BIRDS ON THE NAVAJO RESERVATION IN NEW MEXICO
By M. FRENCH GILMAN
IT was my fortune to be stationed at Shiprock Agency on the San Juan river in Northwest New Mexico for seven months; and herewith are presented what bird notes I made in that period. The time, from February 1 to September 1, 1907, was favorable; but stress of duty prevented my doing as much field work as I desired.
The Indian School was situated in a cottonwood grove not far from the river at about 5500 feet altitude. Along the river both above and below the school were other groves of the common cottonwood, with a few of the narrow-leafed cottonwood, some willows (two species) and an occasional shrub of Rhus trilobala and Adelia neo-mexicana. Outside the groves scattered along the river were patches of brush such as Sarcobatus, Artemisia, chico-brush, rabbit-brush and Senecio.
The river bottom was bounded by bluffs from 50 to 75 feet high: in places the water flowing against the rocky wall and again a strip half a mile wide intervening. Back from the bluffs were mesas, barren except for a sparse growth of bunch grass with a few scattered specimens of stunted Artemisia and ?Senecio. During summer there are patches of color in suitable places on these mesas; the white of the "snowball", Abronia, purple of Phacelia glandulosa, yellow of Senecio douglasi, and crimson of a Malvastrum. Much of the country was level and for miles in any direction not enough growth to hide a rabbit could be seen.
In uncultivated fields along the river sprang up a dense growth of sunflowers, purple bee-plant, Peritoma serrulatum, and yellow bee-plant, Peritoma luteum, many of them higher than a man's head. The pestiferous Russian thistle formed an undergrowth among the taller plants, while the lowly Abronia fragrans furnished a pleasant contrast to the mal-odorous bee-plant.
About ten miles south of the river, from a level plain, rose a rock, schooner-shaped (nautical, not Milwaukee schooner) to the height bf 1600 feet. This was called Shiprock and gave the name to the Agency and postoffice. Thirty-five miles south of the river were the Chusca Mountains with an altitude of between nine and ten thousand feet. The foothills at their base were covered with heavy growths of pinyon and juniper with some Yucca baccata, Cercocarpus and Purshia tridentata.As the altitude increased this growth gave way to the Rocky Mountain pine and a few scrubby oaks. Along the north slopes of the summit of the range were dense groves of quaking aspens and near water in the higher altitudes were some paper-leaf alder and service berry.
Only one permanent stream of water was found and that not as large as a small irrigating head. A number of springs were seen in the deeper canyons, and streamlets from these flowed a few rods and sank.
During spring, ducks and other water and shore birds were seen in small numbers along the river but as they were traveling and hard to obtain I gave them scant attention. Most of the commoner species of ducks and a few gray geese were seen. One Egret, and several each of Killdeer, Western Willet, Greater Yellow-legs, Snowy Heron, Great Blue Heron, Black-crowned Night Heron, and Bittern were seen. I was disappointed at seeing so few birds in the country. Of some species only one was noted and of others only two or three. Only five days were spent in the Chusca Mountains, so little work was done there. The following list of land birds is probably far from complete but will give some idea of the bird life of that region. Unless otherwise specified all records refer to Shiprock, along the San Juan river. All
