BREWSTER: BIRDS OF THE CAPE REGION, LOWER CALIFORNIA. 59 



S m Jose tlel Cabo, where fourteen specimens were taken, the first on Au!j;ust 

 29, the hist on October 7. They I'recjuented the large fresh-water lagoon just 

 back of the beach, and as many as six or seven were sometimes to be seen at 

 one time scattered about on the surface of the water. A few were also met 

 with in the creeks which connected with this lagoon. Most of the birds ex- 

 amined had lost one or more toes, and two or three an entire foot, and part of 

 the tarsus, also, while others showed gaping wounds on the breast. These 

 mutilations were probably caused by the bites of fishes. This species has not 

 been previously reported from the Cape Region, but " Mr. Belding secured 

 three specimens at San Rafael, May 16 " (Bryant). 



The Northern Phalarope is not known to breetl south of the Arctic regions. 

 It occurs abundantly at its seasons of migration along the coast of Califor- 

 nia, and in winter ranges as far southward as Guatemala and the Isthmus of 

 Tehuantepec. 



Steganopus tricolor Vieill. 



Wilson's Phalarope. 



Steganopus wilsoni Beldixg, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., VI. 188", 351 (La Paz and s.). 

 Phalaropus tricolor Bkyaxt, Proc. Calif. Acad. Sci., 2d ser., II. 1889, 271 (San Jose 

 del Cabo). 



But three Wilson's Phalaropes are known to have been taken in Lower Cali- 

 fornia. Mr. Belding obtained the first some time in the spring of 1883, at San 

 Jose del Cabo, where Mr. Frazar collected the other two in August, 1887. 

 One of Mr. Frazar's specimens, shot on the 3()th of the month, is in the gray 

 winter plumage, but appears to be an old l)ird. The other, killed on the 31st, 

 is a young bird in a plumage intermediate between that of autumn and winter. 

 Both are males. 



This species is doubtless rare in Lower California, for unlike the Northern 

 and Red Phalaropes it shuns salt water, and seldom visits either sea-coast of 

 North America, preferring, at all seasons, fresh-water ponds and rivers in the 

 interior, where its breeding range extends from the more northerly United 

 States to about latitude 55° N. In winter it is said to be rather common on 

 some of the interior lakes in Mexico, and it has once been found in Guatemala. 



Recurvirostra americana Gmel. 



American Avocet. 



Recurvirostra americana Belding, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., VI. 1883, 351 (s. of lat. 

 24° 30'). Bryant, Proc. Calif. Acad. Sci., 2d ser., II. 1889, 271 (La Paz). 



Mr. Frazar met with the Avocet only four times in all, at La Paz on Feb- 

 ruary 3, and at San Jose del Cabo on October 15, 18, and 26. On the first 

 three occasions single birds were seen, on the last a flock of eight. Mr. Beld- 



