328 XORTII A^rERICAN I3IRDS. 



Colorado l^iver, in California, by Dr. A. Scliott, and at Los Xoj,'alos, Mexico, 

 hy Dr. Konnorly. It was also met with in the Sacrauionto Valley by Dr. 

 lleerniann ; at Fort Tiiorn, New Mexico, by Dr. Jleury ; on the Pecos, 

 Texas, by ('a])tain Pope; and specimens from Mexico liave been received 

 fi)in Mr. (iould. It docs nut appear to have been observed in Southwestern 

 Texas by ]\Ir. Dresser. 



Tills species Dr. Cooper states to be (piite common throu(,'hont tlie south- 

 ern half of California, and resident throu<fhout the year at least as far north 

 as Los Angeles. In color they greatly resemble tlio T. vcrfint/is, but are 

 less lively and not so (puirreLsome in tlieir habits. During the early jiart of 

 th(( year they begin to sing by daylight, generally from the top of some high 

 tree. Tlieir notes are said to be loud and much more nuisical than those of 

 tlie other species, and their song exhibits considerable variety for a bird of 

 this family. During the middle of the day they are rather quiet, and sit 

 nuK'h of the time on their jierch, occasionally catching an insect tliat comes 

 very near, but they an; supposed by Dr. Cooper to feed mostly in the very 

 early morning. This observer found them breeding at San Diego as early 

 as March 28, as well as subsetiuently. Their nest is said to be much larger 

 and more firndy built than are those of others of the genus, being five and 

 a half inches in external diameter and about two and a lialf in height. The 

 ca\ity is three inches wide at the rim. The eggs, which he describes as 

 wliite, with large scattered reddish-lirown and umber blotches, measure .90 

 of an inch in length and .70 in breadth. lie found some of these birds in 

 Santa Clara Valley in May, 18(54. Tliey appeai'ed to be smaller and greener 

 on the back than tliose from the South. They winter in large numbers at 

 Santa Clara, in latitude :)7°. 



Dr. Coues found tliis a very abundant summer resident at Fort "Whipple, 

 breeding there in considerable numbei's, and all leaving early in October. 



Mr. Jiidgway did not meet with this sjiccies anywhere in the Great F)asiu, 

 nor in the Sacramento Valley. On the plains it is found as far north as 

 Cheyenne and Laramie Peak, and in the soutiiern portion of the Western 

 Provinces extends westward to California. 



Sjieeimeiis were obtained by Mr. George M. Skinner from Salaimi, Vera 

 T'az, ill Central America. It was also taken, in Februiiry, near Oaxaca, 

 Mexico, by ^Ir. Poucard. 



A nest of tiiis bird (Xo. 1,828), in the Smithsonian Museum, was taken at 

 Volcan de Colima, June, 18()3, by Mr. John Xantus. It is a slight struc- 

 ture com])osed chietly of wiry grass, mixed with bits of wool, and lined with 

 finer gra.sses. The eggs are two in number, having a pure-white ground, 

 freckled on the larger end with purplish-brown and grayish-lilac. These 

 markings are more sparse and are finer than those of the eggs of any other 

 species of this ,^nus, so far as I am aware. One of the eggs has a few 

 blotches of unilier on the larger end. They measure, one .93 by .G8 of an 

 inch, the other .93 by .65. 



