PHAINOPEPLA 103 



was seen by L. E. Hoffman (1933) at an altitude of 5,500 feet in 

 the San Gabriel Mountains on December 30, 1932, with a foot of snow 

 on the ground. East of the principal mountain ranges of southern 

 California the phainopepla occurs mainly in the mesquite associa- 

 tion, though W. E. D. Scott (1888) reported meeting with it at every 

 point in south-central Arizona visited by him up to an altitude of 

 about 5,000 feet. In connection with his studies of the Lower Colo- 

 rado Valley, Dr. Joseph Grinnell (1914) wrote: "Everything indi- 

 cated that this bird was common as a permanent resident of the region. 

 It was, however, closely restricted to two narrow belts paralleling 

 the river, one on each side ; namely, as constituting the mesquite asso- 

 ciation. The close coincidence of the range of the bird with the plant 

 association in question was here clearly due solely to the preferred 

 food afforded in constant and abundant quantity by the berries of 

 the mistletoe parasitic upon the mesquite. * * * in certain places, 

 as on the Arizona side above Mellen, and on the California side op- 

 posite Cibola, this bird was, within the riparian strip, the most abun- 

 dant single species." 



The outstanding attributes of this bird, in the eyes of those who 

 named it, are revealed by a translation of its scientific name : Phaino- 

 fepla (fa-i' no-pep'la), from two Greek words meaning "shining 

 robe" ; nitens, a Latin word also meaning "shining" ; lepida^ from the 

 Latin and meaning "charming." Probably no one has more vividly 

 expressed the general impression produced by the phainopepla than 

 did Bradford Torrey (1904), after making its acquaintance in south- 

 ern Arizona: 



What I call the Phainopepla's elegance comes partly from its form, which 

 is the very perfection of shapeliness, having in the highest degree that elusive 

 quality which in semi-slang phrase is designated as "style ;" partly from its 

 motions, all prettily conscious and in a pleasing sense affected, like the move- 

 ments of a dancing-master; and partly from its color, which is black with the 

 most exquisite bluish sheen, set off in the finest manner by broad wing-patches 

 of white. These wing-patches are noticeable, furthermore, for being divided 

 into a kind of network by black lines. It is for this reason, I suppose, that they 

 have a peculiar gauzy look (I speak of their appearance while in action) such 

 as I have never seen in the case of any other bird, and which often made me think 

 of the ribbed, translucent wings of certain dragon flies. 



Doubtless this peculiar appearance was heightened to my eyes, because of 

 the mincing, wavering, over-buoyant method of flight (the wings being carried 

 unusually high) to which I have alluded, and which always suggested to me 

 the studied movements of the dance. I think I never saw one of the birds so 

 far forget itself as to take a direct, straightforward course from one point to 

 another. No matter where they might be going, though the flight were only a 

 matter of a hundred yards, they progressed always in pretty zigzags, making so 

 many little, unexpected, indecisive tacks and turns by the way, butterfly fashion, 

 that you began to wonder where they would finally come to rest. 



Spring.— On the Pacific slope of California, where few of the 

 phainopeplas winter, they make their appearance in numbers during 



