SAN DIEGO TITMOUSE 4l9 



inornatus) is found in California from Shasta and Mendocino Counties 

 south to Kern and San Luis Obispo Counties ; the Oregon titmouse 

 (P. i. sequestratus) is found between the Coast and Cascade Ranges from 

 southwestern Oregon south through Siski3'ou County, Calif. ; the San 

 Diego titmouse (P. i. trans positits) is found in southwestern CaHfornia 

 from Santa Barbara County to San Diego County; the San Pedro tit- 

 mouse (P. i. niurinus) oc.cupies the northern part of Baja California 

 south to about latitude 30° ; the ashy titmouse (P. i. cineraceiis) is 

 found in the Cape region of Baja California; while the gray titmouse 

 (P. i. ridgwayi) occupies the Rocky Mountain and Great Basin portion 

 of the range. The lead-colored plain titmouse (P. i. plumhescens) is 

 found in southern Arizona and New Mexico ; the Kern Basin plain 

 titmouse (P. i. kernensis) in Kern County, Calif. ; and the Warner 

 Valley titmouse (P. i. saleptus) in southern Oregon. 



Egg dates. — California: 101 records, March 20 to July 16; 50 records, 

 April 4 to 29, indicating the height of the season. 



New Mexico: 19 records, May 3 to 28. 



Mexico: 28 recprds, April 22 to May 31; 14 records, April 30 to 

 May 14. 



PARUS INORNATUS TRANSPOSITUS (GrinneU) 

 SAN DIEGO TITMOUSE 



The San Diego titmouse occupies an area in southwestern California 

 extending from Santa Barbara County to San Diego County. 



The above scientific name was suggested by Dr. Grinnell (1928) to 

 replace the name murinus, which was formerly applied to the plain tits 

 of the above region; the latter name is now restricted to the birds of 

 northwestern Lower California, the San Pedro titmouse. He gives as 

 its characters, "as compared with B. i. inornatus, slightly larger and 

 grayer, bill much heavier. As compared with B. i. murinus, browner, 

 decidedly less leaden gray in cast of coloration ; bill and feet less blackish, 

 rectrices and remiges brownish rather than plumbeous." 



The habits of this titmouse are apparently similar to those of the plain 

 titmouse found farther north, which need not be repeated here. 



The measuresments of 40 eggs average 17.4 by 13.3 millimeters; the 

 eggs showing the four extremes measure 19.0 by 14.0, and 13.0 by 9.5 

 millimeters; the latter tgg might be considered a runt; the next small- 

 est tgg measures 16.0 by 12.0 millimeters. 



