164 BULLETIN 17 9, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 



In the pines the birds usually perched within a few feet of the ground, on the 

 dead stubs or limbs where these were shaded by the main crown of the tree. 

 At certain times a bird would perch on or close to the top of a low tree; and 

 some individuals showed a distinct preference for fence i)osts and the top wires 

 of fences for perches. Most of these places were alike in providing situations 

 where the birds could be within shadows most of the time. The more exposed 

 (to light) i)erches were most likely to be used! on cloudy days. Possibly this 

 mannerism was more in the nature of a coloration-concealment device than a 

 direct response to the warmth of the sun. The perches chosen also were alike 

 in providing protection from strong, or cold, wind. 



DISTRIBUTION 



Range. — ^Western United States, Central and South America; 

 nonmigratory. 



The range of the black phoebe extends north to northern California 

 (Benbow and Baird) ; southern Nevada (Alamo) ; Arizona (Grand 

 Canyon and Salt River Bird Eefuge) ; southern New Mexico (Cooney, 

 Chloride, and Carlsbad Bird Refuge) ; and southwestern Texas 

 (Spring Creek and San Angelo). East to western Texas (San 

 Angelo and Pecos River High Bridge) ; Honduras (Ceiba) ; Nica- 

 ragua (Banbana) ; Venezuela (Colon); Bolivia (Concepcion) ; and 

 northwestern Argentina (Orillas del Rio Lavallen and Anfama). 

 South to northern Argentina (Anfama) and Peru (Huanuco). West 

 to Peru (Huanuco) ; Ecuador (Zamora, Bucay, and Esmeraldas) ; 

 western Colombia (San Jose and Medellin) ; Costa Rica (San Jose 

 and Carrillo) ; El Salvador (Libertad and San Salvador) ; western 

 Guatemala (San Geronimo and Duenas) ; Baja California (San 

 Lucas, Triunfo, San Fernando, and Todos Santos Island) ; and Cali- 

 fornia (San Clemente Island, Santa Barbara, Berkeley, Point Reyes, 

 and Benbow). 



The range as outlined is for the entire species, which has been 

 separated into several subspecies or geographic races. Only one of 

 these, the typical race {Sayornis n. nigricans), is found commonly 

 in the United States. The San Quintin phoebe {S. n. salictaria), of 

 northern Baja California, also comes into southern Arizona. The 

 southern part of Baja California is occupied by a third race, the 

 San Lucas phoebe {S. n. hrunnescens) . 



Casual records. — One of these birds was recorded from the Ump- 

 qua Valley, Oreg., in 1857, and another from Salem, Oreg., in July 

 1879. Neither of these records has been satisfactorily traced. 



Egg dates. — ^Arizona : 8 records, April 16 to June 26. 



California : 126 records, March 17 to August 15 ; 64 records, April 

 15 to May 16, indicating the height of the season. 



Lower California : 25 records, April 6 to May 27 ; 13 records, April 

 22 to May 9. 



