Appendix, 



warblers and vireos. There is a fine ring of 

 white around the eye, which will help to dis- 

 tinguish it, although Hutton's vireo also has 

 this mark. Indeed the female ruby-crown is 

 almost a perfect counterpart of Hutton's vireo, 

 save for its smaller size and more slender 

 bill. Breeds in the high northern mountains, 

 south in winter abundantly, frequenting the 

 trees along our village streets as well as in un- 

 settled regions. 



196. Western Gnatcatcher; Polioptila ccerulea 

 obscura Ridgw. 



The gnatcatchers are about the size of the kinglets, 

 or a little larger (length four and a half inches), 

 but are colored bluish gray, black and white, 

 with no olive-greenish or yellowish shade. The 

 only bird with which they might be confounded 

 is the Californian bush-tit. 



The western gnatcatcher is but a race form of the 

 blue-gray gnatcatcher. It is bluish gray on the 

 back, and white below, ashy on the sides. 

 The forehead and a line over the eye are black. 

 Below this black Hneis a faint white edge. Tail 

 black, the outer feathers white, the next white 

 edged and tipped. Female duller and without 

 black on head. Southern and central California 

 in the valleys. 



197. Black-tailed Gnatcatcher; Polioptila cali- 

 fornica Brewst. 



Similar to preceding, but top of head wholly 

 black; a white line around eye. Tail black, 

 the outer feathers with outer web white, and 



349 



