Page:Condor6(1).djvu/22

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Jan., ?9o41 '?HE CONDOR 2? were common everywhere, and especially plentiful on the mesa behind Fort Cus- ter, where they were continually swooping. down towards one, with a startling boom. One was shot. Tyrannus tyrannUS (Linn.). Kingbird. Common along Bighorn River. Tyrannus vertic?i? Say. Arkansas Kingbird. Abundant, especially so among the cottonwoods of the Bighorn River. Otocoris alpestris leucola?ma (Coues). Pallid Horned Lark. Abundant. Pica hu?lsonica Sabine. Black-billed Magpie. Some were seen among the cottonwood trees beside the Bighorn, others about the slaughtering pens. '?he appearance of this bird gives one an impression of length and striking contrast of colors; and its habits suggest a mixture of cunning and audacity. Corvus corax sinuatu?(Wagler). American Raven. Common. Some were extremely unsuspicious o? man. l?Iolothrus ater (Bodd.). Cowbird. Abundant on 'the Bighorn River and in the post of Fort Custer. Sturnella neglecta (Aud.). Western Meadowlark. A common species of the region, abundant on the plain around Fort Custer. Icterus bullocki (Swain.). Bullock Oriole. Several families of them were seen in the cottonwood trees bordering the Bighorn River. Scolecophagus cyanocephalus (Wagler)..Brewer Blackbird. Abundant. As usual, flocks of these birds followed the herds, and frequented the corrals and slaughter pens as well as the timbered river-bottom. Quiscalus quisculaa?neus (Ridg.). Bronzed Grackle. Flocks of these birds frequented t!?e outskirts of Fort Custer, and the neighboring riverbanks. They seemed to have copied some of the actions of the Brewer blackbirds, such as loafing around corrals, fences and wood-ranks. Coccothraustesvespertinus montanus (Ridg.). Western Evening Grosbeak. A small flock was seen beside the Bighorn River, near Fort Custer. /?stragalinus tristis pallidus (Mearns). Pale Goldfinch. A few were noted at Fort Custer. Calcarius ornatus ('?owns.). Chestnut-collared Longspur. At Fort Custer it is quite common. Pocecetes grammens confinis (Baird). Western Vesper Sparrow. A common species. Chon?lestes grammacus strigatus (Swain.). Western Lark Sparrow. Very abundant. Progne subis (Linn.). Purple Martin. Numerous in the timbered river bottom. Petrochelklon lunifrons (Say). Cliff Swallow. Abundant. Itirundo erythrogastra Bodd. Barn Swallow. Common. Tachycineta thalassina lepkla (Mearns). Northern Violet-green Swallow. Abundant along the bluff bank of the Big'horn River. Lanius lu?lovicianus excubitorkles (Swain.). White-rumped Shrike. Common. Oroscoptes montanus ('?owns.). S?,e '?hrasher. Common. Toxostoma rufum (Linn.). Brown Thrasher. Several were seen on the Big- horn River.