ORNITHOLOGICAL CLUB. 89 



reasonably be mistaken for them. The older authors in confound- 

 ing the races were quite excusable in giving them the same 

 specific names. Those now to be noticed come under three divis- 

 ions as to geographical distribution, viz. : first, those of tropical 

 and South America ; second, those of Asia ; third, those of the 

 Eastern United States. All circumpolar species, even if not re- 

 cently found on this coast, are omitted as very likely to be found. 

 The probability of the occurrence of the others varies chiefly with 

 the nearness of their usual range and their powers of flight, so that 

 we may frequently consider their occurrence r.s next to impossible, 

 as with the Mexican Quails and Jays which have been so often 

 credited to " California." 



What we know of the Asiatic stragglers to Alaska shows that 

 they are usually strong flyers, and I may here mention two of the 

 Raptores found only in California so far, and each but once, which 

 have a very Asiatic aspect, viz, Biiteo cooperi and Onychotes ijru- 

 heri. 



The first doubtful West coast birds were given by Gmelin as from 

 " Unalaska, Nootka," etc. ; the next came from " Oregon" ; and not 

 nutil 1830 did species begin to be credited to " California." At that 

 time the peninsula was included in this name, and yet very few 

 species, if any, were wrongly located on that accoimt, most of those 

 not found in "Upper California" being now unknown on the 

 peninsula, though often found on the West Mexican coast. The 

 cool sea-breezes of the coast act as an obstacle to the northward, 

 migration of many tropical species occurring on the Atlantic coast 

 in summer much farther north, while the Colorado Desert, over 

 one hundred miles wide, debars many more from the hotter 

 interior. 



A few have been called " Californian " which occur about the 

 Gulf, but not within sixty miles of our line, though of course the 

 water-birds may follow so far up the Colorado River. Many were 

 no doubt carelessly labelled by collectors, or designedly misi-epre- 

 sented as from regions then almost inaccessible, to increase their 

 value. 



As to "Oregon" of authors before 1853, it must also be re- 

 marked, that they included under the name the whole country 

 drained by the Columbia River ; and even now the State includes 

 part of the " Middle Province " of Baird, in which are found birds 

 not known from the coast. Captain Beudire is now for the first 



