PERCHING BIRDS 



711. Leconte's Thrasher. Toxostoma lecontei 



lecontei. 

 Range. — Desert regions of southwestern United States, 

 chiefly in the valleys of the Gila and Colorado Rivers. 



This species is much paler 



than the last and has a shorter 



bill. It is fairly common but 



locally distributed in its range 



and nests at low elevations in 



•,' bushes or cacti. The three or 



... four eggs are pale greenish blue, 



sparingly dotted with reddish 



Pale greenish blue brown. Size 1.10 x .75. Data.— 



Phoenix, Arizona, April 2, 1897. 3 eggs. Large nesL 



of dry twigs, rootlets, etc., lined with bits of rabbit hair 



and feathers; 4 feet from the ground in a small shrub. 



711a. Desert Thrasher. Toxostotna leconiei 

 arenicola. 



Range. — Northern Lower California. 



This form of the last is said to differ in being darker 

 above. It is a very locally confined race, chiefly about 

 Rosalia Bay, Lower California. Its eggs will not be distinctive. 



712. Crissal Thrasher. Toxostoma crissale. 

 Range.— Southwestern United States from western Texas 



to eastern California; north to southern Utah and Nevada. 

 This species may be known from any other of the curve- 

 billed Thrashers by its grayish underparts and briglil 

 chestnut under tail coverts. These sweet songsters are 

 abundant in suitable localities, nesting at low elevations in 

 chaparral. Their nests are large, and bulkily made of 

 sticks and rootlets ; the eggs range from two to four in num- 

 ber and are pale greenish blue, unmarked. Size 1.10 x .75. 



713. Cactus Wren. Heleodytes hrunnei- 

 capillus couesi. 

 Range. — Southwestern United States from 

 Texas to eastern California; north to southern 

 Nevada and Utah. 



This species is the largest- of the Wrens, be 

 ing 8.5 inches in length. They are very com- 

 mon in cactus and chaparrel districts, where 

 they nest at low elevations in bushes or cacti^ 

 making large purse-shaped structures of 

 grasses and thorny twigs, lined with feathers 

 and with a small entrance at 

 one end. They raise two or 

 three broods a year, the first 

 set of eggs being laid early hi 

 April; t!)e eggs are creamy 

 white," dotted, so thickly as to 

 obscure the ground color, with 

 pale reddish brown. Size .95 

 X .65. Data. — Placentia, Cal., 

 Nest in cactus about 6 feet from the ground; 

 made of grasses and lined with feathers and rab 

 bit fur ; nest 8 inches in diameter, 18 inches long. 

 423 



Pale greenish blue 



Creamy white 

 April 15, 1901. 



Cactus Wren 



