May I9OI.] LAND BIRDS OF SANTA CRUZ COUNTY. 15 



84. Melospiza melodia morphna Oberh?- Rusty Song Sparrow. 

 Emerson — I saw one in October, 1884 at the summit of the mountains 



above Los Gatos creek. 



85. Passerella iliaca unalaschcensis (Gme!.). Gmelin Sparrow. 

 Emerson. — I met several of these silent sparrows scratching in the 



dead leaves among the thick brush. They were very tame, coming 

 around where we ate our meals. 



86. Pipilo maculatus falcifer McGregor.^ 



Emerson records orc_^onus as not often seen among the timber, but as 

 common on the edge of brambles. Fiske and I record megalonyx as an 

 abundant resident. Skirm. — Clutch usually four eggs; common; their 

 first clutch is laid in the latter part of April on the ground; their second 

 clutch invariabl}' in bushes from six inches to three feet from the ground. 3 

 Cooper — Nested in the Santa Cruz Mountains at 3000 feet altitude on May 

 28, 1864.4 



A series of seventy-five spotted Pipilos from nearly the whole length 

 of California shows great variation. Many examples with very short tail 

 spots are taken around San Francisco Bay and are usually referred to or- 

 cgonus. I am inclined to think that a more careful examination will show 

 this identification to be erroneous. The tail spots of four Oregon male 

 birds average .77 of an inch. This is a little less than the average of Cal- 

 ifornia coast birds, seven of which from Palo Alto average .85 of an inch. 

 The chestnut in Oregon birds is darker than in our birds and this is es- 

 pecially noticeable on the under tail coverts. The most striking and con- 

 stant difference, however, is in the claws, those of oregoims being short 

 and weak, the chord of hind claw measuring but about .40 of an inch. In 

 Palo Alto birds the same measurement reaches .50 or .55 of an inch, one 

 extreme example being .62. Neither can San Francisco Bay birds be cor- 

 related with megalonyx, as the white tail blotch of the latter measures 

 about 1. 14 inches. Consideration of these facts led me to give the San 

 Francisco Bay form a new name, which will include in all probability the 

 Santa Cruz birds. 



87. Pipilo fuscus crissalis ( Vig.^. California Towhee. 



From examination of fall brown towhees recently collected at Palo 

 Alto it appears that my Battle Creek birds were in the fresh fall plumage, 

 then unknown to me. Therefore the name carolce^ should be relegated 

 to synonymy. Emerson. — Like the former variety it keeps more to the 

 brush and clearings about habitations; always noticed in pairs. Kaeding. 

 — The two towhees are common and both breed. Fresh eggs were taken 

 up to May 22. Cooper. — Nests from March 17 to May 8.^ 



88. Zamelodia melanocephala capitalis {Ridgzc'.)^ Black-headed Grosbeak. 

 Emerson. — Common about all the streams. Seems to prefer the wil- 



1. Oberholser, Auk, XVI,- 1899, P- 'Sj- 



2. Condor, II; 1900, p. 43. 



3. Oriiilli. ami Ool., IX; 1884, p. 149. 



4. Proc. Nat. Mus., 1880, p. 248. 



5. Pipilo fiiscHS caioUr Mc(5regor. Bull. Cooper Oriiith. Club. I; iSi)9. p. 11. 



6. Proc. Nat. Mus.. 1S80; p. 249. 



7. MeC.rejjor, Coiidm , III: ic)Oi, ji. 41. Orinufll, fbul. p. 44. 



