400 NESTS AND EGGS OF 



tions. Mr. E. Holterhoff, Jr., discovered its nest and eggs at Flowing 

 Wells, a station in the middle of the Colorado Desert, in California.* 

 In the same region a number of the nests and eggs have been taken 

 by Mr. F. Stephens and R. B. Herron. Dr. Edgar A. Mearns, U. S. A., 

 met with this bird in the desert country, between Phoenix and Casa 

 Grande, Arizona, f He states that the song of this species is remark- 

 able for its loud, rich tone, and is at least as fine as any of the genus. 

 Deserts of sand, " covered in places with patches of sage-brush and 

 groves of choUa cactuses, with a few mesquites and shrubs scattered 

 along the dry arroyos," are the favorite haunts of Leconte's Thrasher. 

 A glance at these bushes will usually suffice to detect the nest, as it is 

 large and conspicuous, except when the shrub is bushy. The nest is 

 usually built near the center of a cholla cactus, from one to seven feet 

 above the ground ; it is likewise frequently placed in mesquites. The 

 birds are close sitters and one can approach within a few yards before 

 they slip oflf — which they usually do on the opposite side of the bush — 

 dropping to the ground they run briskly and seek the cover of the 

 surrounding vegetation, and so adroitly conceal themselves that it is 

 almost impossible to detect them. The nest is composed of twigs, 

 grasses and weeds lined with feathers. The breeding season begins in 

 March, and, according to Mr. Herron's observations, some at least very 

 likely begin laying in February. 



The eggs are three or four in number, greenish-blue, faintly 

 speckled, chiefly at the larger end, with cinnamon-rufous or yellow- 

 ish-brown. Some specimens have large blotches on the surface. The 

 general shape of the eggs is elongated-oval. The sizes of a set con- 

 taining four eggs collected on May 24, 1883, in San Gorgonia Pass, 

 California, by Mr. Herron, are 1.13X.75, 1.07 x. 77, 1.08 x. 77, 1.14X.75. ^ 

 The average is 1.07X.76. 



712. Harporliyiiclius crissalis (Henry) [17.] 



Crissal Thrasher. 



Hab. New Mexico, Arizona, Southern Utah, Southeastern California and northern portion of Lower 

 California. 



This' is a common species in suitable localities throughout New 

 Mexico, Arizona and Southeastern California. Dr. Mearns states that 

 it is abundant all over the Verde River bottom lands, preferring mes- 

 quite thickets and the vicinity of streams. He says it is one of the 

 few birds that truly sing ; and it shares, in Arizona, this rare gift with its 

 congeners — Bendire's, Palmers and Leconte's Thrashers. Its song is 



* Described in the American Naturalist, XV, March, 1881; for fuller accouut Cf. Bull. Nutt. Ornith. 

 Club, VIII, 48-49. 



t For an extended historical account, together with full details of the habits of H. Ucontei and crissalis, 

 see Dr. Mearns' article, " Some Arizona Birds '' in The Auk, III, pp. 289-307. 



