14 PACIFIC COAST AVIFAUXA Xo. 5 



1854. Lawrence, G. N. Description of a New Species of Bird of the Genus Larus 

 Linn. < Ann. Lye. Nat. Hist. New York VI, March 1854, pp. 79-80. 



n _ I Larus Calif ornicus; type from "vSan Joachin River, near Stockton." 



1855. Cassin, J. Notes on North American Falconidse, with descriptions of new 

 Species. < Proc. Ac. Nat. Sc. Phil. VII, February 1855, pp. 277-284. 



Inchides the original description of Buteo elegans {^Biiteo lineatus elcgans) from "Cali 

 fornia", and accredits to the vState several other species. 



1855. Prevost, FL, et Des Murs, O. Oiseaux [pp. 177-279] < Voyage | atitour 

 du Monde | Sur la Fregate | La Venus | Commandee | Par Abel du Petit- 

 Thouars | Capitaine de Vaisseau, Comniandeur de la Legion d'honneur. | — | 

 Zoologie I Mammiferes, Oiseaux, Reptiles et Poissons 1 Paris | Gide et J.Baudry, 

 Editeurs | Rue Bonaparte, 5 | — | 1855; 8vo, pp. 1-351. 



The birds upon which this article is based are said to have been obtained by Dr. N^boux, 

 surgeon of the "Venus". Among the localities mentioned are the coast of Peru, Chili, the 

 Galapagos Islands, San Bias, and Monterey in Upper California. Eleven species are ac- 

 credited to the latter place. But no less than six of these are tropical species, unknown as 

 birds of our State. vSo that it seems very probable that localities were confused. I have no 

 confidence in any of these INIonterey records, therefore, no more in that of Lams fiircatus 

 (p. 277, PI. X of Atlas) than in any of the others, such as ''Sturnella iiiilitaris" or the 

 "Caracara". Larus (^Or^r^^r//^) /7/;ra^«.f has been included as a Xorth American species 

 on the basis of the "Venus" record, now with little doubt to be considered erroneous. I 

 examined the above work in the library of the Academy of Xatural Sciences of Philadelphia, 

 January 10, 1908. 



1855. Taylor, A. S. Note on the Great Vulture of California (Cathartes vcl Sar- 

 coraniphus Californianus). < Zoologist XIII, 1855, pp. 4632-4635. 



Account of its capture "on the beach" at jMonterey, and habits, mostly on hearsay. 



1856. Brewer, T. M. [Red-tailed Hawks of California] <Proc. Bost. Soc. 

 Nat. Hist. V, September 1856, pp. 385-386. 



Critical: Biitco vwntanus (^=B. horealis calunis). 



1856. Cassin, J. Notes on North American Birds in the Collection of the Academy 

 of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia, and National Musetmi, Washington. 

 < Proc. Ac. Nat. Sc. Phil. VIII, February 1856, pp. 39-42. 



Includes the original description of Spizel/a brezveri from "California". Also accredits 

 Spizella pallida to this State, but this record remains unconfirmed. 



1856. Cassin, J. Illustrations | of the | Birds | of | California, Texas, Oregon, 

 British and | Russian America. | Intended to Contain Descriptions and Fig- 

 ures I of all I North American Birds | not given by former American authors, 

 I and a | General Synopsis of North American Ornithology. | By | John Cas- 

 sin, I Member [etc., 5 hues]. | 1853 to 1855. | — | Philadelphia: | J. B. Lip- 

 pincott & Co. I 1856. Large 8vo, pp. i-viii, 1-298, pll. 1-50. Originally 

 issued in parts. 



The particularly Californian species figured and discussed are: 3lelanerpes formici- 

 vorus, p. 7, pi. 2 {^]\L f. bairdi) ; Larus heermanni, p. 28, pi. 5; Chanicsa fasciata, p. 39, 

 pi. 7 (the plate shows a very dark bird, probably Ch. f. rufula, from "the neighborhood of 

 San Francisco"); Aimnodramus ruficeps, p. 135, pi. 20 {^=Aiuiophila ruficeps) ; Archibuteo 

 ferrugineus, p. 139, pi. 26; Ptilogonys nitens, p. 169, pi. 29 {^Phainopepla n ileus); Trog- 

 lodytes inexicanus, p. 173, pi. 30 { = Catherpes rnexicanus punctulatus) ; Melatierpes thyro- 



