14 NESTS AND EGGS OF N. A. BIRDS. 



in breadth. Their nests are usually a mere platform of small or coarse 

 stems, with a little or no depression or rim, and are .placed in low 

 bushes, usually above the upper branches." — Baird, Brewer 

 AND Ridgway's N, a. Birds, vol. i, p. 40. 



14. harporhynchus cinereus. 

 SAINT LUCAS THRASHER. 



"So far as is at present known in regard to this species it ap- 

 pears to be confined exclusively to the peninsula of Lower Califor- 

 nia. It has, at least, been met with nowhere else. Mr. Xantus 

 found it quite num.erous in the vicinity of Cape St. Lucas, in a 

 region which, as he describes it, was singularly unpropitious. This 

 was a sandy shore, extending about a quarter of a mile inland, 

 whence a cactus desert stretched about six miles up to a high range 

 of mountains. Throughout this tract the ground is covered with 

 a saline efflorecsence. There is no fresh water within twenty-eight 

 miles. 



Mr. Xantus speaks of the habits of this bird as being similar to 

 those of Oreoscoptes Mottfamis.'''' (Sage Thrasher). "It was a very 

 abundant species at this Cape, where he found it breeding among 

 the cactus plants in large numbers. He mentions that as early as 

 the date of his arrival at that place, April 4, he found them already 

 with full-fledged young, and states that they continued to breed 

 until the middle of July. , 



He was of the impression that the eggs of this species more near- 

 ly resembled those of the common Mocking-Bird than any others 

 of this genus. The aggravatingly brief notes that accompanied his 

 collections show that the general position of the nest of this species 

 was on low trees, shrubs, and most usually, cactus plants, and in 

 no instance at a greater elevation . from the ground than four feet. 

 Their nests were flat structures, having only a very slight depres- 

 sion in or near their center. They were about 5 inches in diame- 

 ter, and were very little more than a mere platform. The eggs 

 vary somewhat in their ground color, but exhibit only slight varia- 

 tions in size or shape. Their greatest length is 1.13 inches, and 

 their average 1. 12 inches. Their mean breadth is .77 inch and 

 their maximum .79 inch. The ground color is a greenish- white, 

 profusely marked with spots of mingled purple and brown. In 



