382 BULLETIN 19 5, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 



Baja California (San Telmo, San Fernando, and San Jubier) south- 

 ward to about latitude 28°30' N., thence eastward to the coast of the 

 Gulf of California (Santa Rosalia, San Jose Island, and La Paz). 

 South to the end of the peninsula (Cape San Lucas). West to the 

 Pacific Ocean (Cape San Lucas, Todos Santos, San Juanico Bay, 

 Santa Catarina Landing, and San Antonio del Mar). 



The above range is for the species as a whole, which has been divided 

 into two subspecies. The San Lucas thrasher {T. c. dnereum) is 

 found across the peninsula from about latitude 28° 30' southward; 

 the Mearns's thrasher {T. c. mearnsi) occupies the Pacific coast strip, 

 between latitudes about 31° and 28° 30'. 



Egg dates. — Baja California: 115 records, March 20 to August 23; 

 56 records, April 6 to 30, indicating the height of the season. 



TOXOSTOMA CINEREUM MEARNSI (Anthony) 

 MEARNS'S THRASHER 



HABITS 



A. W. Anthony (1895c) named this northern race and described it 

 as "differing from H. cinereus in much darker upper parts, the rump 

 Vandyke brown in contrast, more rusty flanks and crissum, much 

 larger and more intensely black spots on the lower parts and in the 

 less curved bill." 



The range of this subspecies, so far as known, seems to be confined 

 to the Pacific slope of northern Baja California, from latitude 28° 30' 

 to latitude 31°. 



Nesting. — In comparing the nesting (see above) and other habits 

 of the two Lower California forms of this species, Griffing Bancroft 

 (1930) says: 



The nesting of the two birds presents the strongest antitheses. The Mearns, 

 with but two exceptions noted, builds in cactus. There are many varieties of 

 this plant within its range, and they are used indifferently, flat leaf, cholla of 

 two or three species, and especially the pitahaya and garambulla. It is to be 

 noted, however, that a given individual pair of these birds adheres uncompro- 

 misingly to one species of cactus. If, in the breeding season, you find an old 

 thrasher nest and search the surrounding country you are apt to find another 

 old nest in every satisfactory plant of the species which contained the first. If 

 you have suflBcient patience and luck you will also find an occupied nest in the 

 same kind of plant. The normal site is on the lower and outer branches, say 

 of a cholla, well protected from above and 3 feet off the ground. In pitahaya 

 such sites are impracticable but are approximated as closely as possible. 



Eggs. — ^He says that the eggs, more often three than two, are indis- 

 tinguishable from those of the San Lucas thrasher or Bendire's 

 thrasher. The measurements of his 47 eggs average 28.1 by 19.9 milli- 

 meters. J. Stuart Kowley (1935) gives the measurements of the 

 largest and the smallest egg in his series as 32.0 by 21.0 and 25.0 by 



