602 U.S. NATIONAL MUSEUM BULLETIN 237 part i 



The bird, now extinct, formerly was resident on Guadalupe Island, 

 off the coast of Baja California. It apparently inhabited the under- 

 story of the cypress (Cupressus) grove, large individuals of which are 

 still to be found on the high part of the island. Howell and Cade 

 (1954) note with reference to this bird, "We found no trace, of course, 

 of any of the endemics considered extinct. Indeed, the complete 

 absence today of shrubs or understory of any kind in the forests of 

 the island make it difficult to believe that the towhee, Pipilo 

 erythrophthalmus consohrinus * * * once existed there, and this utter 

 lack of suitable habitat should convince even the most hopeful 

 skeptic that [this form is] totally extinct. 



"* * * The goats continue to be the greatest threat to the biota 

 of the island through their destruction of vegetation." The towhee 

 was last seen alive in June, 1897 (Thoburn, 1899). 



Distribution 



Range. — ^Extinct. It was formerly resident on Guadalupe Island 

 off northwestern Baja California. 



PIPILO ERYTHROPHTHALMUS MAGNIROSTRIS Brewster 



Large -billed Towhee 

 Contributed by Richard Fourness Johnston 



Habits 



Ridgway (1901) says this large-billed, pale spotted towhee is 

 "similar to P. m. megalonyx but wing and tail decidedly shorter, bill 

 larger, hind claw averaging larger, white on outermost tail-feathers 

 decidedly more extensive, and color of sides and flanks much paler 

 (buff -tawny instead of cinnamon-rufous)." 



P. e. magnirostris is one of the most highly geographically isolated 

 forms of the species; this is to a certain extent evident in its gross 

 morphological characteristics. The range is restricted in southern 

 Baja CaUfornia. Grinnell (1928b) states that the bird is a "Common 

 resident of mountainous portions of the Cape district. Appertains 

 to brushy tracts chiefly within the Upper Sonoran life-zone. A few 

 come down to sea level in winter (C. C. Lamb, MS.). * * * Northern- 

 most known station of occurrence, Triunfo * * * southernmost, 



Miraflores * * *." 



Distribution 



Range. — The large-billed towhee Ls resident in the mountains of 

 southern Baja California (Triunfo, Sierra de la Laguna). 

 Casual record. — Casual at lower levels at Miraflores. 



