3(38 CLBIBING BIRDS— SCANSORES. 



Geococcyx Californianus, Lesson. 

 THE PAISANO; THE KOAD-KUNNEE; THE CHAPPARAL COCK. 



Saurothera Californiam, "Lesson, Com]ilcm. Buff. VI. 1829, 420. lu. Ann. dii Mus. 18.35, 



121 ; pi. Lx." 

 Geococcyx vialicus, H.^rtladb, Rev. Zuol. 1844, 21.'j. — M'Call, Pi-. A. N. Sc. III. July, 



1847,234. — Heerman.n, J. A. N. Sc. Phil. 2cl Scries, II. 1853, 270. — Newbeury, 



Zool. Cal. and Or. Route, 91 ; P. R. R. Rep. VI. 1857. 

 Leptosloma longicauda, Swaikson, Birds, II. 1837, 325. — Gambel, Pr. A.N. S. I. 1843, 



263. 

 Geococcyx Mexicamts, Gambel, Jour. A. K. Sc. Phil. 2d Series, I. 1849, 215 (not of Gmclin). 



— Cassin, 111 I. 1855, 213; pi. x.xxvi. — Heermann, P. R. Rep. X. vi. 59. 

 G. Culiforniamm (Lesson), Baird, P. R. Rep. IX. Birds, 73. — Kenxerly, X. iv. 21. 



Sp. Char. Tail very long ; the lateral ieatliers niueli shortest. Au erectile crest on 

 the head. A bare skin around and behind the eye, colored bkiish-white and orange when 

 alive. Legs very long and stout. All the feathers of the upper parts and wings of a dull 

 metallic olivaceous-green, broadly edged -with white near the end. Tliere is, however, a 

 tiniTe of black in the green along the line of white, which itself is suffused with brown. 

 On the neck the black preponderates. The sides and under surface of the neck have the 

 white feathers streaked centrally with black, next to which is a brownish sufl'usion. The 

 reniainino- under parts are whitish, immaculate. Primary quills tipped with white, and 

 with a median band across the outer webs. Central tail feathers olive-brown ; remain- 

 ing ones clear dark green, all edged, and (except the central two) broadly tipped with 

 white. Top of the head dark blackish blue. Length, 20.00 to 23.00 ; extent, 21.00 ; wing, 

 6.00 to 7.00; tail, 12.00 to 13.00. Iris brown and yellow; bill olive ; feet black. 



Hub. Middle Texas, New Mexico, and Calitbrnia to Central Mexico. Seen as far 

 north as Fort Reading, California. 



This remarkable bird is abundant in the southern part of the State, and 

 follows the valleys northward nearly to the head of the Sacramento, being 

 resident everywhere south of San Francisco at least. I observed them first 

 at Fort jMojave, Colorado Valley, on the 25th of February, when I heard 

 one making a low cooing noise like that of a dove, for which I at first mis- 

 took it. After much watching I surprised it perched on top of a low tree, 

 and shot it. On April 3d the Indians brought me a female specimen, 

 probably caught on the nest, as it laid au egg in the cage in ^\•luch I put it, 

 Avhich unfortunately got broken. This bird was timid, and made no attempts 

 to defend itself, running off on the ground when I released it, instead of 

 attempting to fly. I afterwards saw this one or others several times sit- 

 ting on trees, where it allowed me to approach within ten feet, cooing 

 harshly, and chattering its mandibles together, at the same time jerking up 

 its tail and erecting its crest. 



I saw none in the Viarren mountains and plains towards the coast, until I 

 reached San Diego, where, a little after sunrise, I saw a pair sitting on a 



