BENDIRE'S THRASHER 383 



20.0 millimeters. The measurements of 40 e^rgs before me average 

 27.7 by 19.7 millimeters ; the eggs showing the four extremes measure 

 32.0 by 21.0, 27.1 by 21.1, 24.3 by 19.1, and 27.6 by 18.6 millimeters. 



Behavior. — Comparing the behavior of the two races, Mr. Bancroft 

 (1930) says: "In its conduct in the field the Mearns Thrasher is more 

 shy, hy far. It seldom allows a close approach and I have never known 

 one to betray its nest. The Cape bird depends more on concealment 

 and is not notably wary. It frequently hovers about its nest, and on 

 many occasions I have flushed sitting birds at a range of a few feet. 

 These characteristic traits harmonize with the preferred associations." 



Mr. Anthony (1895c) also found the northern race remarkably 

 shy, making it almost impossible to secure specimens. He writes: 

 "On June 13 I was stalking a herd of antelope on the San Carlos 

 mesa, near the coast, and had prostrated myself under a large cholla 

 cactus to wait for the game, which was slowly feeding toward me ; and 

 in this uncomfortable position I spent about half an hour, during which 

 not less than half a dozen of these usually shy Thrashers took up sta- 

 tions on adjoining cacti, within 15 yards, showing great curiosity and 

 making frequent remarks, uncomplimentary, no doubt, on the new 

 species of lizard they had found, but always ready to drop out of 

 sight at the first movement on my part," 



I can find no further information on the behavior of either race of 

 this species, and nothing at all on their food or voices. 



TOXOSTOMA BENDIREI (Cones) 



BENDIRE'S THRASHER 



Plates 71-73 



HABITS 



Bendire's is one of several species of thrashers that breed in our 

 southwestern deserts. The Southwest is rich in species and subspecies 

 of this genus, but they all occupy rather limited ranges, as compared 

 with our wide-ranging and homogeneous brown thrasher. Bendire's 

 thrasher is one of the most limited in its range, breeding only in south- 

 eastern California, Arizona, southwestern New Mexico, and northern 

 Sonora. And, according to my experience, it is not very common any- 

 where, except perhaps in the low, flat country around Tucson and the 

 foothills of the southern Catalinas. It has been reported as locally 

 common in the Lower Sonoran valleys in other parts of Arizona and 

 western New Mexico and in some places up to 4,000 or even 6,500 feet 

 in the mountains. There are scattering records from northeastern 

 and northwestern Arizona. 



Spring. — W. E. D. Scott (1888a) writes: "On the plains about 

 Tucson and to the southward, this species is resident, but even here 

 there seems to be a very considerable migration, as the birds are much 



