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THE. CO.B.R 'olume XIV .]ul?'-August, 1912 Number BIRDS OF THE COTTONWOOD GROVES By FLORENCE MERRIAM BAILEY WITH TWO PHOTOS HEN following the old Santa Fe Trail between Santa Fe and the Pecos Mountains, we pitched our tents for a few days' work near Glorieta in a grove of the narrow-leafed elm-like cottonwoods whose slender trunks branch above the tops of the nut pines and junipers of the region, and whose arching willowy branches hang low over a brilliant flower garden; a grove of such rare attractiveness, surrounded as it is by grave conifers, that it is com- monly known as The Park, although the Spanish name Glorieta--bower or arbour--seems more appropriate. Imagine the feelings of the old botanical explor- ers when, after following the Santa Fe Trail over five hundred miles of plains, they arrived at this garden spot ! To the ordinary traveler the groves of narrow- leafed cottonwoods, encountered occasionally on the edge of the yellow pine belt, are among the most beautiful spots in the west, where it is often hard to make comparisons in beauty. The delicacy of the foliage gives exquisite effects in the morning sunlight, and almost the effect of beech woods in the moonlight. In fhis Glorieta of the Santa Fe Trail the wild flower garden under the trees was bright with luxuriant painted cups, lupins, delicate pentstemons in red, purple, and white, and a deep pink pl?lox that was really a brilliant flower. The beautiful grove, at the time of our visits--July, 1903--was full of birds. The loud buzzing of the Broad-tailed Hummingbird told of its presence among the flowers, and overhead among the branches the songs of Western House Wrens and Swainson and Plumbeous vireos persisted when all else was quiet. At dusk the calling of poor-wills and the booming of nighthawks was heard. During the day there were the voices of birds from the open country below and those from the edge of the mountain forest above--the he?,k, he?k, of the Rocky Mountain Nuthatch and the cheery call of the Mountain Chickadee being mingled with the tu-whit, tu-whit, tu-whit, of the Gray Titmouse, the lisping of goldfinches, the