Page:Condor12(1).djvu/23

Jan., 1910 23 SOME CENTRAL COLORADO BIRD NOTES By EDWARD R. WARREN N JUNE, 1909, I left[Colorado Springs on a "mouse hunt", one of my principal objective points being the region about the San Luis Lakes, in the San Luis Valley. I was accompanied on the trip by Harold R. Durand of Littleton, Colorado, who not only acted as cook and horse wrangler, but also assisted in col- lecting and taking care of specimefis; and I must express my appreciation of his help and unfailing good nature under various trying circumstances. I should say that the trip was made in a wagon, drawn by mules, when I started; of the mules more will be said hereafter. For the first three days out, from Colorado Springs to Cation City, we had the pleasure of the company of Mr. Charles E. Aiken, who may be termed Colorado's pioneer resident ornithologist; for though others had done bird work in the state prior to, and at about the time when he first became a resident here, he was. practically the first ornithologist to reside here permanently. He has lived nearly all the time since 1871 in Colorado,'and during all this period he has spent much time in the study of our birds. Most of his early work was done in the region covered by the first three days' drive, and his reminiscences of the early days which he related to us were mighty interesting, both about the birds and the people. In 1874 he visited the San Luis Valley as nataralist for one of the parties of the Wheeler Surveys, and was in the same region for which I was bound; the following year he made a trip there on his own account;and it was regretted by all hands that he was not able to accompany us there this year. Henshaw's Report on the Ornith- ology of the Wheeler Surveys is about the only publication on the birds of most of the region traversed, excepting such notes as are contained in Cooke's "Birds of Colorado." There are also a few scattered references to individual species in vari- ous ornithological magazines. I should say that but comparatively few bird skins were taken, but no bird has been admitted to this list unless I was absolutely sure of its identity. Whenever necessary to identify ,'a bird, it?was collected, if possible to do so.' Many of the birds were seen and the notes taken, as we were driving along, and no doubt many species were missed which might have been seen if we had made longer stops at some of the localities. Some account of the route and itinerary may be of interest. Leaving Colorado 'Springs June 4, we drove that day as far as Van Andert's Springi'on a branch of the Little Fountain. The road had taken us around the base of the mountains at first, and then climbed into the foothills; but no great*elevation was reached, only a trifle over 6000 feet, not much more than Colorado Springs. The trees where we camped were broad- and narrow4eaved cottonwoods, scrub oaks and cedars. The next day was ' along the foothills, over a rather rolling country, in which were a good many yellow pines, as well as other trees. Our road took us past a ranch formerly owned by Mr. Aiken, and where he lived when he first came to the state, and where his first collecting was done. No one lives there now, and there are only some of the logs left of his house; but the spring is still there, and we all had a drink from it. The land is now part of a large ranch and used as a pasture. Our camp that night was on Beaver Creek, near Glendale, at an elevation of 5300 feet, we having made quite a drop during the day. Many birds were about the cottonwoods and bushes by the creek here, and our day's list was quite a long one. The next morning, Sunday, we only drove to Cation City, arriving about noon,