INTRODUCTION Ivii 



This area consists of 'mountains' (Sierra Madre), and 'valley' (San 

 Gabriel). The mountains are divided into spruce-wooded 'higher 

 mountains,' such as Wilson's Peak and Mt. Lowe, and brush-cov- 

 ered 'foothills.' The valley is separated into a 'mesa,' the dry 

 elevated plain sloping down from the foothills ; and the ' lowlands,* 

 which include the 'willow bottoms,' such as the San Gabriel river 

 bed in the neighborhood of El Monte. The ' oak regions ' occupy 

 an intermediate area, in places running up on to the foothills. 



In general, as far as I know, it may be said that the ' lowlands,' 

 the 'mesas,' and tongues extending up into the foothills are Lower 

 Sonoran; that the 'oak regions,' and 'foothills,' and even the hot 

 slopes of the highest peaks, are Upper Sonoran ; while the north 

 slopes and deep canyons of the ' mountains ' to their svmimits, within 

 the ten mile radius of the list, are mainly Transition, but with a 

 trace of Canadian, and with such characteristic birds as the mountain 

 chickadee, blue-fronted jay, plumed partridge, junco^ and slender- 

 billed nuthatch. Pasadena itself is Lower Sonoran, having such 

 birds as the phaiuopepla, mockingbird, road-runner, Texas night- 

 hawk, and Costa hummingbird. 



^chnophorus occidentalis : Western Grebe. — Occasional winter visitant 



on the larger ponds. 

 Podilymbus podiceps : Pied-billed Grebe. — Fairly common resident on 



tiile-margined ponds. 

 Gavin imher : Loon. — Frequent in winter on larg-e ponds and reservoirs. 

 Lams californkus : California Gull. — Occasional in winter abont ponds 



and streams. 

 Phalacrocorax dilophus albociliatus : Farallone Cormorant. — Frequent in 



winter on the larger ponds. 

 Pelecanns eri/throrhi/nchos : American White Pelican. — Occurs in migra- 

 tion ; also more rai-ely about ponds in winter. 

 Merganser serrator : Red-breasted Merganer — Occasional midwinter 



visitant on the lowlands. 

 Anas hnschas : Mallard. — Fairly common resident in the vicinitv of 



.streams and ])onds. 

 Marera amerlrana : i3aldpate. — Common winter visitant. 

 Nettlon rarolitierisis : Green-winged Teal. — Common winter visitant. 

 Querf/iiedula ri/anoptera : Cinnamon T(\t1. — (^ommon spring and summer 



visitant on ponds and marslics. 

 S/)atnla rli/pcata : Shoveller. — Common w infer visifant. 

 Erismatura jamairensis : Ruddy Duck. — Ccnnmon rt'sidcnt on tlie larger 



ponds. 

 Botanrus loifitfiwisns : American I)itt('rn. — T'ommon winter visitant on 



niaish lands. 

 Ardea In rod las : Great Blue Heron. — Common resident in the I<»\ver 



country. 

 Ardea riresrens anthonyi : Anthony Green Heron. — Common migrant about 



streams and ponds. 



