BREWSTER: BIRDS OF THE CAPE REGION, LOWER CALIFORNIA. 101 



Geococcyx californianus (Less.). 

 Road-runner. 



Saurothera californiana Botta, Nouv. Ann. Mus., IV. 1835, 123, pL 9 (Cape St. 

 Lucas). 



Geococcyx californianus Baird, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila., 1859, 301, 303 (Cape 

 St. Lucas). Baird, Brewer, and Ridgway, Hist. N. Amer. Birds, 11. 

 1874, 473 (Xantus's specimens from Cape St. Lucas "smaller than those of 

 Upper California "). Belding, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., V. 1883, 543 (Cape Re- 

 gion). Bryant, Proc. Calif. Acad. Sci., 2d ser., II. 1889,285 (Cape Region). 



Road-runner Bryant, Zoe, II. 1891, 192 (San Jose' del Cabo). 



Mr. Belding and Mr. Frazar are somewhat at odds in their views regarding 

 this species, the ibnuer noting it as " common " without qualification as to 

 certain localities, the latter as " a rare bird everywhere excepting at San Jose 

 del Cabo, where it was fairly common, but confined almost exclusively to the 

 gardens and green thickets along the river." 



P. E. Botta stated as early as 1835 that the range of the Road-runner ex- 

 tends from Cape St. Lucas to San Francisco. Mr. Bryant, however, reports 

 seeing " but one individual while crossing the peninsula from the Ocean to the 

 Gulf in the latitude of Comondu " despite " the abundance of lizards and other 

 suitable food," and adds that " they were rarely seen along the route from 

 Comondu to San Quintin," although a little further northward " Mr. Anthony 

 has found them from the coast to well into the pines on San Pedro Martir at 

 an altitude of 7,000 feet " (Bryant), and "quite common about the mines, and 

 much more so near the water holes near the mission " at San Fernando.^ 



The Road-runner occurs from California to Mexico, and is strictly resident 

 wherever found- 



Coccyzus americanus occidentalis Ridgw. 

 California Cuckoo. 



This Cuckoo, which is now reported from the Cape Region for the first 

 time, was found by Mr. Frazar only at San Jose del Rancho, where it "first 

 appeared on July 5, and soon became rather common, but did not begin nest- 

 ing until the latter part of the month.' It probably occurs on the Sierra de 

 la Laguna, also, for the people living there described it to Mr. Frazar, assert- 

 ing that '• it comes only in the time of the waters," i. e., the rainy season, 

 which begins in July. This was confirmed by a man at San Jose del Rancho, 

 who spends much time on the Sierra hunting deer, and who, seeing a Cuckoo 

 iu Mr. Frazar's possession, remarked that he had often met with the bird on 



1 Anthony, Auk, XII. 1895, 138. 



