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 summits, 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. 



j3£chnnphorus orridentalis : Western Grebe. — Occasional winter visitant 



on tlie l;ir<;vr ponds. 

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



tule-margined ponds. 

 Guria imher : Loon. — Frequent in winter on large ponds and reservoii-s. 

 Larus ralifhrnicus : California Gull. — Occasional in winter about ponds 



and streani.s. 

 Phalarrocorax dilophni^ nlbnciliatus : Farallone Cormorant. — Frequent in 



winter on the lar<;er ponds. 

 Pelecanus erythrorhijnrhos : American White Pelican. — Occurs in migra- 

 tion ; also more rarely about ponds in winter. 

 Merganser serrator : Red-breasted Merganer — Occasional midwinter 



visitant f»n the lowlands. 

 Anas bosrhds : Mallard. — Fairly connnon resident in the vicinity of 



streams and ponds. 

 Marera anteriraua : Baldpate. — Conmion winter visitant. 

 Neltion raro/inensis : Groen-winyed T»*al. — Common winter visitant. 

 Querr/itedula ri^anojjtfra : Cinnamon Teal. — Cominoii si>riii<;- and summer 



visitant on ponds and marslics. 

 S/xitida rli/peata : Shoveller. — Common winter visitant. 

 Erisnidtura jamaivensis: KuddyDnt-k. — Connnon resident on tlu> larger 



l)onds. 

 lintanrus Icntiginosus : Ann-rican IWttern. — Common winter visitant on 



niarsli lands. 

 Ardea /lerodias: (Jreat lUue Heron. — Common resident in the lower 



country. 

 Ardea riresrcns autlnmiii : Anth(»ny (ireen Heron. — Common migrant ahoui 



streams and ponds. 



