88 



TACIFIC COAST AVIFAUNA No. 7 



Occurs occasionally along the base of the nKxmtains cUirin.o- migrations. 

 Winters in small numbers at least as far north as San licrnardino. 1 breeds 

 mostly in May. H. A. Gaylord took a specimen near Pasadena, April 4, 

 1896, and took another in the same locality, April 29, 1897 ( Grinnell, Pub. 

 2, Pasadena Acad. Sci., 1898, 40). H. W. Marsden took a male at Witch 

 Creek, San Diego County, September 25, 1909. During the winter of 1895-6, 

 H. E. Wilder found a number of these birds near San Bernardino. Specimens 

 were taken in January and February (Thurber, Auk xiii, 1896, 265). I 

 found several nests of this bird at Bear Valley, 6750 feet in the San Bernardino 

 Mountains, during June, 1907. They all contained young except one found 

 on June 15, which held three addled eggs. 



295. (596) Zamelodia melanocephala (Swainson K Black-headed Gros- 

 beak. ; 



Common summer resident of the lowlands and, locally, up to over 6000 

 feet in the mountain canons. Arrives in late March and early April, and leaves 

 in September. Eggs are generally deposited during late May and early June. 

 J. Grinnell has noted the species at Pasadena from March 30 (1896) to 

 September 22 (1896) (Pub. 2. Pasadena Acad. Sci., 1898, 40). H. Robert- 

 son saw a bird near Los Angeles, March 17, 1900. Extreme nesting dates are: 

 Three eggs taken by H. Robertson near Los Angeles, April 28, 1897, and 

 three eggs, incubation commenced, taken by Antonin Jay near Rivera, 1 .os 

 Angeles County, July 8, 1906. 



296. (597a) Guiraca caerulea lazula (Lesson). Western Blue Gros- 

 beak. 



Tolerably common summer resident of the mesas and the willow-bordered 

 streams and ponds of the lower country. Aluch less plentiful than formerly. 

 Arrives in April and leaves mostly in September. Breeds most commonly in 

 the latter part of May. J. Mailliard took two males on Santa Cruz Island, 

 April 29. 1898 (Bull. Cooper Orn. Club i, 1899, 44). J. E. Law took four 

 slightly incubated eggs in the San Fernando \'alley, Los Angeles County, 

 May 11, 1907, and Antonin Jay took two eggs, incubation commenced, near 

 Los Angeles, July 4, 1897. 



J. Grinnell has recently given the name of Guiraca caerulea salicarius 

 to our local form of blue grosbeak (Proc. Biol. Soc. Wash, xxiv, 1911, 163). 

 This subspecies has not yet been acted upon by the A. O. U. Committee. 



297. (599) Passerina amoena (Say). Lazuli Buntinc. 



Common summer resident from the brush-covered mesas and foothills 

 u]) to 7000 feet in the mountain canons. Breeds mostly in May and early 

 June. J. Grinnell has noted the species in the vicinity of Pasadena from April 

 4 (1896) to September 17 (1897) (Pub. 2, Pasadena Acad. Sci., 1898, 41). 

 H. S. Swarth took an immature male near Los Angeles, September 18. 1899. 

 Extreme nesting dates are : Three eggs, fresh, taken by E. D. Parker near 

 Pasadena, April 30, 1895 (Grinnell, 1. c), and three slightly incubated eggs 

 taken by A. I. McCormick near Los Angeles, Tune 2?). 1895 (Avifauna L 

 1895, 5). 



