Nov.,1916 RESULTS OF A WINTER'S OBSERVATIONS IN ARIZONA 213 everything I could find .concerning this last species before I left home, and made an especial search for it in its favorite haunts. In habits it is supposed to be very similar to the Western Chipping Sparrow, the two species often occur- ring in the same flock, and it is supposed to be resident wherever found. How- ever, it was in vain that I searched for hours over the identical hills where many nests are said to have been taken in former years. Collectors who have done recent work in this locality, have either never met with the Rufous-winged Spar- row, or have seen only an occasional individual. It seems that the species m'ust have become exceedingly rare here during the past few years, or that those who reported it as common were laboring under a wrong impression. A large and interesting series of song sparrows was obtained, montana out- numbering fallax about two to one. On December 22 I flushed four sparrows from some weeds, while hunting for song sparrows, and instantly realized, as they flew to a tree, that they were something good. As they were wild, I could secure but one, which proved to be a Swamp Sparrow (Melospiza georgiana). As far as I can learn, this is the first record for the species west of Texas. Swarth (Pac. Coast Avif. no. 10, 1914, p. 60) speaks of the Arizona Cardinal (Cardinalis c. superbus) as "probably" resident, and such must surely be the case, for I found it quite common in suitable places, though shy. During the winter it is seldom found on the floor of the valley, but prefers the mouths of the canyons and the widely-scattered ranches below the foothills, where it may be found in pairs or small parties, sometimes in company with Pyrrhuloxias. During March the Cardinals begin to invade the lowlands, and then occur abo'ut the ranch corrals. F. C. Willard informs me, however, that they return to the foothills to breed. That most interesting bird, the Arizona Pyrrhuloxia (Pyrr- huloxia s. sinuata) was met in larger numbers than the last, small bands being often encountered both in the bottoms and at the foothill ranches. Sometimes they were quite tame, and at others, exceedingly shy. On February 9, I was very much surprised to see a Painted Redstart (Seto- pl?aga picta) at an altitude of 3700 feet in the Catalinas. There is no possibility of mistake, as I am familiar with the bird in life, and it permitted an approach sufficiently close for me to shoot it with the auxiliary. Unfort?mately, however, the bird rolled down a high bank and into a swift stream, by which it was car- ried away before I could get to it. Undoubte?dly, this species does not winter on its nesting grounds, even in small numbers, but it is worth noting that it is more hardy than most of the other warblers which. we are accustomed to associ- ate abnost exclusively with Arizona, as .it remains in the mountains in consider- able numbers throughout September, when all but a very attenuated rear guard of the others have left for the south. I feel sure that the prevailing impression is erroneous which regards the Bendire Thrasher (Toxostoma bendirei) as a permanent resident of this locality. The section between Tucson an.d Fort Lowell is a favorite place to collect eggs of the species, but, although I kept careful watch, I saw only one bird (February 1) until March 17, when I secured another, and after which I saw two or three more. F. C. Willard offers evidence corroborative of this view, as he tells me that the species occurs at Tombstone, the elevation of which is about twice that of Tucson, only during the winter. Pabner Thrashers (Toxostoma c. palmeri) are most abundant, and breed very early indeed, several nests of young being found the latter part of February. I was considerably surprised at the actions of the hordes of Cactus Wrens (Heleodytes b. coucsi) during the cold weather. In-
