BIRD NOTES AFIELD 



180. Calif ornian Thrasher; Toxostoma redivivum (Gamb.). 

 The western representative of the common eastern brown thrasher. 



A large, active bird (length twelve inches) with a long curving beak and 

 a long tail. It lives in the sage-brush and shrubbery, flying with consid- 

 erable rapidity and avoiding observation. It has a loud and varied 

 song. Above dark olive-brown, below buffy; grayish brown on breast, 

 paler on throat and rufous in tone on under tail-coverts. Southern Cali- 

 fornia and interior valleys well to the northward. Apparently resident 

 over most of its range. A paler form known as the Pasadena thrasher 

 has been described from southern California by Joseph Grinnell. 



181. Leconte's Thrasher; Toxostoma lecontei Lawr. 



Similar to the preceding but much paler. It looks like a faded 

 specimen of the California thrasher. A resident of the desert region of 

 the southeastern part of the State. 



182. Crissal Thrasher; Toxostoma crissalis Henry. 



This rather rare desert form can be distinguished from either of 

 the preceding by the dark rusty red or chestnut color of the under tail- 

 coverts. The throat is bordered by a dusky streak with a line of whitish 

 next it. Grayish brown above, lighter below. 



183. Cactus- Wren; Heleodytes brunneicapillus (Lafr.). 



An inhabitant of the desert. Size large for a wren, length seven 

 inches. Head plain bright brown ; back lighter brown, curiously streaked 

 with black and white lines; distinct white stripe over eye; beneath white 

 on breast changing to pale cinnamon on belly, the white heavily marked 

 with large spots of black; wings dark, spotted with whitish; tail black, 

 spotted and barred with white. A resident on the deserts of southern 

 California. A race form, Bryant's Cactus- Wren, has been described 

 by Anthony from Lower California and adjacent portions of southern 

 California. 



184. Rock-Wren; 5a/pmcfes ofcso/efus (Say). 



Manners sprightly ; song vivacious ; length six inches. A pallid wren 

 chiefly found in mountainous places in the desert or sage-brush. Above 

 pale brownish gray, finely sprinkled with dots of black and white; rump 

 cinnamon; lower parts dull white changing to pale cinnamon behind; 

 throat and breast faintly streaked with dusky. A line of white or buff 

 over eye; under tail-coverts and outer pair of tail-feathers distinctly 

 barred; the other tail-feathers with a broad subterminal band of black 

 and below this a band of buff. Wings but faintly mottled with lighter 

 gray. Interior mountains, migrating south in winter to foothills and 

 valleys. Also on Farallon Islands. 



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