14 PACIFIC COAST AVIFAUNA Xo. 5 



1854. Lawrence, G. N. Description of a New Species of Bird of the Genus Larus 

 Linn. < Ann. Lye. Nat. Hist. New^ York VL March 1854, pp. 79-80. 



Larus Californiciis; type from "San Joachin River, near Stockton." 



1855. Cassin, J. Notes on North American Falconidse, with descriptions of new 

 Species. < Proc. Ac. Nat. Sc. Phil. VII, February 1855, pp. 277-284. 



Includes the original description of Buieo elegatts {^Biiteo lineatus elegans) from "Cali- 

 fornia", and accredits to the vState several other species. 



1855. Prevost, FL, et Des Murs, O. Oiseaux [pp. 177-279] < Voyage | autour 

 du Monde | Sur la Fregate | La Venus | Commandee | Par Abel du Petit- 

 Thouars | Capitaine de Vaisseau, Commandetir de la Legion d'honneur. | — | 

 Zoologie I Mammiferes, Oiseaux, Reptiles etPoissons | Paris | Gide et J.Baudry, 

 Editeurs | Rue Bonaparte, 5 | — | 1855; 8vo, pp. 1-351. 



The birds upon which this article is based are said to have been obtained by Dr. N^bonx, 

 surgeon of the "Venus". Among the localities mentioned are the coast of Peru, Chili, the 

 Galapagos Islands, San Bias, and ^lonterey in Upper California. lileven species are ac- 

 credited to the latter place. But no less than six of these are tropical species, unknown as 

 birds of our State. So that it seems very probable that localities were confused. I have no 

 confidence in any of these Monterey records, therefore, no more in that of Larus furcatus 

 (p. 277, PI. X of Atlas) than in any of the others, such as ''SturneUa fnilitaris" or the 

 "Caracara". Larus {^Creagrus) furcatus \\a.?,he:en inc\nde:d as a. North American species 

 on the basis of the "Venus" record, now with little doubt to be considered erroneous. I 

 examined the above work in the library of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia, 

 January 10, 1908. 



1855. Taylor, A. S. Note on the Great Vulture of California (Cathartes vcl Sar- 

 coramphus Californianus). < Zoologist XIII, 1855, pp. 4632-4635. 



Account of its capture "on the beach" at IMonterey, and habits, mostly on hearsay. 



1856. Brewer, T. M. [Red-tailed Hawks of California] <Proc. Bost. Soc. 

 Nat. Hist. V, September 1856, pp. 385-386. 



Critical: Btiteo nwntanus (=^. borealis calurtis). 



1856. Cassin, J. Notes on North American Birds in the Collection of the Academy 

 of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia, and National Museum, Washington. 

 < Proc. Ac. Nat. Sc. Phil. VIII, February 1856, pp. 39-42. 



Inclvides the original description of SpizcUa brewcri from "California". Also accredits 

 SpizeUa pallida to this State, but this record remains unconfirmed. 



1856. Cassin, J. Illustrations | of the | Birds | of | California, Texas, Oregon, 

 British and | Russian America. | Intended to Contain Descriptions and Fig- 

 ures I of all I North American Birds | not given by former American authors, 

 I and a | General Synopsis of North American Ornithology. | By | John Cas- 

 sin, I Member [etc., 5 lines]. | 1853 to 1855. | — | Philadelphia: | J. B. Lip- 

 pincott & Co. I 1856. Large 8vo, pp. i-viii, 1-298, pll. 1-50. Originally 

 issued in parts. 



The particularly Californian species figured and discussed are: 3/elatierpes formic i- 

 vorus, p. 7, pi. 2 {^=I\L f bairdi) ; Larus heertnajiiii, p. 28, pi. 5; Chaiiuca fasciata, p. 39, 

 pi. 7 (the plate shows a very dark bird, probably Ch. f. rufula, from "the neighborhood of 

 San Francisco"); Ammodramus ruficeps, p. 135, pi. 20 {^=Aiinophila ruficeps) ; Archibuteo 

 ferrugineus, p. 159, pi. 26; Ptilogonys nitens, p. 169, pi. 29 {^P/iainopepia nitens) ; Trog- 

 lodytes mexicanus, p. 173, pi. 30 { = Catherpes mexicanus punctulatiis) ; Rfelanerpes thyro- 



