e of Townsend's solitaire is from the plains of Colorado to the
Pacific coast and north to British Columbia. According to Robert
Ridgway, he has even been met with "casually" in Illinois. In Colorado
many of the solitaires are permanent residents in the mountains,
remaining there throughout the winter. Some of them, however, visit the
plains during the fall, winter, and spring. In the winter they may be
found from the lower valleys to an elevation of ten thousand feet, while
they are known to breed as high as twelve thousand feet. The nests are
placed on the ground among rocks, fallen branches and logs, and are
loosely constructed of sticks and grass. From three to six eggs compose
a set, the ground color being white, speckled with reddish brown. Doctor
Coues says the birds feed on insects and berries, and are "capable of
musical expression in an exalted degree." With this verdict the writer
is in full accord.

CHECK-LIST OF COLORADO BIRDS

The following list includes all the species and varieties, so far as
known to naturalists, occurring in the State of Colorado. Of course,
these birds as families are not restricted to that State, and therefore
the catalogue comprehends many of the species to be found in adjacent
and even more remote parts of the country. Aside from the author's own
observations, he is indebted for a large part of the matter comprised in
this list to Professor Wells W. Cooke's pamphlet, entitled, "The Birds
of Colorado," with the several appendixes, and to the invaluable manuals
of Mr. Ridgway and Dr. Coues.

According to the latest information accessible to the writer, 389
species and varieties occur in Colorado, of which 243 are known to
breed. This is a superb record, and is excelled by only two other States
in the Union, namely, Texas and California. Colorado's splendid list is
to be explained on the ground of its wonderful variety of climate,
altitude, soil, and topographical features, such as its plains,
foothills, lower mountains, and towering peaks and ranges, bringing
within its boundaries many eastern, boreal, middle western, and far
western forms.

The author's preference would have been to begin the roll with the most
interesting birds, those to which he gave the largest share of his
attention, namely, the oscines, but he has decided to follow the order
and nomenclature of the Check-List of North American birds as arranged
by the American Ornithologists' Union. In deference to