}ity:
Provo River near outlet to lake, July 5 (B) ; Utah Lake west of Provo, April 25
(H); June 6 (2) (B) ; Pelican Point, Utah Lake, April 25 (H). Davis County:
mouth of Jordan River, May 15 (B) ; Farmington area, April 23, 25, 28, May 2,
4, 7 (2), 13 (2), 19, 27, June 7 (5), 10, 13, 23 (B). Salt Lake County: Crystal
Duck Club, April 22 (B) ; Black Slough area. May 13 (3), 5, 17, 23, 4, and June
8 (B). Boxeldcr County: Chesapeake Lake, June 10 (B).

Nests are slight depressions in the ground sparsely rimmed with pebbles, con-
cretion chips, shells, weed stems and similar objects. They may be placed in the
center of roads or along dykes, beaches or on accretion grounds.

OxyccJius vocifcnis vocifcrus (Linnaeus). Killdeer. Utah County: west of
Springville, May 22 (B) ; Lake Shore, April 28 (B) ; Provo Bay Area, May 15
(Y) ; Lehi vicinity, April 20, 23, May 1, 4, 8, 19 (2), 10, 25, 28, 29 (2), June 4
(2), 16, and July 2 (H). Salt Lake County: Black Slough area, March 26 (2),
April 14 (2), 15, 16 (2), 20, 22, 26 (2), 29, and Alay 4, 5 (B) ; Halloran Duck
Club, April 9 (B). Dams County: Jordan River, May 7 (B) ; Farmington Bay,
April 22, 25, 26, 28. 30, May 2. 8, 7, 13, 19 (5), and June 13 (2) (B). Summit
County: Upper Weber River (7000 feet elevation), June 4 (B). Wasatch County:
Wallsburg, May 19 (B).

Favorite nesting areas are short grass pastures, canal banks, edge and center
of roadways or on furrows or recedes of lakes or ponds. The nests are slight
depressions with chips of stone, wood or small sticks at the rim.

Capella delicata (Ord). Wilson's Snipe. Utah County: Lehi vicinity, April

The Great Basin Naturalist
70 BEE AND HUTCHINGS Vol. Ill, NoS. 3 & 4,

15, 20, 26 (H), May 4, 12 (2), 14 (4j, 15 (3), 17 (3), 18 (2), 20 (3), 22,, 25, 27,
29, 30 (HB), June 1, 2 (2), 4, 10, 18, 25 (2) (HB) ; South of Provo, Alay 5 (2),
6, 12, 15, 17, 14, 23 (3), 25, 26, and June 1 (YB). Salt Lake County: south of
Midvale, June 30 (B). Wasatch County: Wallsburg vicinity. May 8, 13 (4), 15,
21 (6), 19, 29, 30 and June 5, 7, 11 (2) (BH).

The nest is a cup of dried grass placed in a tussock in a boggy pasture area
near a spring source.

Nurnenius americanus amcricamis Bechstein. Long-billed Curlew. Utah
County: Provo Bay area, May 1 (2), 2, and April 26 (B) ; Lehi vicinity, April
20 (2), May 1 (2), 4, 5 (2), 9, 27 (H) ; Mosida, May 1 (2), 10 (H) ; Pelican
Point, Utah Lake, May 26 (H) ; Soft Lake County: west of Salt Lake City,
April 23 (3) (H) ; Black Slough area, April 22 (2), 26, 29 (2), and May 4 (2),
20 (3) (B) ; Halloran Duck Club, April 22 (6) (B). Tooele County: west of
Salt Lake City, April 7 and May 5 (B) ; NE of Magna, April 25 (B). Darts
County: Farmington Bay area, May 5, 16, 17, 13 (2), 24, 27 (2) (B). Boxelder
County: pasture east of Bear River Refuge, May 6 (B).

Usual nesting sites are short grass pastures or greasewood flats contiguous
to a lake, slough or stream. The nests are natural hollows, slight depressions or
cups in the ground lined with varying amounts of hay or weed stems.

Actitis niacnlaria (Linnaeus). Spotted Sandpiper. Utah County: Rock
Island, Utah Lake, June 4, 9 (2) (B) ; Lehi vicinity, June 15, 14, 23, 16, and July
3 (H) ; North Fork of American Fork Canyon, July 6 (H). Wasatch County:
Strawberry Valley, July 7 (B) ; Wallsburg. June 11 (B) ; Park City, June 13 (B) ;
Lost Lake, Uinta Mountains, June 19 (Y). Sevier County: Fish Lake, June
16 (B). Summit County: Upper Weber River, June 5 (2), 14 (2) (B). Davis
County: Farmington Bay area. May 13, 19 (young) (B).

Nests are depressions lined with hay and are placed near water by a bush,
boulder, or among last year's marsh grass.

Catoptrophovus semipahnatus inormilus (Brewster). Western Willet. Ctali
County: Mosida, Utah Lake, May 27 (H) ; Lehi, May 9 (H) ; Cedar Valley,
May 24 (H) ; Pelican Point, Utah Lake, May 4 and June 3 (H) ; Provo Bay Reef,
June 21 (downy young) (B). Dazns County: I'^armington Bay area, April 23
(nest ready for eggs). May 4, 11, 14, 16 (2), 17 (B) ; margin of Jordan River,
May 7 (B). Salt Lake County: Black Slough area, April 29, May 5, 9 (2), 8.
11 (2), 14, 17, 20 (B); Crystal Duck Club. April 22 (2) (B).

Lowland pasture areas and marginal lands arc usual nesting sites. The nest
is of hay neatly cupped in and above ground.

Rccurvirostra amcricana Gmelin. .'\vocet. Utah County: Provo Bay area,
April 5, 29 (5), May 7, 25, and June 1 (3), 8 (2), 17 (3). 21 (34) (BHY); Lehi
vicinity, May 11, 22 (3), and June 1 (H); A'louth of Provo River, June 26 (Y) ;
Rock Island, Utah Lake, May 28 (H) ; Mouth of Spring Creek, Utah Lake, June
1 (H) ; Pelican Point, Utah Lake, May 30 (H). Salt Lake County: Black
Slough area, April 15 (3), 26 (2), 22, 29 (2), May 2, 4 (4), 6, 7 (3), 11 (2), 14,
and June 3 (B). Davis County: Delta of Jordan River, April 24, and May 7
(4) (B) ; Farmington Bay, April 27, 28 (11), and Myy 4 (13), 6 (90), 8 (2), 10,
13, 14, 18 (2), 19 (5), 20 (25) (B).

Nests are slight depressions in the ground lined witli varying amounts of hay

Dec. 31, 1942 hkkediiVg rkcokds of itah birds 71

or weed stalks, or tliey may be built up above the ground of the same materials.
They are placed on damp recedes, dykes, ditch banks, lowland roads, accretion

areas, or slmri grass pastures near water.

Hiinantol^us niexicaitus (Aluller). illack-necked Stilt. Utah County: Provo
Bay area, June 1, 17 (2), 21 (4) (11) ; Utah Lake, June 1 (H) ; Mouth of Provo
River, June 26 (Y). Salt Lake County: Black Slough area, April 15, 29 (2),
May 3, 9, and June 8, 15 (2) (B). Davis Covjity: Farmington Bay area, May
lU (2), 4 (3), 18, 23, 27 (B).

Construction ot the nests is very similar to those of the avocet. They have
been found about the borders of sloughs, marshes and lakes as well as inundated
pasture grounds.

Steya)wpus tricolor Vieillot. Wilson's Phalarope. Utah County: Lehi vi-
cinity, May 4, 23, 24, and June 10, 11, 16 (H). PVasatch County: Charleston,
June 15 (B) ; Wallsburg Alay 21, 30, and June 4, 5 (B). Davis County: Farm-
mgton Bay area. May 23, and June 7, 9 (B).

Usual nesting sites include grassy pastures, recedes, or marginal lands.

Lams californicus Lawrence. California Gull. Utah County: Rock Island,
Utah Lake, May 7 (26), 8 (18), 17 (20), 20 (8), 2i (6), 28 (11), 31 (4) (B).
Daz'is County: promontory of Antelope Island, May 6 (3) (B).

Nesting in typical colonies on islands or promontories.

Larus pipi.vcan Wagler. Franklin's Gull. Boxclder County: Marsh area
near Mouth of Bear River, May 6 (^22), 17 (2) and 30 (B).

The nesting colony, in company with the white-faced glossy ibis, is situated
over shallow water in a growth of bayonet grass marginal to open water of a
small lake. Nests are of bayonet grass slightly depressed to hold the eggs.

Sterna jorstcri Xuttall. Forster's Tern. Utah County: Rock Island, Utah
Lake, May 28 (4) and June 4 (9), 9 (19) (B) ; North shore of Utah Lake, near
Lehi, Alay 28 (2) (H). Salt Lake County: June 5 (6) (B). Davis County:
Delta of Jordan River, June 5 (B).

Nests are slight depressions lined with varying amounts of weed stems. They
may be placed either on the ground of island or on broken down mats of rushes
over water.

Hydroprogne caspia iinperator (Coues). Caspian Tern. Utah County: Rock
Island, Utah Lake, May 5 (2), 7, 19, 23 (5), 28 (15), and June 4 (9), 9 (2), 6
(8) (B).

A colony nests in company with the California Gull on Rock Island.

Chlidonias nigra surinamcnsis (Gmelin). Black Tern. Salt Lake County:
Black Slough area, June 8 (4) (B); Halloran Duck Club, June 8 (2) (H).
Boxclder County: Chesapeake Lake, June 10 (2) (B). Davis County: Delta of
Jordan River, June 10, 17 (B).

The usual nesting sites are on mats of dead rushes in marshes or on grass
tufts of inundated marginal lands.

Zcnaidura niacroura margiuella (Woodhouse). Western Mourning Dove.
Utah County: Lehi vicinity, May 1, 10, 22, 24, 29 (2), June 1, 16, 18, 22, 23, July
12, 20, and August 4 (H) ; Provo, May 22 (Y). Davis County: Farmington Bay,

The Great Basin Naturalist
ll BEE AND IIUTCHINGS Vol. Ill, NoS. 3 & 4,

May 27 (3) (B). Salt Lake County: May 20, 28, and June 10 (B). Kane County:
Willow Tank Spring, June 20 (Y).

Nests are slight platforms of twigs or rootlets on a limb of a tree or bush
usually near the ground. They may also he placed on the ground.

Coccyzus anicricanus occidcnlalis Ridgway. California Cuckoo. Utah Cou)ity:
Provo River Bottoms, June 8 (B) ; Lehi, June 28 (H).

The nest found by Bee was a frail platform of twigs saddled on a broken
down limb of a cottonwood tree a few feet from the ground. These birds inhabit
the wooded areas of the river floodplains.

Otus asio i)iyocnsis Grinnell. Inyo Screech Owl. Utah County: near Lake-
shore, May 9 (B) ; West Canyon, May Z3 (B) ; Lehi, April 5 (H).

The usual nesting site is in the cavity of a fUcker hole in a tree. A few
wood chips and stray feathers may be taken in the bottom of the nest.. Nesting
holes are usually 15 to 20 feet from the ground.

Otus flanuncolus (Kaup). Flammulated Screech Owl. Utali County: Mu-
tual Dell, Mt. Timpanogos, June 13, 1934 (H).(6)

The nest was placed in a living aspen 12 feet from the ground. No nesting-
material was used but wings of small birds eaten by the owls were in the nest.
The eggs were fresh on the above date.

Bubo virginianus occidentalis Stone. '^') Montana Horned Owl. Utah County:
Vicinity of Lake Mountain, March 28, 19, April 5, 7, 17, 18, 19, and May 2
(young) (BH) ; Vicinity of Lehi, March 15, 24 (2), 19, and April 29, 7 (H) ;
South Fork of Provo Canyon, March 21, and April 10 (YB) ; Cedar Valley,
March 22 (H). IVasatch County: Vicinity of Charleston, March 20 (2), and
April 6, 7, 26, 27 (B). Salt Lake County: Bingham Canyon, April 30 (15).
Millard County: Kanosh, March 20 (B).

Nests are on bare earth, with occasionally a few feathers or sticks added,
located on a shelf or niche of a cliff; or old hawk or other bulky nests of sticks
may be used. This last mentioned type is often found in trees.

Speotyto cunicularia hypngaca (Bonaparte). Western Burrowing Owl. Utah
County: West of Lehi, April 30, May 1, and June 3 (H). Salt Lake County:
near Welby, May 24 (B). Boxclder County: west of Brigham City, May 6 (B).

The nesting site is at the end of a burrow along a canal bank, wash or other
terrain high enough to have a measure of protection from floods. Manure is
usually carried in for nesting material.

Asio wilsonianus (Lesson). Long-eared Owl. Utah County: Lehi, April 7,
28 (H) ; Lake Mountain area, April 10, 25, and May 2 (HY), June 16 (H) ; west
of Springville, April 18 (Y). Salt Lake County: Bingham Canyon, May 5 (2),
10, 24 (B) ; Lark, May 5 (B). Tooele County: Oquirrh Range, April 11 (B).

(6) At the time this nest was discovered Mr. Hutchings collected the bird from the
nest and prepared it as a mounted specimen. 1 have examined this specimen and find it
to be undoubtedly the flammulated screech. The nesting of this species on Mt. Timpanogos
under similar circumstances has been previously reported (Hayward, 1937. Wilson Bulletin,
49: p. 304).— C. L. H.

(7) A specimen taken from the nest in the South Fork, Provo Canyon, was identified
by Dr. H. C. Oberholser as occidentalis (see Hayward, 1937, Wilson Bulletin, 49: p. 305).
However, the subspecific identity of the nesting birds of the west desert and south is still
somewhat in doubt, since no nesting specimens were available to the writers.— C. L. H.

Dec. 31,1942 RREEDING RF.CORDS OF UTAH BIRDS 73

Davis Coiiiily: Farmingtnn Bay area. May 4 Cyoung in nest) (B). IVasalch
County: Charleston, April 26 (B).

An old hawk or magpie nest is utilized as a nesting- site.

Asin flamwcus flammens (Pontoppidan). Short-eared Owl. Utah Cntiuty:
Prove Ray area, April 19, 24, 25 (B) : Lehi, Afay 9, 10 and June 16, 22 CHY).
Juab County: Fish Springs, May 4 (B). Da-ris County: Fannington Bay area,
April 25 (B).

Tlie nests are depressions on the ground Hned with sticks and weeds. Tlicy
are usually placed in weed patchs or rushes near marsh areas or on accretion
ground.

Phalaenoptilus mittaUi nuttalli (Audubon). Nuttall's Poor-will. Utah County:
South Fork of Hobble Creek Canyon, June 4 (B). The bird was flushed from
the nest at close range; Granite Mountain near Alpine, May 23 (set of eggs ac-
quired by R. G. Bee from Andrew Johnson of American Fork). Sou Juaji
County: Ute Mountain. June 23 (Y).

ClwrdcUcs minor Jicspcris Grinnell. Pacific Xighthawk.(8) Vtaii County:
West Canyon. Cedar \'alley. July 2, 4 (3). 6 (2). 11, 24 (2) CHB) ; Hobble Creek
Canyon, June 29 (H) ; Pelican Point, Utah Lake, July 22 (H). Wasatch County:
Wallsburg Ridge, June 30, and July 4 (5), 5 (B) ; Strawberry River Dam, July
7 (3) (B).

Eggs are placed on bare ground usually at the base of a sage. The favorite
nesting site is on a gradual slope near the top of a ridge.

Acronautcs saxatalis saxatalis (Woodhouse). White-throated Swift. Grand
County: Arches National Monument, August 14, 1941. The birds were nesting
in a cavaty formed by a slight separation of a slap of rock from the roof of a
cave. .Adults weer seen entering the aperture and young could be heard in the
nest (B),

Archilochns alcxandcri (Bourcier and Mulsant). Black-chinned Hummingbird.
Utah County: near mouth of Alpine Canyon, June 11 (H).

Sclasphorus plafvccrcus platyccrcns (Swainson). Broad-tailed Hummingbird.
Utah County: Provo River Bottoms, May 20 (B) : Mt. Timpanogos. May 31,
June 12 (2), 13, 24, and August 1 fHYB) ; .Mpine, July 2 (H). Salt Lake County:
Bingham Canyon, June 12, 13, and July 11 (B). Summit County: Upper Weber
River, June 14 (3) and 19 CB).

The nest is a neat cup of plant down and (or) Cottonwood "snow," decorated
to simulate the environment with lichens or leaves bound with cobwebs. It may
be placed on the limb of most any tree or shrub and often on a branch over-
hanging water,

Sclasphorus rufus (Gmelin). Rufous Hummingbird. (9) Utali County: Lehi,
June 20, 21 and July 30 (H).

(8) Male nighthawks taken in the vicinity of Mt. Timpanogos during the nesting
season have proved to be hesperis but no breeding females have been taken thus far. The
subspecies henrvi is known to br^ed eastward in the Uinta Basin (see Hayward, 1940, Great
Basin Nat., 1 (2); p. 94).— C. L. H.

(9) The breeding records of the rufous hummingbird are of unusual interest. Bent
(1940, U. S. Nat. Mus. Bull. 176, p. 396) states that the species breeds south as far as
southwestern Montana and suggests that it may be found in the mountains further south-
ward. A nesting specimen was collected and mounted by Mr. Hutchings and was later
supposedly sent to the Brigham Young University, but unfortunately it was lost. How-
ever, Mr. Hutchings carefully checked the specimen and there is no doubt as to its iden-
tity.— C. L. H.

The Great Basin Naturalist
74 T!EE AND HUTCTTINGS Vol. TTI. NoS. 3 &' 4.

Nests were composed of cnttonwood floss, lichens and bits of wood. They
were placed on the limb of an apple tree 3.5 to 5 feet from the ground.

Colaptcs cafcr cnHaris Vigors. Red-shafted Flicker. Utah Cniiuty: Month
of Spring Creek, May 13 (B) : Provo River, Utah Valley. May 2. 15 (V,) : T.ehi,
May 10, 22 (B) ; Mt. Timpanogos, May 17 and Jnne 19 (B). Wasafch Couiifv:
Provo River, May 21 (B).

The favored nesting site is a natural or self prepared cavity in a tree or
post, in garrets of buildings, or occasionally in holes in earthen banks. Eggs are
placed on chips at the bottom of the cavity or on a beam.

.-^Isyndcsiiiiis Icicis Gray. Lewis's Wooflpecker. Utah Comity: .Salamander
l>ake, Mt. Timpanogos, June 25 (P>). Salt Lake County: Sugar House, July
7 (B).

Nests were placed in a shaft cavity averaging about 18 inches deep, usually
higli in partly dead trees.

Sphyrapicus varhis nuchalis Baird. Red-naped Sapsucker. Utah County:
Aspen Grove, Mt. Timpanogos, June 25 (young) (B) ; Vivian Park, Provo Can-
yon, July 5 (feeding young) (B).

Dryohates viUosns nwnticola Anthony. Rocky Mountain Hairy Wookpeckcr.
Utah County: Mule Flat. Mt. Timpanogos, May 17 (young) (B) ; Aspen Grove.
Mt. Timpanogos, June 19 (young) (B).

Dryohates puhesccns leucurus (Hartlaub). Batchelder's Woodpecker. Utah
County: Summit of Loop Road, Mt. Tin:panogos, July 11 (young in nest) (F>).

Tynnuuis fyrannus (Linnaeus). Eastern Kingbird. Utali County: Palmyra.
June 18 (B); vicinity of Lehi, June 11, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29 (HB). Dat'is County:
Farmington Bay, June 23 (B).

The nest is a cup of hay and weed stalks lined with varying amounts ot iiair
and wool, and placed at an average height of about 12 feet in trees which usu-
ally have dead branches.

Tyrannus vertlcalis Say. \rkansas Kingbird. Utah Ccuuly: Provo, June
10 (B); Spanish Fork, June 18 (P.): Lehi, June 29 and July 1 (H); Saratoga
Springs, June 16 (H). Salt Lake County: Hibbard. June 20, 22 (B) ; Ft. Harri-
man, June 16 (B) ; Welby, June 24 (B).

Sayoniis saya saya (Bonaparte). Say's Phoebe. Utah County: Lake
Mountain, May 13 and June 3 (B) ; Saratoga, May 23 (B) : Cedar Valley, May
28, 23 (H); Rush Valley, July 8 (H) ; Pelican Point, Utah Lake, J^Iay 13 (H).

Nests are large scraggly masses composed of hay, string, rags, wool and
feathers, placed on the beam of an outbuilding, nU\ mine tunnel or the like.

li)npidona.v trailli hrrn'strri Obcrholscr. Little Mycatcher. Utah County:
Lehi, May 16, 20, June 15, 28, 29 (2), .10 (3) and July 1 (LTD ; Provo, June 22
(3), 23 (B).

The favorite nesting habitat is in thickets of wild rose or willow near a
stream or marsh. The nests are composed of fine plant fibers, weed bits and
rootlets.

Dec. 31.1942 iirkkdixc kkiords ok i'iaii iurus 75

r.iiipich^ii'.i.v obcrJiohcri Pliillii),s. Wright's Mycatchcr.^'" il'iisatch toimty:
Keetley. June 14 (B).

The iicst was Cdmpdsccl of fine grasses and plant fibers and placed in the
erdtch (if an oak near a spring. This nest also contained hair. wool, and feathers.

Etitpidouax difficilis difficilis i'aird. Western Flycatcher. Ulah County:
.\spen Grove, Mt. Tinipanogos. June 2f) (2) (Y): .\inerican Fork Canyon. June
2() and July 24 (H).

Nesting sites are usually cool shaded ])laces close to water or on cliffs with
water dripping near the nest. The nest is composed of fine rootlets and grasses
with growing moss over the surface.

Myiflclwiies rirhar(lso)ii richtrdsoiii CSw'diwf.i.n'i). Western Wood Pewee. I )ai'i.s
CoiDify: Tayton, June 10 (H). l^tah County: Mt. Timpanogos, June 19 (nest
under construction). July 10, and August 12 (young) (Y).

The nests are neat cups of fine plant fibers and hair usually placed on a
horizontal, dead limb of an aspen or poplar.

Otocoris alpcrfris ufalicnsis Behle. Great Salt Lake Horned Lark. Utah
County: Cedar Valley, April 25, May .30. and July 1 (H). Salt Lake County:
Bingham Canyon, May 12 (B) ; Copperton, April 12 and June 24 (B) ; pasture
near Black Sloughs, May 9 (B) : between Ft. Harriman and Lark. April 11 (B).

Nesting sites are usually in short grass arid or semi-arid situations. The
nests are cupped in the groimd and composed of grass, hay and plant down, occa-
sionally with a sparse amount of wool added.

Tarhychirta thafassina Icpida Mearns. Violet-green Swallow. Utah County:
Salamander Lake. Mt. Timpanogos, June 25 and July 5 (3), 6 (B) ; American
Fork Canyon, June 21 (B) and July 8 (H) ; Mt. Timpanogos, June 21 and July
25 (H).

This species usually nests in small colonies often in company with tree swal-
lows and purple martins. The nests are a few feathers or inner bark fibers
placed in the bottom of cavities in dead or living aspens.

Iridoprocne hicolor (Vieillot). Tree Swallow. Utah County: Salamander
Lake. Mt. Timpanogos, June 25 (B) ; Silver Lake. American Fork Canyon, June
23 and July 4 (H). Sevier County: Fish Lake, July 18 (seen at nesting hole) (B).

The nesting habits are similar to those of the violet-green swallow-.

Riparia riparia riparta (Linnaeus). Bank Swallow, l^tah County: Bank of
Jordan River. June 19 (B).

Sfelqidopteryx ruficollis serripennis (Audubon). Rough-wnnged Swallow.
Utah County: Lehi. June 2. 12, 15. The nest was placed in a recess of a thatched
roof of a cow shed (H).

Hiruiido crythrof/aster Boddaert. Barn Swallow. Utah County: Jordan
River near Lehi. June 28 (2) (B). Salt Lake County: Draper, May 23, 31 (2)
and July 2 (2) (B).

This species nests in colonies in outbuildings. The nests are masses of mud

(10) Notes pertaining to the nesting of Wright's flycatcher, together with 19 other
species of mountain dwelling birds have been reported by Hayvvard, Great Basin Nat.
2 (1); pp. 1-8, pi. I, 1941. Photographs of nests and eggs of 7 species are shown. — C. L. H.

The Great Basin Naturalist
76 BEE AND HUTCHINGS Vol. Ill, NoS. 3 & 4,

pellets cemented into a cup-shaped structure and lined with feathers of varying
amounts.

Petrochclidon albifrons alhifrons (Rafinesque). Northern Cliff Swallow.
Utah County: Diamond Fork, Spanish Fork Canyon, June 12 (8) (B). Wasatch
County: Indian Canyon, July 13 (3) (B).

Prognc snhis suhis ("Linnaeus). Purple Martin. Utah County: Mt. Timpa-
nogos, June 25 (H).

This species is known to nest only in the mountains, in central Utah. It is
found in aspen forests and usually selects large dead aspens or rarely the dead
tops of solitary conifers as nesting sites.

Cyanocitta stellcri aunccfcns (Baird).ni) Black-headed Jay. Utah County:
Alpine Canyon, May 30 and June 3 CB).

The nests were placed in conifers 7 to 14 feet above ground. They were
bowl shaped structures in a mass of twigs composed of moss and dry grass ce-
mented with mud and lined with rootlets.

Aphclocotna californica 7coodhousci (Caird). Woodliouse's Jay. Utah County:
North end of Cedar Valley, May 25 (young) (B) ; Mouth of Alpine Canyon,
May 25 (H) ; Tickville, west of Lehi. April 22 and May 10, 20 (H). Salt Lake
County: Butterfield Canyon, April 25 (B) ; west of Lark, June 11 (B).

The outer shell of the nest is composed of sticks while the inner bowl is
made of cedar bark strips, rootlets, and horsehair. They are placed in a juniper
or oak 5-10 feet up from the ground.

Pica pica hudsonia (Sabine). .American Magpie. Utah County: mouth of
Hobble Creek, May 1 (2), April 8, 15, 16 (B) ; Springville, April 3 (B) ; Cedar
Valley, April 4 (H) ; Lehi, March 30, April 10, 20, May 10, and July 3 (H).
Wasatch County: Wallsburg bridge, Provo River, April 25 (B) ; Charleston,
Provo River, April 16 (B). Salt Lake County: Drv Fork of Bingham Canyon,
May 5, 24 (B).

Corvus corax sinuatus Wagler. American Raven. Utah Coujily: Lake
Mountain, March 28, 31, April 3, 17. 18 and May 7 (HB) ; Cedar Valley, April
14, 15, 25, 28 (2), and March 30 (HB) ; Sunshine Canyon, May 4 (H) : west
side of Utah Valley, March 21 (H). Tooele County: Rush \'alley-Cedar Valley
Divide, April 8 (B) ; Rush Valley, April 7, 14 (H) ; Orr's Ranch, May 3 (B) ;
Desert Mountain, April 19 (H) ; Skull Valley, April 26 (H). Iron County:
seven miles SW of Kanosh, March 21 (B). Millard County: Fish Springs, April
30 (H); vicinity of Kanosh, March 20 (4); Delta, April 16 (H).

This species constructs a well cupped nest with the outer part of juniper and
sage sticks and a tight inner cup of sage and juniper bark. When available, wool
and hair are also used in the lining. Nests are placed on a shelf of a cliff, on
timbers of mine hoists and deserted buildings, and in cottonwood or juniper trees.

Corims hrachyrhynchos hesperis Ridgway. Western Crow. I'tah County:
mouth of Hobble Creek, west of Springville, May 5 (a set of foin^ eggs is in

(11) Dr. William H. Behle who has critically examined our Cyanocitta states in a
letter that he is unable to recognize the subspecies cottami recently described hy Ober-
holser (1W7, Proc. Biol. Soc. Wash., .SO: p. 117). He further indicates tliat tlie nortlu-ni and
central Utah birds more nearly resemble annectens. — C. T-. IT.

Dec. 31, 1942 nRr:EDiNG records of uta?i birds 71

the Y collection, collected by C. L. Hayward and D. E. Johnson). JVasafch
Coitiifv: near Wallshnrg^ Rrid.sre, Provn River. April 26 and Afay 10 (R).

Xests are well made of sticks and compactly lined with inner hark of the
Cottonwood and horsehair. The nests observed were placed in black willows 14
to 22 feet from the sjronnd.

CvaiwccMwIiis cyaiwcephalus TWied). Pinon Tay. Vtnh Cnuutv: Five Mile
Pass. March .30, ,31 and April 8 (P.) ; Lake Mountain. April 1, 2 C5). 9 (4) CHR) :
Cedar ^^alley. April 13 (H) ; east of Sunshine, May 10 CH) ; Tickville, west of
Lehi, May 14. 20 (2) (H).

This species nests in colonies in juniper trees at an average height of six
feet. The nests are deep and bulky, compactly built of twigs and shreds of inner
bark supporting a well made cup of various shreds of bark, plant fibers, rootlets,
weeds, wool, grasses and an occasional feather.

Nncifrafia cohimhiana (Wilson). Clark's Nutcracker. Utah County: One
nesting record only is available to the writers. The nest was located March 30.
1941 on the south side of Slide Canyon, Wasatch Range, east of Prove at about
7,000 feet altitude by James W. Ree. The nest was constructed and contained one
egg on that date. Recause of illness James was unable to revisit the nesting site,
but his father, R. G. Ree and Reed Riddulph, photographer, visited it again on
April 7. On this last visit photographs were taken and the set of three eggs was
collected.

The outer nest was of conifer and maliogany sticks while the inner cup was
a compact structure of plant fibers, hay, inner bark, pulpy wood strips and a few
conifer needles in the bottom. Tt was placed on two branches of a white fir tree
near the main trunk and was about 8 feet above approximately 4 feet of snow.
The tree in which the nest was placed measured 4 inches in diameter at the level
of the nest.

Pcnthcstes atricapillus scf^toitriflnalis (Harris). Long-tailed Chickadee. Utah
County: Lehi. May 25 (R) ; Aspen Grove. Mt. Timpanogos. June 27 (2) (R) ;
American Fork Canyon. July 6 (H).

The nesting site is in the cavity of an old tree stump or tree or under the
eaves of a house. The nest linin.g consists of fine grasses and feathers.

Pcnthcstes iiamhcU r/anihcli (Ridgway). Mountain Chickadee. Utah County:
Salamander Lake. Mt. Timpanogos. June 25 (R) ; Wasatch County: ten miles
east of Kamas. June 26 (R). Salt Lake County: Rutterfield Canyon, June 4 (R).

Psaltripanis nnninins plumhcus (Raird). Lead-colored Rush-Tit. Utah
County: Cedar Valley, June 10. 1933 (H).

The nest was a pensile structure, entered from the side and composed of hay
and plant fibers and lined with wool and feathers. Tt was placed 12 feet up in
the top of a juniper.

Ccrthia fainiHaris nwntana Ridgway. Rocky Alountain Creeper. Utah

County: Cirque above Granite Flat. American Fork Canyon, June 15, 1936 (H).

This nest was placed in a conifer about 6 feet up behind a piece of loose bark.

.S";7^fl carolincnsis nclsoni Mearns. Rocky Mountain Nuthatch. Utah County:
above Granite Flat. American Fork Canyon. June 18 (H).

The Great Basin Naturalist
78 BKK AND HUTCH INGS Vol. Ill, NoS. 3 & 4,

The nesting site of the above record was in an abandoned woodpecker hole,
30 feet up in the side of a tree. Five eggs were in the set.

Cittclits nirxicnnus imicolor I'nnaparte. Dipper. Utah Cfliinty: Springdell,
April 27 (B) ; North Fork, Provo Canyon, Alay 17 (B).

Nests are oven-shaped structures composed of moss and lined with fine grass.
The entrance is at the side. The nest may be placed in a niche of a cliff among
the roots of a tree or on the beam of a bridge always close to the edge of a stream.

Trnf/Iodytrs ardon j^arkiinnii .Audubon. Western House Wren. Utah Comity:
Maple Flat, east of Provo, June 22 (B) ; Salamander Lake, Mt. Timpanogos,
June 21, 25, 29 (BY) ; Lehi, May 29 (H) ; American Fork Canyon, June 2 (H) ;
.Aspen Grove, Mt. Timpanogos, June 29 (H); Silver Lake, American Fork Can-
yon, July 8 (H). .S"(;/^ Lake County: Bingham Canyon, June 17 (B). Wasatch
County: Strawberry Valley, June 6 (B).

Nests are of twigs, hay and grasses lined with hair, fur and feathers, placed
in a crevice of a barn, house, post or tree.

Tchnatodytcs /^alustris f^lcsius (Oberholser). Western Marsh Wren. Utah
County: Provo Bay, April 29 (2), May 10, 17, June 8 (B) ; Utah Lake, April
22 (B) ; Lehi, April 29, May 10 (2), 22, 28, 30 (2), and June 16 (H).

Cathcrpcs nicxicanus consf^crsus Ridgway. Canon Wren. Suinniit County:
Washington Lake, Uinta Mountains, July 7 (B).

The nest was a mass of soft materials placed in a niche of rock bordering
a stream.

Sal pine fcs obsoletus ohsnJctns (Say). Common Rock Wren. Utah County:
Oquirrh Range, May 26 (B) ; 7-mile Pass, west of Lehi, June 6 (B) ; east side
of Lake Mountain, April 21 (B) ; Pelican Point, Utah Lake, May 26, 29 (H).
Washington County: St. George, April 29 (Y).

Nests are built at the end of a tunnel under a boulder or niche of ledge and
are placed in a depression lined with hay and grass.

Minuts polyf/lottos Icucoptcrus (Vigors). Western Mockingbird. ('2) Utah
County: West of Lehi. May 30, June 3, 4 (2), 10, 13 (2), 20, 21, 24, 28, and
July 2 (HB).

Greasewood bushes are used as nesting sites. The nests are composed of
sticks, lined with rootlets, grasses and wool.

Dumctclla earolinensis (Linnaeus). Catbird. Utah County: Provo River
I'loodplane, west of Provo, June 4, 10 (2) (B) ; Lehi. May 1, and June 30 (H).
IVasateh County: Wallslwrg Switch, June 11 (B).

This species makes bulky and rudely constructed nests of twigs, leaves and
grasses and lined witli fine grasses. They arc placed in a thicket near a stream.

'fo.vostonia hewJirei (C'oues). liendire's Thrasher. Utah County: Lake
shore south of Lehi, April 26, 1932 (fl).

'I'lie nest was com])osed of small sticks lined very neatly with fine grass,
rootlets and horse hair, it was placed on the stump of a black willow and was

(12) Nesting- ;itul ilislrilmtion of tlic western nuicUiiig bird in LUah have been de-
scrihed l)y Vasco M. Tanner, I'roc. Utah .\cad. Sciences, .\rts, and Letters, 1,1: pp. 185-
187, one map, 1936.— C. L. H.

Dec. 31.1942 breeding records of utah birds 79

cleverly hidden by a new gro\\i:h of willow. The eggs of this species are spotted
with brown, light drab, and lilac gray especially at the large end in contrast to
those of the Leconte thrasher which are minutely speckled and the Crissal thrasher
which has eggs that are plain pale bluish green. The egg characteristics together
with the appearance of the bird make this record quite certain although it is
rather far removed from its normal range.

Orcflscopfrs )noutaniis (Townsend). Sage Thrasher. Utah County: vicinity

of Lehi, April 26, May 8, June 4, 6, 10 (4), 13, 16. 22, 27 (3), and July 1, 3 (3),

4. 10, 19 (HB). Salt Lake County: Copperton. May 27; Bingham. May 6 (B) ;
Black Slough Area. Atay 5 (2) fB).

Nests are of sage sticks, lined with bark strips, fine rootlets and sometmies
cattle hair. They are placed in a sage or greasewood.

Turdus uiigratorius fropiuquits Ridgway. Western Robin. Utah County:
Provo, May 8. 18 (B) ; Lehi. April 4. 20. May 10, June 1. 28 (H). Salt Lake
County: West Jordan, May 29 (B).

Nests are of hay. sticks and leaves with a plastered cup of mud and placed
in trees, bushes or buildings.

Hylocichh puttata auduhoni (Baird). Audubon's Hermit Thrush. Utah
County: South Fork of Provo Canyon, June 7 (B) ; Stewart's Flat, Mt. Timpa-
nogos, June 25 (B) ; American Fork Canyon, June 12, 25, 29 (2), and July 2 (H).
Salt Lake County: Dry Fork of Bingham Canyon, June 5 fB) ; Barney's Canyon,
June 4 (B) ; Butterfield Canyon, June 4 (5). 11 (B).

This species builds a nest of sticks, bark, rootlets, ukjss, leaves and horse-
hair woven into a bowl-shaped mass, placed in a bush or tree at medium or low
levels. Nesting sites are often near streams. The species is distributed through-
out the montane forests and extends somewhat into the chaparral ecotone.

Hylocichia usfulata ravinsoni (Tschudi). Olive-backed Thrush. Utah
County: South Fork of Provo Canyon, June 20 and July 5 (B) ; American Fork
Canyon, June 22, 24, and July 6, 24, 26 (H).

Nests are placed at low levels in a bush or tree and are composed of hay
and leaves with a small amount of horsehair. This species breeds mainly in
canyon bottoms near water and is distributed mostly within the chaparral ecotone
and lower montane forests.

Hylocichia fusccscens salicicola Ridgway. Willow Thrush. Utah County:
Provo River floodplain NW of Provo, June 4 (2), 29 (B) ; American Fork
Canyon, July 4 (2), 24 (H).

This species inhabits thickets and woods along the river floodplains in valleys,
chaparral and lower montane forests. Nests are composed of twigs, hay, grass
and bark strips and are placed in clumps of bushes near the stream.

Sialia curnicoidcs (Bechstein). Mountain Bluebird. Utah County: Mt.
Timpanogos Cirque, June 28 (Y) ; Lehi, July 2, 3 (H) ; Cedar Valley, May 16 (2)
(H). Salt Lake County: Lark, May 2 (B). IVasatch County: Keetley, June
13 (B).

The nest is a sprawly structure composed of hay, feathers, and bark strips
placed in cavities of a tree, house, outbuilding or on mine timbers.

Myadcstes toicnsendi (Audubon). Townsend's Solitaire. Utah County:

The Great Basin Naturalist
80 BEE AND HUTCHINGS Vol. TTT. NoS. 3 Sz 4.

Stewart's Flat, Mt. Timpanogos (no date) (B). Garfield County: Birch Creek
Canyon, west of Escalante, June 15 (Y).

Nests are large loosely woven piles of plant material placed in a rock crevice
or among exposed roots of a bank.

Polioptila racrnlca ariwcnissinia Grinnell. Western Gnatcatcher. Utah Couiify:
Tickville, Cedar Valley, June 20 (eggs). July 4 (young) (H).

The nest was of platit fiber and down, lined with plant down and hair. The
outside was decorated with lichens to simulate the limt) of a juniper fm which it
was placed.

Cortliylio calendula einerarcus (Grinnell). Western Ruby-crowned Kinglet.
]Vasatch County: Lost Lake area, Uinta Mountains, June 22 (nest found by
J. L. Mullins) (B).

An thus sf^infllettd altieohi Tf)dd. Mountain Pipit. Snminif County: TJly
Lake, Uinta Mountain, June 26 (B). Se7'ier County: 7 mile Creek near Fish
Lake, June 16 (B).

The nest is a globular or cup-shaped structure of hay lined with horsehair. It
is placed on a slight raise in boggy, grassy meadows in alpine or upper montane
forest areas.

Boinltycilla cedroruni Vieillot. Cedar Waxwing. Utah County: Lehi, July
1 (H).

The nest was placed on a limb of a black willow and was composed of rags,
twine, twigs, and cedarbark.

Lanius hidovieianus nevadeusis Miller. Nevada Shrike. Utah County: April
28. May 18, July 6 (H) : west of Lehi, May 25. June 20 (H) ; south end of Utah
Valley, April 25 (H) ; Lake Mountains, May 17. Salt Lake County: six miles
NW of Salt Lake City. April 7 (B).

Nests are composed of twigs, hay, wool and hair, well cupped and at times
decorated with bones or skin. They areu sually placed in an isolated greasewood
or juniper.

Vireo soUtarUts plumbeus Coues. Plumbeous Vireo. Utah County: Provo
River floodplain, northwest of Provo, May 18 (collected by D. E. Johnson and
C. L. Hay ward).

This nest was composed of fine plant fibers together with cobwebs and cov-
ered with lichens. It was situated in a Cottonwood tree about 20 feet from the
ground.

Vireo (/ih'us szvainsoni Baird. Western Warbling Vireo. Pai^is County: .\
set of eggs was collected by Harry Aldous from a nest situated 10 feet up in an
apple tree. The exact location and date are not given (B).

/ cnnh'ora celata orestera (3berholser. Alountain Orange-crowned Warbler.
Wasatch County: Strawberry Valley, June 11 (H).

This nest was placed 8 feet up in a willow near a stream. It was com-
l)oscd of grasses, dry leaves, bark shreds and feathers. The bird was collected
for positive identification.

I'crmivora I'irc/iniae (l-aird). \'irginia's Warbler. Utah Couttty: Hobble
Creek Canyon, May 31 (B).

UcC. 31, 1942 UkEEDlNG RECORDS Ol' LTAll I'.IRDS 81

The nest was partially hidden b}- grass and placed on the ground among the
roots of scrub oak on a hillside about lUU feet from the creek and canyon bottom.
It was composed of plant fibers, rootlets and hay, loosely woven.

Dcndroica cicstkv inarcoini Coale. Western Yellow Warbler. Utah County:
Provo River floodplain, west of Provo, May 30, and June 4, (B) ; South Fork
of Provo Canyon, June 26 (B) ; Provo, June 4 (B) ; Alpine Canyon, June 15 (J)
(H) ; Lehi, June 5, 11, 15 to), 21, 24 (H). ll'asutch Cuiinty: Strawberry \'alley.
June 11 (H).

This species constructs a nest of plant fibers and grasses lined with plant
down and horsehair, placed at moderately low levels in a bush or tree, usually
near a stream.

Doidroica aiiduboni mciiiorabilis Oberholser. Rocky Mountain .Audubon
Warbler. Utali County: American Fork Canyon, June 18, 28 (Hj. IVasatch
County: Beaver Creek Ranger Station, May 29 (nest under construction) (V).
Salt Lake County: Bingham Canyon, June 17 (B).

This species builds a nest of fine bark strips, rootlets, plant fibers, hair and
a few feathers, placed in a bush or tree. These birds breed throughout tlie mon-
tane forests.

Dendroica nigrcscens (Townsend). Black-throated Gray Warbler. L'lah
County: Tickville, 12 miles west of Lehi, May 20, 1940 (H).

The nest was composed of plant fibers, juniper bark, fine dry grass and a
few feathers and was completely concealed in the forks of a juniper near the top.

Oporornis tolmici (Townsend). Macgillivray's Warbler. Utah County: Viv-
ian Park, Provo Canyon, June 25 (young just hatched), July 4, 5 (feeding young)
(B), June 21 (H). (Also egg record).

Nests were of shreds of bark lined with fine grasses and liair. They are
usually placed low in shrubs at the forest edge in canyons.

Ceothlypis trichas uccidoilalis Brewster. Western Yellow-throat. Utali
County: Lehi vicinity, April 16, May 20, 28, 29, 31 and June 6 (2), 13 (HB).

Usual nesting sites are marshy areas, often in wet borrow pit along a road
or railway right of way. Nests are made of dry grass or rushes attached to a
last year's cattail.

Icteria vircns longicauda Lawrence. Long-tailed Chat. Utah County: Provo
vicinity, June 3, 5, 29 (B) ; Lehi vicinity, June 20, 21, 28, 30 (HB).

Nests are composed of bark, rootlets, and dry leaves lined with finer grasses
and placed in a bush, hedgerow or thicket along a stream, fence or base of a low
hill.

Setophaga ruticilla (Linnaeus). American Redstart. Utah County: Provo
River floodplain, northwest of Provo, June 10, 26 (newly hatched young) (B).

The nests of this species are firmly woven of fine bark strips, leaf stalks
and plant down, lined with fine grass and horsehair. They are usually placed
about 5 feet up in a Cottonwood bordering the stream.

Dolichonyx oryzivorus (Linnaeus). Bobolink. Utah County: Saratoga, June
19 (B). Wasatch County: Charleston, June 15 (B).

The Great Basin Naturalist

82 r.i'-t; and hutch ings Vol. Ill, Nos. 3 &4,

This species builds a nest of liay placed on the ground among grasses of
pasture or accretion ground.

Stuniclla neylccta .\udubon. Western Aleadovvlark. Utah County: Provo
Bay area, .April 16, May 7 (2) (YB) ; Lehi vicinity, April 17, 29 (B).

The nest is of dry grasses hooded over with the same and placed on the
ground of pasture or field.

Xanthoccplialus .vaiithoccphaiiis ( iJonaparte).*'-'* Yellow-headed Blackbird.
Utah County: Mouth of Provo River, May 27 (4) (Y) ; Lehi vicinity, Alay 1,
10, 17, 25, 27 (H).

'I he yellow-headed blackbird builds a well-cupped nest of dry marsh grass
attached to rushes over slough or marsh.

Agelahis phocniccus utahcnsis Bishop. Utah Redwing. Utah Couuty: XW
of Provo, May 17 and June 1 (B) ; Geneva, near Utah Lake, May 21 (2) and 25
(B) ; mouth of Dry Creek, May 10 (2) (B) ; vicinity of Lehi, May 10 (7), 15,
20, 23, 25, and June 3, 10, 12, 21, 23, 28 (H). Wasatch County: Wallsburg, May
21and June 5 (B). Davis County: Farmington Bay Area, May 2, 8, 10 (B).

This species nests in pastures or in tules of a mash or slough. The nest is
a well-shaped bowl of hay lined with cattle hair.

Icterus bullocki (Swainson). Bullock's Oriole. UtaJi County: south of
Provo, May 31 (B) ; Palmyra, June 5 (B) ; Lehi, June 1, 13, 26 (H). Salt Lake
County: South Jordan, May 27 and June 20 (B).

The nest is a pensile structure of plant shreds and string, lined with plant
down and horsehair and attached to the outer limb of a tree. Nesting areas in-
clude roadsides, pastures or fields.

Eiiphacjus cyanoccphalus (Wagler). Brewer's Blackbird. Utah County:
Provo Bench, May 17 and June 8 (B) ; Geneva, May 18 (4), 26 (B) ; Provo River
bottoms, Alay 27 (3) (B); Lehi vicinity, Alay 20 (5), 23, 24, 27, 30 and June 6
(2), 10 (H). Salt Lake County: Hibbard, June 3 (B) ; Riverton, June 2 (B).
IVasatch County: Wallsburg switch, Alay 28 (B). Davis County: Farmington
Bay area. May 27 (B).

The nest is of hay and weed stems with horsehair in the cup. It may be
placed in grasses of pastures or in bushes or trees.

Molothrus atcr arlcniisiac Grinnell. Nevada Cowbird. Utali Cou)ity: Utah
Lake, June 30 (in nest of redwing blackbird) (B) ; Lehi, June 5 (in nest of black-
headed grosbeak) (H). Salt Lake County: Riverton, June 2 in nest of Brewer's
blackbird) (B).

Firanya ludoviciana (Wilson). Western Tanager. Utah County: Alule Flat,
Mt. Timpanogos, June 2 (2), 27 (HBY) ; Stewart's F"lat, Alt. Timpanogos, June
23 (B) ; Aspen Grove, Alt. Timpanogos, June 15 (Y).

The nest is a frail structure of weed stems and rootlets placed on tlie hori-
zontal limb of a tree or bush, in either deciduous or coniferous woods of the
lower montane forests.

Lledynieh'S niclanoccphalus papayo (Jberholser. Rocky Mountain 1 Mack-headed

(1.?) The breediiiK haljits of this spfcies in I'tah liave lu-cn extensively describeii by
Fautin, 1940, Great Basin Nat., 1 (2): pp. 75-91; 1941, Wilson Bulletin, 5.5 (2): pp. 107-22;
1941, .Xuk, 58; pp. 216-2.U

Dec. 31,1942 liRKlDINC RF.CORDS Ol' T'CA 1 1 P.IKDS 83

Grosbeak. Utah Comity: Spanish Fork, May 27 (15) ; Provx) vicinity, June 4 (2),
10, 22 (2) (YB) ; Mt. Tinipanogos, June 1*-* and July 11 (eggs deserted and
cold) (V) ; Lehi, May 1, lU (2), 16, 21, 2(.. 31, and June 3(H). Salt Lake County:
Hyland Bay, May 27 (I!). Wasatch County: I'-eaver Creek Ranger Station, June
26 (B).

This species builds a llimsy nest of weed stems, rootlets, and twigs, placed in
a tree or bush at moderately low levels. Eggs may often be seen through tiie
bottom of the nest.

Fasscrina amoctia (Sayj. Lazuli Bunting. Utah County: Mouth of Provo
Canyon, June 3 (B); Provo, June 22, 4 (Bj; Vivian Park, Provo Canyon, July
2 (B) ; Lehi, May 25 (H). Salt Lake County: moutli of Barney's Canyon, June
4 (B).

Nests are composed of plant fibers, twigs, hay and leaves placed at low
levels in bushes such as wild rose, willow, or wild currant.

Hcspcriphona vcs[^crtina brooksi Grinnell.'^^' Western livening Grosbeak.
Utah County: Salem, May 27, 1936. A set of 3 fresh eggs was presented to Mr.
Hutchings by G. I. Bone.

The nest was situated in an oak 12 feet from the ground. It was loosely,
but very well constructed and composed of fine twigs, rootlets and asparagus fern.

Carpodacus uic.vicanus ssp. House Finch. Utah County: Lehi, May 23 and
June 1 (H). Salt Lake County: West Jordan, May 24, 28 and June 11 (B).

The house finch builds a compactly woven nest of dry grasses and bark
shreds, lined with horsehair and sometimes wool, usually placed at low levels in
trees.

Leucosticte atrata Ridgway. Black Rosy Innch. A single record is available
of young in the nest. Burrow Mountain, Uinta Mountains, July 7, reported by
G. C. Earl of Salt Lake City (Bj.

Spinus pinus pinus (Wilson). Northern Pine Siskin. Utah Cou)ity: Lehi,
April 1, 25, and May 5, 13 (HB).

This species builds a frail nest of dry grasses and rootlets lined with hair
and a few conifer needles. It is usually placed rather low on the brandies of a
conifer.

Spinus tristis pallidus Mearns. Pale Goldfinch. Utali Counay: Saratoga
Resort, Utah Lake, July 4 (H).

The above nest was placed in a boxelder about 3 feet from the ground. It
was constructed of bark strips, compactly put together and lined with horsehair.
It was completely hidden from view until the leaves were parted to expose it.

Oberholseria chlorura (Audubon). Green-tailed Towhee. Utah County: Y
Mountain near rim of Rock Canyon, May 25 (B) ; Hobble Creek Canyon, May
31 and June 5 (B); Aspen Grove, Mt. Timpanogos, June 3 (Y) ; Tickville, west
of Lehi, May 27 (H). Wasatch County: Wallsburg Ridge, July 13 (B); Straw-

(14) Mr. Hutchings informs me that Mr. Bone wso collected this record is well ac-
quainted with the western evening grosbeal: and there can be little doubt as to its iden-
tity. On July 24, 1937 Mr. James Bee and I saw western evening grosbeaks feeding young
out of the nests at Elk Park, Uinta Mountains, Daggett County. I also collected one bird
and saw a number of others in the La Sal Mountains, San Juan County, July 26, 1934. It
seems likely that thees birds had bred in the area. — C. L. H.

The Great Basin Xatuialist
84 BEE AND HUTCHINGS V ol. ill, NoS. 3 & 4,

berry Valley, May 30 (B) ; Bear Canyon, south of Provo Canyon, July 15 (Hj.
Salt Lake County: Bingham Canyon, May 28 (B).

The nest is composed of twigs, bark, and leaves, lined with dry grass and
horsehair. It is placed on or near the ground and is well concealed in brushy
places.

I'ipilo maculatus iiioiitaiins Swarth. Spurred Towhee. Utah County: Cedar
Valley, May 25 (B) ; Lehi vicinity. May 20 (2) and June 1, 10 (H) ; Provo River,
west of Provo, June 26 (B). Daz'is County: Muehler Park, June 4 (B).

The nest is of leaves and strips of bark cupped in the ground and lined with
hay. It is usually well hidden under a bush.

I'asscrculus sandwichoisis ncvatlcnsis Crinncll. Nevada Savanah Sparrow.
Utali County: Lehi vicinity, June 7, 30 (H). Davis County: Farmington Bay,
May 23 and June 29 (B).

This sparrow builds a nest of hay in a tuft of grass in wet pasture areas.

Chondestcs yrauDnacus striyatus Swainson. Western Lark Sparrow. Utali
County: Provo, June 1, 5 (B) ; Cedar Valley, June 20 (Hj ; Lehi, May 20, 30,
June 2, 4, 10, 26, and July 1, 9 (H).

The nest, composed of hay, plant stems and horsehair is placed on the ground
among a growth of plants or under a bush.

Junco caniccps caniccps Woodhouse. Gray-headed Junco. Utah County:
Salamander Lake, Mt. Timpanogos, June 25 (B) ; Vivian Park, Provo Canyon,
July 5 (feeding young) (B) ; Hobble Creek Canyon, May 31 (young in nest) ;
American P'ork Canyon, June 25 and July 4 (H). Garfield County: Aquarius
Plateau, June 26 (Y).

The junco constructs a frail nest of rootlets and grass in depressions in the
ground. The nest is usually so situated under vegetation or bank as to receive
some protection,

Spisclla passcrina arizonae Coues. Western Cliipping Sparrow. Utah
County: Hobble Creek Canyon, June 5, 18 (B) ; Lehi, May 10, and July 1, (2),
4 (H). Salt Lake County: Midvale, June 10 (B).

Nests are composed of grass, rootlets and plant fibers lined with horsehair.
They are placed at moderate heights in bushes or trees, usually protected by an
overhanging branch.

Spicella brcwcri breiveri Cassin. Brewer's Sparrow. Utah Conuly: Jordan
River near Lehi, May 30 (B) ; Cedar Valley, May 4 (3) and June 14 (H).
Wasatch County: Charleston, July 4 (B) ; Strawberry \'alley. May 30 (3) ; Walls-
burg, July 1 (B) ; mouth of Bear Canyon off Provo Canyon, June 5 (B).

This species constructs a nest of weeds, grass stems and plant fibers, lined
with cattle hair and wool, and usually placed in a sage or other low bush.

Zonotrichia leucophrys Icucophrys (Forster). White-crowned Sparrow. Utah
County: Alpine Canyon, June 15 (2) (H). Wasatch County: Strawberry Val-
ley, June 6 (B). Summit County: Trial Lake, June 26 (H).

The nest of fine grasses is placed in the ground or low in vegetation.

Fasscrella iliaca schistacca Baird. Slate-colored Fox Sparrow. Utah Cflu)ity:

Dec. 31, 1942 breeding records of utaii birds 85

Alpine Canyon, June 15 (2) (H). U'asatch Coiijity: Provo River, Wallsburg
I)urg Switch, May 19 (1j); Bear Canyon, off Provo Canyon, June 5 (B).

The outer shell of the nest is composed of bark strips and it is lined with
bark shreds, grasses and horsehair. It is usually placed under a bank or at low
levels in bushes.

Mcluspi::a liiicohii alticola Miller. Mountain Lincoln Sparrow. Smnmit
County: Diamond Lake, Uinta Mountains, June ZS, 1942 (collected by C. L. Hay-
ward). The nest was on the ground in a clump of Vaccinium, near a small stream
and within about 12 inches of a used beaver runway. It was composed of fine
grasses and sedges. There were 5 fresh eggs in the set.

Mclospiza inchnlia f alias (Daird). Mountain Song Sparrow. IVasatch
County: Charleston, June 15, 24 (B). Utah County: Mouth of Provo River,
May 3, 10 (Y).

The nest is of bark and grasses lined with horsehair or feathers, placed on
or near the ground at the edge of a field or thicket.

SUMMARY

1. Breeding" records of Utah birds based on about 17 years of
lield experience, mainly in Utah County, are included in the report.
Many of the records represent sets of eggs collected. Where identih-
cation was in doubt, bird specimens were collected in certain instances.

2. A terse summary of nest construction and location is given
following most of the species.

3. Trinomials, based on the best available information regarding
the subspecific identity of breeding birds of the locality, are used.
The fourth addition of the A. O. U. Check List is followed in general,
with a few alterations concomitant with more recent work.

4. Nesting records of 150 kinds of birds are given. Data pertain-
ing to the shore birds and hawks are especially abundant since the
writers have spent most of their time working with these groups.

5. Among the more interesting breeding records are those of the
ruffed grouse, dusky grouse, sandhill crane, Hammulated screech owl,
rufous hummingbird, Clark's nutcracker. Rocky Mountain creeper,
lead-colored bush-tit, Bendire's thrasher, western gnatcatcher, western
evening grosbeak, and turkey vulture.

JOHN HUTCHINGS AND ROBERT G. BEE — PIONEER
UTAH VALLEY NATURALISTS^^^

C. LYNN HAYWARD

Assistant Professor of Zoology and Entomology

Brigham Young University

It has often been the case in the annals of natural history that
many of the greatest contributions to our fund of scientific knowledge
have come from the works of amateurs who have pursued these in-
terests purely from taste rather than professionally. This has been
particularly true in the fields of ornithology, entomology, botany, con-
chology, and mineralogy where the beauties of design, color and form
of the several objects of natural history have ever been appealing to
the esthetic aspect of the mind and have laid bare the pathway to-
ward the uncovering of the more prosaic scientific facts. All true
naturalists are artists at heart, and unfortunately their tastes have
often carried them no further than the collection and arrangement of
their material into trays and cabinets where their beauties may be seen
and appreciated ; but others have been more painstaking and assiduous
in recording the dull statistics that are so vital to the fine analysis of
scientific principles.

The ornithological work of John Hutchings and Robert G. Bee in
central Utah aptly illustrates a lifetime of devotion to a delightful
hobby combined with a conscientious endeavor to place their findings
at the disposal of students who may follow them.

JOHN HUTCHINGS (1889

John Hutchings, son of Mary Wanlass and William Lawrence
Hutchings was born at Lehi, Utah County, Utah. March 11, 1889. He
was educated in the pul)lic schools of Lehi and spent one quarter
during 1909 at IJrigham Young University.

Erom his early childhood he was an ardent collector of natural
objects of beauty. When he was very young, the couch in the front
room of his parents' home was a depository for a collection of pretty
rocks gathered from a nearby stream as well as Indian relics found

(1) Contribution No. 104, Department of Zoology and Entomology, Rrigham
Young University, Provo, Utah.

86

Dec. 31,1942 inTciiiNcis and uee — rioNKKR utah naturalists 87

about his father's farm, li so happened that this farm had been an
Indian camp ground, and John spent many of his leisure hours in
search of arrow heads and other items of archeological interest.

His interest in birds also began during his childhood and he states
that as far back as he can remember he tried to mount bird specimens
using hay leaves as stutting. During the period of his young man-
hood Mr. Hutchings became trained in the art of taxidermy and has
become extremely proficient in that field. Among his works in this
field are groups of lirewster's egret, mallard, white-faced glossy ibis,
kingfisher, ferruginous rough-legged hawk, and horned owl in their
natural settings now on display at Brigham Young University. In ad-
dition there are individual mounts of the wood ibis, little brown crane
and a number of others in tlie mounted bird collection at the Uni-
versity.

In his early days of egg collecting, Mr. Hutchings took only a
single tgg from each nest, not wishing to disturb the activities of the
birds more than necessary. It was during this period, however, chat
he learned much about the identity and habits of the birds of his lo-
cality, a feature that helped him greatly in his future work. Mr.
Hutchings credits Robert G. Bee of Provo with starting him out in
his scientific collection of bird eggs and nesting records. His collec-
tion now consists of several hundreds of specimens consisting of com-
plete clutches of eggs, nests and nesting material. The materials are
well preserved, and the data cataloged on filing cards. Whenever nec-
essary to establish identity a specimen of the nesting bird was also
collected and preserved.

Being well known as a taxidermist and naturalist many specimens
of rare and unusual birds were brought to him for identification and
these were usually preserved as mounted specimens.

On September 17, 1913 he was married to Eunice Colledge, and
since that time the two have worked together in all of the collecting
activities. In addition to their work with the birds they have made
extensive excavations and collections in Indian mounds of Utah Coun-
ty and have amassed a large collection of minerals.

This interest in a variety of fields keeps Mr. and Mrs. Hutchings
busy in their spare time throughout the year. The period from late
February through July is devoted to the collection of bird eggs and
minerals. The months of August, September, and October are spent
in excavating Indian mounds and collecting artifacts. They have de-
voted themselves to Utah County in this study and have obtained and

The Great Basin Naturalist
88 C. LYNN HAYWAKD Vol. Ill, NoS. 3 & 4,

cataloged thousands of specimens. Taxidermy generally occupies the
leisure time during the winter, with an occasional trip for mineral
specimens when opportunity permits.

Mr. Hutchings has also been devoted to several public activities,
particularly scouting and church work. In both of these he has been
able to make good use of his knowledge of natural history. He has
been called upon repeatedly to lecture before schools and societies of
various types and has been throughout an ardent champion of the out
of doors.

His vocational activities have been varied and interesting. He has
worked as a farmer, miner and at various odd jobs. In August 1918
he became a U. S. mail carrier at Lehi and has pursued this occupation
to the present time. In 1948 he plans to retire from his vocation and
devote the remainder of his time to his collections.

ROBERT GEORGE BEE (1882^

Robert George Bee, son of Robert and Lavina Clive Bee, was born
at Provo, Utah County, Utah, February 14, 1882. The first part of
his education was in the public schools of Provo, after which he com-
pleted a three-year liberal arts course in the old Proctor Academy of
Provo, a school sponsored by the Congregational Educational Society
of Boston.

Mr. Bee began his oological collections in 1892. He was attracted,
like many youngsters by the beauty of birds' eggs, and at first col-
lected only one egg from each nest. The eggs were punctured at both
ends and the contents blown out. No elYort was made at first to pre-
serve the scientific data, but a number of these eggs are still extant
in Mr. Bee's collection. They were preserved by glueing them on the
backs of book-like containers.

During his studies at Proctor Academy he became acquainted
with S. H. Goodwin who was a veteran oologist and who gave Mr.
Bee an added stimulus to continue witli this work. His field work
has been centered mainly about Utah Valley and vicinity. He has
worked mainly with the larger species especially the water birds, shore
birds, hawks and owls. His work with the golden eagle is especially
outstanding. Mr. l>ee has remarked to the writer on many occasions
that he worked with these more difficult species involving hazardous
climbing during his younger days antl left the small birds for his okl
age.

Dec. 31,1942 hutchings and kee — pioxkkr itah xattralists 89

Uc has licen especiall}' devoted lo die careful preservation of his
collections and data. The eij;g sets are housed in individual round
boxes, near clutch size, fitted with a lid tojiped with a convex crystal
,t(lass. This container is dust proof and allows a visil)ilit\- of about
80% of each e.^'^^y. The bottom of the box is provided widi an adjust-
able cloth cushion that holds the e,i;t;s taut ai,^ainst the ^e^lass top. These
boxes were devised and constructed by Mr. Bee and his son James.

A hundred and sixty species of Utah birds and numerous exotic
species are represented in the Bee collection. In addition there are
man}- l)irds' nests and other ornitholo.sj'ical material in the collection.
He has placed 50 mounted specimens of birds in the collection of
Brigham Young University.

Mr. Bee's collection data and journals are well preserved. Collec-
tion records are placed in ledger book with full data for each set of
eggs. In addition there are several typewritten volumes of notes per-
taining especially to the ornithology of Utah Valley.

Gaining his inspiration from Mr. Hutchings. Bee made a collection
of minerals during the earlier part of this collecting career. This col-
lection comprising many outstanding specimens was ultimately placed
in the Peabody, Field and United States National Museums. In col-
laboration with his son James, who also shares his interest in orni-
thology, Mr. Bee has made some studies of the ancient Indian cultures
of Utah County.

Mr. Bee's vocational career has been varied and interesting. He
has worked mainly as a clothing salesman, but has also been a drug
store clerk, member of a government surveying party, musician in
dance and opera orchestras, and insurance salesman. He has had
ambitions to study architecture and music, l)Ut circumstances prevented
the carrying out of these desires.

In 1935 Mr. Bee accepted a position with the National Parks Serv-
ice as wildlife technician on the Farmington Bay Refuge. He relates
that 'T took it to get the gnawing interest in wildlife, particularly
ornithology, out of my system." About five years were devoted to
wdldlife research and refuge construction, during which time two com-
prehensive, illustrated reports on the wildlife of Farmington Bay and
the technique of artificial refuge construction, were prepared for the
Park Service. At the completion of this project Mr. Bee returned to
Provo and resumed his clothing business.

^ ■^^ ^ :^ ^ ^ ^

It seems appropriate at this time that the ornithological work of

The Great Basin Naturalist
90 C. LYNN HAYVVARD Vol. Ill, NoS. 3 & 4.

these two naturalists l)e l)roui,''ht to the attention of workers in tliis
field, since both men are reaching the age when strenuous field work
will no longer be possible. While much of the lore of their experi-
ences may never be written, their contribution in this issue of the
Great Basin Naturalist presents a summary of tlieir work and should
be of great value to future ornithologists of this area.

LIFE HISTORY NOTES ON TH]-: CALIFORNLV GLEE

No. 1 *

D. ELDEN BECK
Assistant Professor of Zoology, Brigham Young University

In the south central portion of Utah Eake, about four miles south
and west of the mouth of Provo River near Provo, Utah, is a low
area of calcareous tufa rock, known as Rock Island. (Plate I). Cov-
ered in part by low lying shrubs, a few trees, and alkali tolerant plants,
this island offers an excellent nesting and feeding area for certain
species of aquatic birds. The great number of different species of
birds which once frequented this island now have been reduced to a
few species. The California Gull, Lams calif orniciis Eawrence, how-
ever, has steadily increased and now is the predominating bird inhabit-
ing the island. This report describes briefly the observations made
during the summers of 1940, 1941, and 1942, with respect to the life
history of the California Gull, up to and including the late juvenal
age. Weekly trips to Rock Island were made at regular intervals
previous to the spring arrival of the adult California Gull (plate IV)
in central LUah. During the observational period after the gulls had
arrived and located on the island, survey parties remained on the
island three and four days at a time. Usually, however, each survey
was conducted for a period of one day each week during the period
the gulls were in central L^tah.

DISCUSSION OF PLANT LIFE

This brief discussion is entered to help the reader visualize the
plant environment of the gulls at Rock Island. A complete list of
plants which grow on the island has never been made. A survey is
now in progress and awaits further seasonal collecting to make the
list of plants complete. The location of the nests, and the study of
nesting materials is closely associated with the plant life.

Four plant communities make up the main plant cover. They are
as follows :

(1) "Tree-shrul) C(jmnuinit}'," with cottonwood, Popiiliis acitnii-

(*) Contribution No. 105 from the Department of Zoology and Entomology.
Brigham Young University.

91

The Great Basin Naturalist
92 D. ELDEN BECK Vol. Ill, NoS. 3 & 4.

nata, as the predominant species but including also: Tamarix. Tamarix
fjallica ; willow, Salix amy gdal aides, and an occasional rabbit brush,
Chrysothamints iiaiiseosits and wildrose, Rosa sp.

(2) "Cat tail-bulrush community" occurs mainly at the south
side of the island near some warm springs. A few other scattered but
small plots also may be found on the island.

(3) "The Salicornia-Sesuvium-Distichlis community" is found
in areas where there is a high alkaline content in the soil. The suc-
culent Salicornia rubra and Sesuvium sessile predominate. The grass,
Distichlis stricta occurs in many places as a belt around the Salicornia-
Sesuvium plots. An added feature of the "Salicornia-Sesuvium-
Distichlis community," is the factor of high water content in the soil.
The more moist soil supports the Salicornia and Sesuvium.

(4) "The Chenopodium-Gull community" is where the main col-
ony of gulls' nests are found. In the main, the southwest part of the
island is where Clienopodinm aJhmn is found in great abundance.
Bassia hyssopifolia, and Atriplex rosea make up the remaining con-
tent of the plant life in this nesting area. Due to the great amount
of CJietiopodiuni, and the presence of the greater number of nesting
gulls, I have named this area the Chenopodium-Gull Community.

Scattered and in spotted abundance throughout the above com-
munities are found several other plant groupings. They are, however,
so distributed that they cannot be assigned to any one community.
For example, one may find ChrysotJwmnns Jiauseosiis; Rosa sp.;
Panicunt. capillare : Salsola pestifer, and several other species of plants
scattered in the communities listed above.

The most interesting feature concerning the plant life of the island
is the distinctiveness of its plant communities. Three factors seem to
determine the presence of the communities.

(1) The physical constitution of the soil particles.

(2) The chemical content of the soil (degree of alkalinity).

(3) The height of the island and therefore depth of water table
from the surface of the soil.

POPULATION STUDY

In Hayward's^^) discussion of the Caspian tern at Rock Island is
found information concerning the population of the California Gulls
also nesting there. I quote from his report :

CI) Havward, C. T.vnn, \9?<'^. "The Rreedinii Status and Aliijration df tlic
Caspian Tern in Utah," Vol. XXXVII, pp. 140-144.

Dec. 31,1942 life history notes — califorxia cull 93

"Dr. \'asco M. Tanner and Mr. Clarence Cottam visited tlie island
on ]\fay 19, 1927 and found a colony of terns of consideral)le size
breeding there at that time. A few California Gulls, L. californicus.
were also noted on that date. On his visit to the island on May 26,
1933, Mr. Bee estimated that about forty pairs of Caspian Terns were
nesting in company with about five hundred pairs of California Gulls."

From data gathered since the summer of 1939, it is definite that
the California Gull is increasing in population in the breeding colony
at Rock Island. The approximate number of gulls nesting on the
island in 1940 was arrived at in the following manner:

Measured lanes were marked ofif at various angles, with I)inding
twine, along and across the main nesting area on the western part of
the island. The lanes were so oriented as to bring into observation,
areas of dense nesting and sparse nesting plots, an average count of
nests was then arrived at. The total surface of all nesting areas was
measured. On this basis the total nesting population was computed.

Observations over several weeks of time indicated that the birds
have a monogamous relationship, thus it can be assumed that a pair
of birds are responsible for each nest. There w^as an average of three
eggs per nest.

Surveys at Rock Island before the gulls arrived revealed the com-
plete absence or trace of the previous year's nests. Therefore, all
nests counted in a lane were new nests.

The total approximate number of California gulls nesting on the
island in 1940 was calculated to be 22,730. The 1941 summer obser-
vations showed an increase in the nesting areas of about one-eighth
in size over the preceding year. This increase was estimated for the
summer 1941 to be 2,450 gulls. The approximate total for 1941 of all
adult gulls on the island was 25,180, while in 1942 the nesting popu-
lation was estimated at 27,850 birds. The maximum post-nesting
(Juvenal and adults) population for 1941 was computed at 55,396
gulls, and the 1942 population about 68,744. From all information at
the author's disposal the Rock Island colony is one of the largest breed-
ing colonies of Larus californicus in the world.

ARRIVAL AND PRE-NESTTNG ACTIVITIES

The California Gull normally spends the winter months on the
Pacific Coast. A few gulls remain all winter in Utah Valley in com-
pany with the common winter resident, the ring-billed gull, Larus
del aware 91 sis Ord. The earliest spring migrant California Gulls into

The Great Basin Naturalist
94 D. ELDEN BECK Vol. Ill, NoS. 3 & 4,

Utah Valley was February 17, 1942. as far as the author's records
show.

The gulls do not arrive in L'tali Valley and immediately pre-
pare nesting areas at Rock Island. .Several trips at weekly intervals
including over-night visits to Rock Island were made in order to check
nesting selection by the gulls and date of selection of nesting plots.

At the break of day, during the pre-nesting period, the gulls are
found off shore at Rock Island. About one hour before sunrise, they
arise in great flocks and fiv l)ack and forth over the island at varying
heights. Their llight appears at first to be one of utter confusion.
Almost as by a given signal, however, the flocks will fly out over the
water and in a moment or two return. This flight activity will l)e
kept up until shortly after sunrise, then all the birds depart to various
parts of the mainland. Darling^^) describse a similar activity for the
lesser black-backed gull, Larus fuscus affinis Reinh, and called it the
"aerial dance."

Between March 15 and March 23, 1941, the gulls w'ere selecting
nesting plots and on March 15, 23 nests were under construction. The
initial stage of nest construction is but the scooping out of a shallow-
bowl which resembles the "dust bath" location for a domestic chicken.

The gulls are very "flighty" during the first weeks nest prepara-
tion. At first, when the nests are being started, and the gulls are dis-
turbed, they will fly a few hundred feet ofif shore and come to rest on
the water. Two weeks after nesting plots are fairly well selected by
the majority of gulls, one can approach w-ithin 25 to 40 feet of the
birds before they fly away.

During the nest preparation period the birds rest on the island at
intervals, I:)ut do not remain there over the full 24-hour period. The
greater part of the day is spent on the mainland. Morning flights
awa}^ from the island are the usual occurrence during the pre-nesting
period.

CONSTRUCTION AND SELECTION OF NESTING SITES

Construction and selecting of nesting sites depends upon two fac-
tors: (1) time of selection, and (2) materials at hand to build from.
The open, more barren areas are first selected in which to locate nests.
The Bassia and Chenodium plant growth areas are the most desirable.
The marginal areas near the shoreline are the last to be selected.

Some gulls will prepare a sliallow scraped out basin. This may be

(2) Darlins. I-". V.. 1938, r.ird I'locks and tlic Rrecdins Cycle, pp. 56-57,
Cambridge. Univcr'-ity Pres<;.

Dec. 31. 1942 life history notes — California gull 95

the only mark of a nest and the i^aill L,''oes no fartlier with the construc-
tion. Other gulls, after having made the depression, will provision
the shallow bowl with leaves, stems, rushes, and in some cases with
feathers. Other birds select a hollowed out area of rock or hard-pan
to deposit their eggs in and actually do not go through the process of
nest construction, but merel}' one of nest area selection.

The material in the nests is identifiable with the proximity of nest-
ing materials; i.e.. if a gull has selected a nesting plot near Bassia,
then Rassia will be the prominent material going into the construction
of the nest. If the nest is near the Typha-Scirpus community, then
one can expect the nest to be provided with the leaves and stems of
rushes. If the selection of nests is near shore where debris has been
thrown upon the shore, a conglomeration of materials is used in the
nest construction.

There are all ranges of cjuality of nest construction regardless of
materials used. One can find nests which will challenge the imagina-
tion to call such a spot a nest. In some cases there will hardly be a
depression in the ground to indicate the presence of a nest. In some
cases where the rocky formation (calcareous tufa) is slightly hol-
lowed out by w'eathering, a gull may select this shallow rock depression
as a nest and lay her eggs therein without even provisioning it with
a lining no matter how crude. At the other extreme of nest construc-
tion, gull nests may be found large and bulky. Inside these bulky
nests may be found feathers and grass, making the nest very commo-
dious and comfortable.

The beak and the feet are used in clearing a nesting site. All ma-
terial placed in the scooped out depression is carried by mouth and
arranged with the beak. The final stage in creating the nest is to settle
the respective parts of the nesting materials by using the feet, wings,
and beak, and with general body movements a "body space" is created
in the central part of the constructed nest.

MATING

Before the gulls start nest preparation, selection of mates is taking
place. On March 23, the writer watched the gulls for several hours
in the early morning and noted pairs flying together through the flocks
of birds wheeling above the island. This flight habit was before they
had alighted to select nesting plots. Whether this is the "aerial dance"
Darling^'^) writes about. I am not sure, although there is similarity.

(3) Darling. F. F.. Ibid., pp. 56-57.

The Great Basin Naturalist
96 D. ELDEN BECK Vol. ] II . NoS. 3 & 4,

/

On the morning of April 12. students who were helping make a
survey of the island called attention to several gulls copulating. There
was a slight drizzling rain and the time was 5:30 A. M. During tlie
remainder of the morning and on subsequent trips special attention
was paid to birds mating.

Longer and more constant observations must be made to gel tlic
entire story of the mating process. Sufficient data are at hanrl. how-
ever, to describe the copulatory act and preliminary steps taken in
preparation for copula. In general, the procedure is similar to that
described by Darling ('" for the herring gull. Lams anjcuiatus argcii-
latus Pont. Each bird stands opposite the other and alternately, as
well as in unison, thrust their heads forward. All during this activity
both birds are voicing a distinct call wliich is a continuously weak,
but somewhat musical, peep-peep-peep. A few turns at "pecking" and
the birds began to parry with each other. The female usually will
stand unconcerned toward the entreaties of the male. After a few-
moments she directs her head toward the ground as if pointing at
something. The male may attempt to get into copulatory position, but
the female will dislodge him. The pecking and ])arrying activities are
then resumed. In a few cases the birds rubbed l)ills and seemed to
follow through a dance routine.

From what the writer could deduce by the final consent of the fe-
male to copulate, the female bird, when pointing toward the ground
with her beak, was demonstrating to the male to present food for her
to eat. In a great number of cases, the male regurgitated some food
and the female sparingly partook of a few morsels and then consented
to copulate without further objection.

The copulatory position is a combination of the method used by the
domestic chicken and the domestic pigeon. The male stands well for-
ward on the back of the female who also remains in a standing position.
When the coital contact is under process of, and being completed, the
male in continuously, but slowly flapping his wings. The wing move-
ment is apparently a balancing process. The female tle.xes her wings
slightly to also assist in the balance of the male. At intervals she will
also turn her head and peck the breast feathers of the male. The male,
still standing atop the female, leans backward more rapidly moving
his wings, dips under the female tail feathers, usuall\- from the left
side and keeps contact, with the legs slightly flexed.

The coital contact may occur severnl times during one coi)ulat()ry

(4) Darling, 1-. I"., Ibid., pp. 43-44.

Dec. 31, 1942 life history notes — California oull 97

process. Also the male may. as was observed in a few cases, make
contact with the female while she is sitting upon a nest. Usuali}' while
in copulation, the female walks around st(jpping- only at the instant of
coital contact. Both birds voice a peculiar thrcjat}-, not harsh, but con-
tinuous Ka, Ka, Ka, Ka, (a, as in "ah"j while copulation is in prog-
ress. When one once hears this sound, similar to an old domestic hen
calling her chicks to feed, they can, without fail, note the presence
of mating gulls. In a few cases it was noted, male gulls would alight
on the back of the female birds as the male came in from tlight. The
female as a rule will dislodge the intruder i)ut this is n(jt always the
case.

Several occasions were noted in which cnie female would accept
and complete the copulatory act with several males but the usual con-
dition noted was one of monogamous association.

EGG LAYING, EGGS AND INCUBATION

The first eggs discovered in the 1941 season were laid on April 12.
This coincided wdth the first discovery of copulation which was hrst
observed April 11. By April 23, egg laying was well underway, al-
though the peak was not reached until about May 1. Careful obser-
vation were made on egg laying in 1942 and the tirst egg deposited
was on April 11. Bent<-^\. after a visit to Big Stick Lake, Saskatche-
wan, Canada, June 14, 1906, remarked that the California Gulls were
about half way through their period of hatching. On the basis of the
incubation period (found in the study at Rock Island to be 23-27 days )
this would approximate a date of May 15-20 when the California Gull
eggs are laid at Big Stick Lake, about one month later than the Rock
Island Colony.

A detailed study of many sets of eggs, as to color, pattern mark-
ings, texture and size was made in the summer of 1941. This study
is to be published as a separate paper. Suffice to say at this writing,
there have been found great variations in color, pattern, marking, and
size. Data at hand, however, indicate that the eggs may be classified
in at least ten or twelve distinct groups.

Regarding the period of incubation, several test nests were marked.
The incubation period varied from 23 to 27 days in duration. Both
sexes take turns in sitting on the eggs during the period of incubation.

(5) Bent, Arthur Cleveland, 1921, Life Histories of North American Gulls
and Terns, Washington Government Printing Office, United States National Mu-
seum, Bulletin 113, pp. 125-126.

The Great Basin Naturalist
9o D. ELDEN BECK V ol. Ill, NoS. 3 &_4,

For long periods of time (three and four hours) both birds will stay
by their nest, one on the eg^ys and the other standing close by. The
writer be.ieves that each bin! olitains its own food, in a few cases,
however, it was observed that the birds presented food in a regurgi-
tated form to the mate on the nest.

During the entire two seasons study, the birds are the least af-
fected by intrusion during the period of incubation. The writer has
walked through the gull colonies hundreds of times. If he kept mov-
ing, the gulls would rise slightly from their nests and then drop back
as soon as he had passed. Rarely does a bird move more than six or
eight feet from its nest as long as one keeps moving. If one stops,
enroute across the colony, all birds within a radius of 10 to 12 feet
will move a short distance from their nests. If one remains very still
for a few minutes, the majority of gulls will return to their nests. If
one stands or sits motionless, the birds will quiet down both in voice
and action. Disturb them in the slightest way, however, and they
pierce the air with their raucous cries.

One soon tinds that certain pugnacious birds are located in the
colony. These birds will dive at one and can draw a nasty scalp
wound if the head is bared. I have had them remove my sombrero
many times. These pugnacious birds are most belligerent during the
incubation, hatching period, and when the young are being cared for.

HATCHING AND CARE OF THE YOUXG

To gain access to the outside world from the "pipped" shell, the
data indicate a time varying from 20 minutes to 10 hours. The time
period was measured from the first moment a hole was pipped until
the chick was entirely free of its shell. (Plate II). The main hatch-
ing begins about May 16, although a few chicks were observed May 8,
1941. The peak of hatching during the 1941 season was during the
wee': of May 23. The hatching date as listed by Bent*''"" also coincides
with the time variance for this locality.

The care of the young after hatching is a most interesting phase
of the life history of the gull. The chick is born with a ravenous
appetite. Observations were recorded in 1940 and 1941 in which
both sexes were seen feeding the chicks a few hours after hatching.
The tiny chicks, hardly capable of standing, eagerly take up regurgi-
tated food. One chick the writer succeeded in hatching out in an
incubator ravenously ate a roll of lianiburger about one inch long

(6) Bent, A. C, ibid., p. 126.

Dec. 31, 1942 life history notf.s — California iu;ll 99

and almost a half inch thick. The ingestion of the IkjIus (jf food
was accomplished by a guzzling^ process of grasi)ing the food and
throwing it down the throat by jerking movements of the head, llis
actions were so violent that he nearl}' threw himself over backwards,
yet he was but three hours old. He swallowed tlie above bolus of
food as efficiently as a veteran.

The food for the chicks varies with the foods available for the
adult birds when they visit the mainland. If army cut-worms are in
season, then the main diet of the chick is cutworms. If angle wcjrms
are the main menu of the week then the young are icd angle w(jrms.

The \()ung chicks, when they are (jld enough to move around, usu-
ally stay in close proximity, to their nesting plot. If they move near
a neighboring nest they are severely pecked b\' the parents of the ad-
joining area. This pecking may be severe enough to bring on death
as was observed in numbers of cases. Continuous intrusion of a col-
ony by tourists or other visitors causes the young gulls to run frcnu
their nests. As they return to their respective plots each adult neigh-
bor gull takes a turn in striking the chick. A parent will defend its
young when they are attacked, but in defending the young it becomes
embroiled in an adult battle while the chick is being further attacked
by other birds. These observations are similar to those recorded by
Ijent^'^ The chick has a plaintive "peeping" sound as its juvenal call.
Whether hungry or afraid the call seems to be the same. The adult
gulls are respcjnsive to the call oi their chicks.

I )uring the heat of the day the parents stand over, or in such po-
siti(jn as to shade the young. With the temperature at 110°F, it was
found that chicks are soon killed by direct exposure to the sun's rays.
During the heat of the day. the gulls, like panting dogs, young and old,
can be seen standing or sitting with mouth agape. As the chicks grow
older, and at the time when the natal down is being replaced by the
juvenal plumage, the chicks may wander a few yards from the home
base. It is not uncommon to see a group of ten or twenty young chicks
banded together. In the heat of the day when chicks have grown older
they hunt the slightest amount of shade. As 1 have sat quietly taj<ing
notes, chicks have crawded up my pant leg seeking shade.

About nine or ten weeks of age the juvenal birds forage for them-
selves along the island shore. At eleven and twelve weeks of age the
\'oung birds are trying to the mainland six or seven miles away.

(7) Bent, .\. C, Ibid., p. 126.

The Great Basin Naturalist
100 D. ELDEN BECK \(jl. I 1 1, NoS. 3 & 4,

PLUMAGE CHAXGES

The first records of moults and plumage changes in the California
Gulls at Rock Island were made during the 1940 season and have been
continued each season since that time. For the sequence in plumage
and moulting I have followed the system used by Glover M. Allan^^^
in his book, "Birds and Their Attributes." The table is arranged as
follows :

Name of Piiiiiiagc Name of Moult

(Ij Natal down (1) Post-natal moult

(2) Juvenal plumage {2) Post- ju venal moult

(3) First winter plumage (3) First pre-nuptial moult

(4) First nuptial plumage (4) First annual or post-nuptial

(bird one year old) moult

(5) Adult or second winter (5) Adult or second pre-nuptial

plumage moult

(6) Adult or second nuptial (6) Second post-nuptial moult

plumage

(birds two years old)

Dwight^^^ Brooks^^*^^, and Bent ^^^^ have dealt with the plumage
characteristics of the California Gull to some length. In reading the
accounts of these men I recognize variations in their description of
color and pattern. Likewise in my observations further variations are
noted. The following remarks concerning plumage are distinctive for
the birds at Rock Island.

NATAL PLUMAGE

A leaden-gray to a light-grayish ball of Huffy dense down, mottled
with dark splashes or dots on the head antl back denotes the feathering
of the newly hatched gull chicks. The leaden gray gromid color and
darkened spotting is the most usual color pattern, although there are
occasional variations from this. In some chicks the spotting may range
from a light to a deep rich brown instead of black color. The downy

(8) Allen, Glover M., 1925, Birds and Their Attributes, p. 55, AL^^sllall and
Jones Company, P>oston, Massachusetts.

(9) Dwight, Jonathan, 1925, The Gulls (Laridae) of tlie World; Their
Plumages, Moults Variations, Relationship and Distribution. I'ulletin .\merican
Museum of Natural History, Vol. 52, pp. 197-198.

(10) Brooks, Allen, 194,^, The .Status of the California Gull. The Auk.
Vol. 60, No. 1, pp. 16-18.

(11) Pent, A. C, Ibid., p. 128.

Dec. 31,1942 LIFK HISTORY NOTES CALIFORNIA CULL 101

ground color may Ite almost wliilc in rare cases and deep brown in
other chicks. Also the spotting may be general in distribution over the
body while in others these spots may be relegated to the head region.
The legs are bare and l)lack. The toe-nails are light colored. The
eye is dark brown to blackish. (Plate 11)

JUVEXAL PLUMAGE

The Juvenal plumage is accomplished in a series of steps. This
plumage is entirely diilerent as compared to the adult feathering. Both
sexes have the same juvenal cover, however. The natal dow'n remains
for about 12 to 15 days, and then the juvenal plumage shafts begni to
appear. The humeral and alar tracts are the first areas to show up to
any degree. A close examination reveals the pin-feathers-like shafts
to have a terminal feather vane, tawny in color. As the feather de-
velops, it seems to be pushed out of the "pin-feather." The vane ex-
pands and the whole featJier elongates. Examining a single feather
from the dorsum will show the outer edge is tawny to almost wdiite.
The central disc and shaft of the feather is a dusky to almost black
color.

A few days after the humeral and alar feather tracts show up, a
slaty-grayish streaking, along the long axis of the bod}', occurs on the
head region. These feathers are elongated and not broadly formed as
in the case of humeral feathers. At the same time the juvenal head
feathers are forming; ventral and posterior to each eye is a uniforml}-
mouse-colored, finely textured, area of feathers. This area of feathers
has the appearance of hair. Standing at a distance and looking at a
bird at this age, the chick's optical region has the appearance of a veri-
table "black-eye."

After the feathering of the head and eye regions are well in prog-
ress the dorsal feather tract begins to appear. The dorsal is followed
by the femoral tract, the crural (leg), and the ventral tract "feather-
ing out." I have been tempted many times to call this part of the
juvenal feathering" period the "ugly gulling" period. The juvenals in
their first stages of losing the down and gaining their juvenal coat, are
positively homely.

The lateral region of the body, covered by the wing, retains a
downy appearance up to about the 18th week. The knape is the last
exposed area to lose the downy feathering. The full juvenal coat is
developed by 10 weeks. Plate III). At the end of 30-40 days the
plumage of the juvenal may have completed the main feather cover,

The Great Basin Naturalist
102 D. ELDEN BECK Vol. I II, NoS. 3 & 4,

characteristic of juvenal plumage. Coupled with the complete devel-
opment, the juvenals can fly a short distance at six or seven weeks of
age. Nine to ten weeks of age is the normal length of time required
for the young gull to maintain sustained ilight.

With the exception of the primaries, the greater and primary
coverts, the tail feathers and the alar border, the four-month-old gull
is predominantly barred when viewed from above. (Plate 111). The
feather vanes of the wings, the back, the rump and tail are bordered
grayish to white. In the case of the primaries, the feathers are lightly
tipped with white. In the case of the upper tail coverts, the axillaries,
the wing coverts, and the back, the terminal band is broadly tipped.
The nape, head, breast and belly feathers have a streaked appearance
and the ground color is slat}- to grayish. The tail feathers are black
with a narrow white band terminally. The beak is dark brown to
black with a light colored terminal area.

The first winter plumage cannot be studied at Rock Island or in
Utah Valley as the juvenal gulls all migrate to the Pacific Coast. The
writer, however, has kept gulls in captivity in Utah \'alley, under out-
door conditions for the first winter and a summer.

In comparing the plumage of these first winter birds kept in cap-
tivity in Utah Valley, with those illustrated and described by Dwight^^^\
Bent^'-^^, and Brooks^'''^ there is a decided dift'erence. Some environ-
mental factor or factors unknown to the author, are necessary to bring
about normal plumage as seen in the Pacific Coast migrant gulls. It
is my opinion that the only way an accurate, complete story of the
plumage in the California Gull may be found, is to carefully study
banded birds of known age.

MIGRATION

For the seasons, 1940, 1941, and 1942, extensive banding of the
g;ills has been done. Dr. Vasco M. Tanner of the Brigham Young
University has assisted in gathering the data pertinent to the results
obtained.

Tlie arrangement used in banding was to have three people to do
the banding, three to do the catching, and one or two to distribute
captured birds to the banders. Experience has found the gulls about
three weeks of age the better age to band. The birds are caught by

(12) Dwight, Jonathan. Ibid.

(13) Bent, A. C, Ibid.

(14) Brooks, Allen, Ibid.

Dec. 31.1942 i.iFK HISTORY notks — California c;ull 103

using an insect net. The bin! is. then jjickcd up hy the leg. Five birds,
after being caught, nia}' be carried withtnit injury to a banding station.

The results of the 1940 banding season in relation to migratory
habits has been reported by Tanner'^^^^, and the 1941 season by Tanner
and Beck"6).

To date (1942) there has been but two records of banded gulls
returning to Rock Island. One bird was collected and plumage notes
taken. Why this bird came back and there was only one other banded
bird seen, is inexplainable with present data at hand. If the same
information applies to the California Gull as Dariing^^'^ relates for the
Herring Gull, Lams arijeiitatus arycittatiis, the banded two-year-old
gulls observed at Rock Island were unusual migrants. Darling^^**^
says: "only the mature ones go out to the gulleries on the island in
the spring. Three years must pass before the young ones return to
the flocks at the breeding grounds." At the end of the fourth month
the Juvenal birds are leaving Rock Island preparatory to migrating to
the Pacific Coast area. This occurs during the month of September.

ACKNOWLEDGMENT

Mr. Reed Biddulps of Provo City has been most cooperative in
assisting with the photographic story. The majority of photographs
were taken by him.

The assistance by students from the Brigham Young University
cannot be evaluated either in time or money. Without their help the
amount of data accumulated would have been impossible to gather
single handed and to them I am deeply indebted. The banding of
hundreds of gulls, the collection and preparation of specimens are a
few of the duties performed by student help.

For special assistance in this study, I wish to thank Mr. James Bee
of Provo, Dr. Vasco M. Tanner, and Dr. C. Lynn Hayward of the
Zoology Department. Dr. B. F. Harrison of the Botany Department
at the Brigham Young University very kindly determined the several
species of plants listed in this report. To Dr. Clarence Cottam of the
U. S. Biological Survey, I am grateful for helpful suggestions and
criticisms.

(15) Tanner. \'. M.. 1941. Gull Banding Notes on Utah Lake, Great Basifl
Naturalist, Vol. II, No. 2, p. 98.

(16) Tanner, \'. M. and Beck, U. E.. 1942, Great Basin Naturalist, Vol. Ill,
No. 2. pp. 55-57.

(17) Darling, Ibid., p. 109.

(18) Darling. Ibid., p. 109.

The Great Basin Naturalist
104 U. ELDEN BECK Vol. Ill, NoS. 3 & 4,

EXPLANATION OF PLATES

Plate 1

Aerial view of Rock Island in Utah Lake.

Plate II

A view of the nest of the California Gull, showing a chick one
day old, a pipped egg, the tgg color pattern, and nest materials.

Plate III
Dorsal view of a nionth-cjld gull, showing the featlier color patlcrn.

Plate IV
California Gulls in flight.

Dec. 31, 1942 life history notes — California gull

105

Plate I

106

D. ELDf:N BECK

The Great Basin Naturalist

Vol. III.Nos. 3&4.

Plate 11

])t'C. 31, 1942 LIFE HISTORY NOTES CALIFORNIA GULL

107

Plate III

108

1). KLDKN RECK

T'le Great Basin Naturalist

Vol. III,Nos. 3&4,

Plate IV

A FREQUENCY DISTRIBUTION OF EASTERN AND
WESTERN KINGBIRDS IN MONTANA

ROBERT W. HIATT

Assistant Professor of Zoology

Montana State College

Summer travelers on the automoI)ile roads of Montana who are
cognizant of liird species cjuickly become impressed by the relatively
[/reat populations of both the eastern kingbird (Tyranniis tyrannns)
and the western or Arkansas kingbird (Tyrannus vcrticalis). The
well known preference of kingbirds to select wire fences and power
lines for perching enables an observer to record virtually all the birds
in a sizable area. This is especially true in Montana where open ranges
are common, with fences usually placed along the highways. Powder
lines are few and likewise generally located along the main arteries
for travel. It is, therefore, reasonable to assume that data recorded
by qualified observers should provide an accurate index to the dis-
tribution and relative abundance of these species in this State.

The present investigation was conducted incidental to a larger proj-
ect which involved traveling over almost the entire State of Montana,
the itinerary including, in addition to main highways, many roads of
secondary importance. Two observers riding in the front seat of an
automobile tallied the birds. One observer covered the fences and
electric wires on one side of the highway, while the second observer
similarly covered the opposite side of the road. Terrain types were
selected as the basis for establishing the origin and conclusion of a
single tally period, i. e., each time a major ecological change occurred
a new tally recording was made. For this reason the distance for a
single tally period was considerably greater in the relatively homo-
geneous areas of eastern Montana than in the mountainous region of
the western one-third of the State (Plate I).

The data were recorded separately for the three major geomorpho-
logical regions. The main range of the Rocky Mountains crosses the
western part of Montana in a northwest-southeast direction, dividing
the State into two sections of unequal size. The western one-third
is characterized by rugged mountains and narroW' valleys, while the
east conforms largely to the Great Plains type of country, broken oc-
casionally by wide river valleys and isolated groups of mountains.

109

The Great Basin Naturalist
110 ROBERT W . HIATT Vol. Ill, NoS. 3 & 4,

These varied topoj^raphic conditions exert a sufficient effect on the
distribution and fretfuency of the t\rannids to require individual tabu-
lation and interpretation of results.

A total of 2,370 miles were driven which enabled the writer to
make recordings over virtually the entire State. Table I and Plate 1
serve to summarize the results of this study.

It is immediately obvious that both species occur widely through-
out the State but least frequent in the mountains to the west. How-
ever, the heaviest concentration of eastern kingbirds in the State
occurred in one of the camas prairies in the mountainous regions west
of Ronan where one bird per mile for 55 miles was recorded. Simi-
larly, immediately north of Missoula in a narrow mountain valley both
species occurred abundantly. It is interesting to note that in this
localized area, which is approximately 4000 feet in elevation, is virtu-
ally the only population of western kingbirds in the mountainous re-
gion. It seems apparent that they are restricted by high altitudes east
of Missoula, and perhaps by narrow valleys west of this point, al-
though the valley floors are below 4000 feet in elevation. The eastern
kingbird is common in the mountains where small valleys below 6000
feet occur.

Both species are considerably more abundant in the prairie regions
between the large river valleys to the east. The eastern kingbird is
approximately three times as abundant as the western kingbird. How-
ever, in the more arid regions (in the vicinity of Jordan) receiving
less than 13 inches of precipitation yearly, the western kingbird out-
numbers the eastern by ten to one.

The extensive river valleys and irrigated benches of the Yellow-
stone, Missouri, and Milk rivers support the greatest concentration of
tyrannids in the State. In these regions the eastern kingbirds out-
number the western species almost two to one. The Yellowstone River
Valley, particularly in the vicinity of Billings, seems to provide near
optimum environmental conditions for both species. Irrigated lands
extending several miles on either side of the Yellowstone River sup-
port a considerable number of trees, mainly cottonwoods and willows.
The ditch banks provide an area where brushy types are abundant.
It has been pointed out by Bent (1942) that the western kingbird
prefers to nest in trees, where suitable types are available. There is
little doubt that these trees serve as an important ecological constitu-
ent which enables the area to support the dense populations found
there. Western kingbirds df)minatc areas where trees are in groves
or grouped in small areas, i. e., in towns and around farm buildings.

Dec. 31. 1942 eastern and western kingrirds in Montana 111

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The Great Basin Naturalist
112 ROBERT W. HIATT Vol. Ill, XoS. 3 & 4.

Eastern kingbirds seem to prefer the more open habitats where brusli.
not trees, dominates the landscape.

Between the irrigated valleys, trees give way to brushy types which
are located rather sparsely in drawls and coulees. In one such region
between Miles City and Jordan a comparatively great population of
western kingbirds was found. Trees are virtually absent, scattered
brushy areas provide the only nesting sites for this species. Insect
food which constitutes the major portion of the diet ( Rendire, 1895:
Bent, 1942) is plentiful on the prairies. An adequate food suppl}' ma\'
compensate for the less desirable nesting sites in these localities. It
is apparent, however, that this species is capable of adapting its nest-
ing activities to a variety of sites. In the southern Prairie Provinces
of Canada western kingbirds apparently require the presence of trees
(Taverner, 1934). It is to be expected that this species would be
represented in rather sparse numbers at the northern limit of the
breeding range. The reduction in nesting site competition would
thereby enable all the birds present to utilize trees to the virtual ex-
clusion of less select sites. However, farther south toward the center
of the breeding range, intraspecific competition for the few trees
available undoubtedly necessitates the selection of more varied nesting
situations by many birds.

SUMMARY

The habits and abundance of the eastern and western kingbirds
make possible studies in distribution and density by the relatively sim-
ple method of road tallying.

Both species occur widely throughout the State witli greatest con-
centrations along the river valleys to the east.

The eastern kingbird is approximately twice as common as the
western species, the latter apparently restricted by elevations in excess
of 4000 feet in the northwest and 5000 feet in the south. In extremely
dry areas, the western kingbird is common to the near exclusion of
its eastern relative.

Eastern kingbirds occur on a statewide average about one bird to
each five miles driven, while the western kingbird is to be* encountered
approximately once in eleven miles.

)rc. ,^1. 1942 KASTKKX AXn WKSTKKN KIXOIJIKDS IN MONTANA 113

Frtt^utncij Diitnbution of Ouitrn and WtiUrn Kingbir^a
Robart tV. Hiait

PM* i

The Great Basin Naturalist
14 ROBERT W . IIIATT X'rjl. I 1 1 . Xos. 3 & 4,

LITERATURE CITED

I 'en (lire. C. E.

1895. Life Histories of North American l>irds. from the Parrots
to the Crackles. Special Bull. No. 3, U. S. Nat. Mus. :
ix 4- 518.

T^.ent. A. C.

1942. Life Histories of North American Flycatchers, Larks,
Swallows, and their Allies, U. S. Nat. Mus. Bull. 179:

xi + 555.

Taverner. P. A.

19.S4. Birds of Canada. Nat. Mus. of Canada. Ottawa. Biol.
Ser. 19, Bull. 71: 1-443.

PLATE I

Map showing frequency distribution of eastern and western king-
birds in Montana during the summer, 1942. The numerals indicate
the number of miles driven for each bird observed (see legend).
Where recording areas overlap an adjacent census line (dotted) is
placed parallel to the highway.

INDEX TO X'OLUAIR III

The new genera and species descrit)(.cl in this volume appear in l)uld-face type
in this index.

American Association for the Advance- Insecc Food of the Rock Wren, 21.

ment of Science, 4.

A Frequency Distribution of Eastern John Hatchings and Robert G. Bee —

and Western Kingbirds in Alontana, Pioneer Utah Valley Naturalists, 86.

109. Johnson, D. Elmer, Article by, 1.

Aphids from Mount Timpaiiogos, Utah, Juvenal Plumage, 101.

5.

Apocope nevadensis, 31.

velifer, 31.
Arrival and Pre- Nesting Activities, 93.

Beck, D. Elden, Articles by, 54, 55, 91.

Bee, Robert G., Article by, 61.

Bragg, Arthur N., Article by, ii.

Breeding Season, 39.

Breeding Records of Utah Birds, 61.

Breeding sites, 35.

Breeding sites and species in Oklahoma,

Cimbocera buchanani, 24.
Cinara osborni Knowlton n. sp., 7.
Cottam, Clarence A., Article by, 51.
Construction and Selection of Nesting

Sites, 94.
Crenichthys baileyi, 31.
Cyrtopogon albifacies Johnson, n. sp.,

1.

Discussion of Plant Life, 91.

Effect of Cold on Breeding of B. w.

woodhousii, 45.
Egg Laying, Eggs and Incubation, 97.
Engelhardt, George Paul, 57.

Genus Hesperotettix in Utah, 9.
Gull Banding Notes at Utah Lake, No.
2, 55.

Hayward, C. Lynn, Article by, 86.
Hardy, D. Elmo, 2.
Hatching and Care of the Young, 98.
Henderson, W. W., Article by, 9.
Hiatt. Robert W.. Article by, 109.
Hesperotettix curtipennis, 14.

pacificus, 12.

viridis, 10.
Hutchings, John. Article by, 61.

Index to Volume III, 115.

Key to Aptera of the Alacrosiphum al-

bifrons group, 5.
Key to genera Notolepidomyzon and

Pantosteus, li.
Key to species of Miloderoides, 26.
Key to species of Notolepidomyzon, 29.
Ivnowlton, George F., Articles by, 5, ZZ.

Larus argentatus smithsonianus, 54.
Life History Notes on the California
Gull, 91.

Macrosiphum timpanogos Knowlton, n.

sp., 6.
Mating, 95.
Measurements of type and paratypes of

N. intermedins, 30.
Miloderoides vandykei Tanner, n. sp.,

Zl.
Migration, 102.
Myzus haywardi Knowlton, n. sp., 5.

New Cyrtopogon (Asilidae, Dipteraj

from Utah, 1.
Notes on the Birth and Growth of

Horned Lizards, 60.
Notes on the Occurrence of Gulls at

Utah Lake, 54.
Notolepidomyzon intermedius Tanner,

n. sp., 29.

Observations on the Ecology and Nat-
ural History of Anura IX. Notes on
Breeding Behavior in Oklahoma, Zi.

Other Hesperotettix in Utah, 17.

Population Study, 92.
Plumage Changes, 100.

Review of the Genus Notolepidomyzon
with a Description of a New Species
(Pisces-Catostomidae), 27.

Smith. Charles Clinton, Article by, ii.

115

116

INDEX TO VOLUME III

Some Unusual Winter Visitors or Late Table of Contents, II.

Migrants to the Bear River Marshes,
Utah, 51.

Sooter, Clarence A., Article by, 51.

Studies in the Weevils of the Western
United States, No. V : A New Spe-
cies of Miloderoides, 23.

Table of Dates of Breeding Amphibia

in Oklahoma, 49.
Tanner, Vasco M., Articles bv, 23, 27,

55, 57, 59, 60.

White River Drainage, 31.
Williams, Cecil S., Article by, 51.

No. 1 mailed June 30, 1942.
No. 2 mailed January 6, 1943.
Nos. 3 & 4 mailed April 26, 1943.