KIUNCIM.ID.K — TIIK I'INCIIKS. 126 



ImiigirifT tlio Sacmmonto liivcr. He doscribos tlio i><»jj;s of this hjjcl'U'.s ns 

 tlifluriiif^ entirely t'n>m any di' tiiis jiciiiis ho hiul I'Vcr iiict witii, ami as hav- 

 inj; so ^'I'wit a icsciiihlaiico to tho i'j,'^s (if tiii' throo diHi'it'iit siH'cics of I'.lack- 

 hirds inhaltitiii},' Califoniia that thoy wcro lialjle to lie tjonfoundod with 

 them unless maikod wlien taken fioni the nest. 



Dr. Newlierry, \\\u) found this liird very common in the Sacramento Val- 

 ley, states that when he first met with it, a atraiij^e bird to him, its haliit of 

 scratching amou},' the dry leaves under the bushes, as well as its long tail 

 and jerking flight from one clump of bushes to another, at onee indicated to 

 him its ulHnities. 



Anmng the ujemoranda made by Mr. Xantus at Fort Tejon are the fol- 

 lowing in reference to this species: "474, ne.it and two eggs, found May 19 

 on a small thorn-b>ish in a very dark thicket, about six feet from the ground ; 

 1,075, nest and one egg, (m a thick thorny busli, six feet from the ground ; 

 1,851, nest and two eggs. May 12, on a rose-bush, four feet from the ground, 

 eggs already incubated." 



The eggs of this species measure one inch by .75, have a light ground of 

 robin-blue, and are spotted and blotched with varying shades of daik and 

 light purple. In some the color of the blotches is so deep as not to be 

 distinguishable from black, except in a strong light. The lighter shades 

 are a faint lavender. 



Pipilo fascus, var. mesoleucus, r.Ainn. 



CAfiON BUNTING. 



Pipilo mcsoleuciis, BAlIin, Pr. A. N. Sc. Pli. VII, .Time, 1S.',4, 119 (Rooky Mouiitaiiis), -- 

 111. IJinls N. Am. ISiW, .518 ; ).]. x.\i.\. - Kr.sNKUi.v, V. W. H. X, 1p. [il. xxix. — 

 Hkgkm. X, c, J), 15. — C'oorKU, Oni. I'lil. I, 'Ji7. .' Pijii/a/iisai, "Swain.s,," Sci.ArKB 

 & Salvin, r. Z. S. 18C9, aOl (city of Me-vico). 



Sp. CiiAR. AI)ove very (lull oliviicooiis-brown, with a ffrayish tiiip:('; linod dull clipst- 

 niit, conspiLMioiisly didi'ivnt t'roin tin? l)!ick. Sides like tlio hack, liiit iiiilcr; iiostcriorly, 

 and ahoiit tlio voiit and iiiidor tail-oovoils, pale lii-owiiish-rcd. The ashy olivo-lnDWii of 

 the aides scarcely nioetiiif; across the breast, the lower portion of which, with the upper 

 b(?lly, is rather pure white. The loral reu'ion, chin, throat, and upper part of the breast, 

 pale yellowish-rufims. (iiiely spotted on the sides and more coarsely across th(! breast with 

 lirown: an obseiire spot in the middle of the breast; edjre of outer priinary white. Hill 

 pale brown ; leiifs lle.sh-color ; lirst f|iiill about ocpial to eijrhlh, third and fourth lon};est. 

 Length, 8.50 inches ; winp;, ;!.80; tail, 4.70. 



IIah. Valley of Upper Rio Grande and across to tlu.' (Jila Itiver. East to Banta 

 Oaterina. New Leon. 



This race is similar in general ajijiearanco to P. mumlin, but the 

 olive-brown tind rufous are both of a lighter shade. The crown is of a 

 decided rufous, conspicuously different from the back, instead of nearly the 

 same tint. The light reddish under the head is wider throughout, and 



