232 BULLETIN 195, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 



ing southern California west of the Coast Range. Harry S. Swarth 

 (1904a) disagreed with this view and pubhshed the results of his 

 study, which indicate that only one subspecies, H. 1). coiiesi, is found 

 north of the Mexican boundary, which seems to be the generally 

 accepted view today. 



In naming this race, Mr. Anthony (1894) gives its subspecific 

 characters as "differing from affinis in very much heavier spotting of 

 lower parts, the black predominating, in extreme specimens, on the 

 throat and upper breast, and in its perfectly barred tail and slight 

 wash of rufous on belly and flanks; from hrunneicapillus by heavier 

 spotting, especially on sides and belly, in having intermediate rec- 

 trices more or less perfectly barred, and in much less rusty wash on 

 lower parts." 



The above description as to the barring of the tail seems to be a bit 

 confusing, for Mr. Anthony says that "as a rule hryanti exhibits a 

 fully barred tail as in affiiiis.'''' For a more detailed study of the sub- 

 ject, which seems beyond the scope of this Bulletin, the reader is 

 referred to the three papers mentioned above, as well as B-idgway's 

 (1904) treatment of the group. 



So far as I can learn, the habits of Bryant's cactus wren do not differ 

 materially from those of the species elsewhere. Mr. Anthony (1895b) 

 has this to say about this subspecies as observed near San Fernando, 

 Baja California : 



Not uncommon throughout the region but everywhere noticeable for its ex- 

 treme shyness. The normal note of the Cactus Wren is quite harsh and un- 

 musical, consisting of a series of notes rapidly uttered in a monotone, but at the 

 mine I once heard one give voice to a song exactly intermediate between the 

 normal, discordant notes of this species and the incomparable song of the Caiion 

 Wren. The full, rich cadence and clear tones of Catherpes was very pronounced 

 but not more so than the characteristic gou-goii-you and deeper tones of Ilcleo- 

 dytes. I was not near enough to secure the bird and before I could get within 

 range it flew further up the mountain where it several times repeated the song 

 that first attracted me. 



There are two sets of three eggs each in the Thayer collection 

 in Cambridge. Any of these eggs could be matched by different types 

 of eggs of the northern cactus wren. In one set the eggs have a pale 

 pinkish ground-color and are marked with faint dots. In the other 

 set the ground-color is white and the eggs are marked with distinct, 

 rather large spots and small blotches of pale reddish brown or 

 "cinnamon." 



Mr. Bancroft (1930) says that the measurements of a series of 70 

 eggs average 24.9 by 17.1 millimeters. Among the six eggs in Cam- 

 bridge, the eggs showing the four extremes measure 27.2 by 16.7, 24.4 

 by 17.3, and 23.7 by 17.0 millimeters. 



