TYHANNID.K-TIIK KI.VrATCIIKIiS. 



339 



tly Jiftcr an insect fioni an accustonu'd pi'icli, nsuiilly a lower dead liml> of 

 a roicsi tiee. Tla-y jirulur sluidy situuLions, and aru &aid to luud lale in the 

 evuninj^. 



Mr. IJidLTway met with this sjtt'cics in all suitable localities, from tlio Sac- 

 raiiicnl(» \'alley eastward to the Waiisateh Mountains. It was most altun- 

 diint jMiinn^' the oaks of the idains hetween the Sacramento IJiver and tlie 

 Sierra Xevada ; Itut in the woodt'd river valleys of tlie interior, as well as in 

 the ci'dar and itinon or mahouanv woods tai the nioimtains of the latter 

 region, it was als(» more or less freinu-ntly met witli. In its manners it is 

 described as a counterpart of the eastern M. rrhiifufi, hut its notes, tliough 

 ^^enerally similar in character, have not that streni-th which makes the 

 vociferous .screaming wliistles of the eastern species .so noticeable. 



This species, or a very closely allied race of it (var. jK-rfitiKi) was pro- 

 cured at Ca])e St. Lucas by Mr. Xantus. It had the ])eculiarities of a 

 southern race, strv)nger feet, stouter bill, and a generally smaller .>■ ze. 



A few individuals of this species were found Ity Mr. CJrayson inhabiting 

 the islands of the Three Marias, on the Tacitic coa.st of Mexicf>. He usually 

 saw them among low bushes, darting from their perch after Hies and other 

 winged insects. Tliey were very silent, and seldom uttered a note. 



Four eggs of this sjiecies from Matamoras, collected by the late Dr. Ber- 

 landier, have the foUowing measurements : .82 by .7;">, .91 by .71, .95 by .7'>, 

 .98 by .75 of an inch. Though having a very clo.se resemblance to the eggs 

 of J/, rrinifd, there are noticeable certain constant variations. Tlie ground- 

 color is a little lighter, and has a tinge of jjinkish n:>t found in the eggs of 

 the eastern s])ecies. The markings are more in oblong plashes of irregular 

 sha|)e, and rarely exhibit the waving lines. There are more and larger 

 blotches of a light purj)lish-l)rown. The eggs are a little more spherical in 

 their general shape, and the markings are less abundant. The eggs of Jf. 

 coopcri have a still more roseate tint in the bufl* of the ground-color, are 

 marked with smaller blotches of bright purple and much lai'ger ones of 

 lilac-brown. They measure .92 by .75 of an inch. 



Genus SA70RNIS, Bonap. 



S<iyomi.% Boxap. ?Atent'o italian»>, 1854. — lu. Cullli>te^s Remhis, 1S.'>4, Xotos Orn. De- 



lilttlV. 



Aulannji; Cabams, Journal fiir Orn. 1S.^«5, 1 (tyix', nirfn'fiais). 



Gen. Char. TToad with a blended depressed moderate crest. Tarsus decidedly lon<r(T 

 ♦han middle toe, which is scanndy lonjrer tlian the liind toe. Bill rather narrow ; width 

 at bjuse about half the culmen. Tail broad, long-, slijrhtly forked; equal to the wings, 

 which are moderately pointed, and reach to the middle of the tail. Fir.<t primary shorter 

 than the sixth. -_ 



This genus agrees with the preceding in the length of the broad tail, but 



