BREWSTER: BIRDS OF THE CAPE REGION, LOWER CALIFORNIA. 215 



The Dwarf Thrush was found in January at Cape St. Lucas by Mr. Xantus, 

 and Mr. Belding has reported it " common ; possibly resident " in the " Victoria 

 Mountains." It is probable, however, that some of the birds seen by the 

 latter observer were H. g. auduboni, which is not uncommon, and doubtless 

 breeds in these mountains, and that the Dwarf Thrush occurs in the Cape 

 Region only during the migrations and in winter, and then in no great 

 numbers. This, at least, is Mr. Frazar's opinion, and it is confirmed, in 

 the main, by the evidence afforded by his skins, although it must be ad- 

 mitted that it is difficult to account for the excessively worn and generally 

 shabby condition of plumage of the specimen above referred to, other than by 

 the assumption that it was a breeding bird. If auduboni and guttata really 

 pass the summer together or in close proximity in the Cape Region without 

 interbreeding, the case will be one of peculiar interest in view of the fact that 

 both are regarded as mere geographical forms of the same species. 



Mr. Bryant states that he "saw a few" " Dwarf Thrushes" on Santa Mar- 

 garita Island in January, 1888. They do not appear to have been met with 

 anywhere in the central or northern portions of the Peninsula, either by him 

 or by Mr. Anthony. 



Merula migratoria propinqua(RiDGw). 



Western Robin. 



The relationship of a Robin taken by Mr. Frazar at San Jose del Rancho 

 on December 22, 1887, is open to some doubt, for the specimen is apparently 

 intermediate between migratoria and propinqua, combining the large, distinct, 

 white tail spots of the former with the decidedly ashy back, and restricted 

 black on the head, of the latter. On the whole, however, the bird seems to 

 be nearest propinqua, a form which has not been previously reported from 

 the southern portion of Lower California, although in the northern districts 

 it is not uncommon in Avinter and early spring, feeding chiefly on manzanita 

 berries and ranging at least as far southward as San Quintin.i 



The Western Robin is a winter A'isitor only, to the lowlands of California, 

 but it breeds in the mountains as far south as Los Angeles county and north- 

 ward into British Columbia. In Alaska it is unknown, all the Robins of that 

 region being, apparently, true migratoria. Salvin and Godman state ^ that 

 the latter occurs in summer in the mountains of Orizaba, and that they have 

 examined a young bird in spotted plumage taken near the City of Mexico, 

 while they make no mention of M. m. propinqua, but all my winter specimens 

 from western Mexico, as well as several breeding birds shot at Pinos Altos and 

 Jesus Maria, are typical propinqua. 



5 Bryant, Proc. Calif. Acad. Sci., 2d ser., II. 1889, 319. 

 a Biol. Centr.-Amer., Aves, L 1879, 20, 21. 



