1913] Grinnell Swarth: Birds and Mammals of San Jacinto 279 



Thirty-one specimens were collected: Hall Grade, two (nos. 

 1626, 1627), Sehain's Ranch, six (nos. 1902-1907), Poppet Flat. 

 one (no. 2010), Banning, one (no. 2040), Kenworthy, seven 

 (nos. 2356 2:5<i2i. Tahquitz Valley, six (nos. 2859-2864), Round 

 Valley, one (no. 2865), Heme! Lake, five 'nos. 2971-2975), 

 Vallevista, two s. 3116, 3117). 



Melospiza melodia cooperi Ridgway 



San Diego Song Sparrow 



Nowhere abundant, and yet represented in suitable places 

 almost wherever such occur. Noted as follows: At Cabezon, May 

 20, one was seen in the canon bottom near camp; a1 a cienaga 

 at about 2000 feet altitude in Snow Creek Canon, one was heard 

 and seen repeatedly, .May 28 and 33 ; near Banning, June ii. 8 

 and 14. single individuals were noted; several were heard or seen 

 in ravines and meadows, and one (no. 1912) taken, at Sehain's 

 Ranch, 4900 feet. June 18; in the canon of the San Jacinto 

 River, near Oak Cliff, at 20OO feet altitude, one was heard, May 

 10; and in the lower Palm Canon. 800 to 1200 feet altitude. 

 several were observed, and two (nos. 3053, 3054) taken. .Inne 15 

 and Kk It is probable that the species was breeding at all these 



places. 



The song sparrows in this region appeared to he restricted 

 to Riparian or almost Palustrine associations, below the Tran- 

 sition zone: this accords with the occurrence of the race cooperi 

 elsewhere in southern California. The thing of startling interest 

 was its occurrence in the canons on the desert base of the moun- 

 tains, without departing in its subspecific characters from the 

 average of cooperi as occurring throughout the San Diegan dis- 

 trict. The two specimens from Palm Canon are adidts. in very 

 good plumage for comparative purposes. They do not differ 

 in appreciable degree from cooperi from the Pacific slope of 

 southern California; in other words they show no perceptible 

 approach towards the very different M. m. saltonis of the Colo- 

 rado desert around Mecca, at the northwest end of Salton Sea. 



This is significant when it is considered that conditions of 

 flora, temperature, and humidity, are to all appearances very 



