2 BULLETIN: MUSEUM OF COMPAKATIVE ZOOLOGY. 



or at least recording, field observations. Thus it happens that while we 

 have much definite knowledge respecting the physical characteristics 

 and affinities of the birds of this region, as well as not a little concern- 

 ing their respective areas of local occurrence or distribution, we know 

 ahnost nothing of their habits, songs, and distinctive appearance or be- 

 havior when living. The nests and eggs of many of them also remain 

 undescribed. In short, the time has not as yet arrived when anything 

 more than the merest outlines of their life histories can be sketched. 



Tlie main portion of my paper treats only of birds which are defin- 

 itely known to have occurred in the Cape Region, but in dealing with 

 the distribution of such of these as are not confined to this area I 

 have consulted — and frequently cited, also — all the more important 

 records that I could find relating to the central and upper parts of the 

 Peninsula as "well as to southern California, and in addition I have out- 

 lined, briefly, the general range of each species or subspecies along the 

 Pacific coast, hoping tliereby to show more clearly the precise relations 

 in which the different forms stand geographically to the Cape fauna. 



Most of the strictly biographical matter relates either to birds which 

 are peculiar to, or characteristic of, the Cape Region or to observations 

 made within the limits of this territory, no attempt having been made 

 to present life histories of those species which occur as migratory or 

 winter visitors only. Exceptions to this rule have been made, however, 

 in the cases of certain of the water birds whose breeding stations lie at 

 no great distances, or whose breeding habits are of especial interest. 



From this it will be gathered that my part in the work has been 

 chiefly that of a compiler of facts observed or recorded by others, but I 

 have personally contributed some original matter in the form of techni- 

 cal description and critical comment. In connection with my efforts to 

 unravel some of the more difficult problems affecting the status or rela- 

 tionship of certain of the less well known birds I have received invalu- 

 able assistance from my friend Mr. R. Ridgway, who has supplied me 

 with whatever specimens I have needed for comparison (including sev- 

 eral types) from the collections of the United States National Museum, 

 and to whom I am further indebted for much kindly encouragement 

 and advice. I am under obligations, also, to Mr. E. W. Nelson, w^ho 

 has been kind enough to read my paper in the manuscript and to favor 

 me with criticisms or suggestions, which have proved of the utmost 

 service. Nor should I omit in this connection to express my thanks to 

 Dr. J. A. Allen and Mr, F. M. Chapman, for the oppoi-tunities which 

 they have given me of examining specimens preserved in the collections 



