BREWSTER: BIRDS OF THE CAPE REGION, LOWER CALIFORNIA. 59 
Sin José del Cabo, where fourteen specimens were taken, the first on August 
29, the last on October 7. They frequented the large fresh-water lagoon just 
back of the beach, and as many as six or seven were sometimes to be seen at 
one time scattered about on the surface of the water. A few were also met 
with in the creeks which connected with this lagoon. Most of the birds ex- 
amined had lost one or more toes, and two or three an entire foot, and part of 
the tarsus, also, while others showed gaping wounds on the breast. These 
mutilations were probably caused by the bites of fishes. This species has not 
been previously reported from the Cape Region, but ‘* Mr. Belding secured 
three specimens at San Rafael, May 16”’ (Bryant). 
The Northern Phalarope is not known to breed south of the Arctic regions. 
It occurs abundantly at its seasons of migration along the coast of Califor- 
nia, and in winter ranges as far southward as Guatemala and the Isthmus of 
Tehuantepec. 
Steganopus tricolor Vie1tt. 
Witson’s PHALAROPE. 
Steganopus wilsoni BeLpine, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., VI. 1883, 351 (La Paz and s.). 
Phalaropus tricolor Bryant, Proc. Calif. Acad. Sci., 2d ser., I. 1889, 271 (San José 
del Cabo). 
But three Wilson’s Phalaropes are known to have been taken in Lower Cali- 
fornia. Mr. Belding obtained the first some time in the spring of 1883, at San 
José del Cabo, where Mr. Frazar collected the other two in August, 1887. 
One of Mr. Frazar’s specimens, shot of the 30th of the month, is in the gray 
winter plumage, but appears to be an old bird.- The other, killed on the 31st, 
is a young bird in a plumage intermediate between that of autumn and winter. 
Both are males. 
This species is doubtless rare in Lower California, for unlike the Northern 
and Red Phalaropes it shuns salt water, and seldom visits either sea-coast of 
North America, preferring, at all seasons, fresh-water ponds and rivers in the 
interior, where its breeding range extends from the more northerly United 
States to about latitude 55° N. In winter it is said to be rather common on 
some of the interior lakes in Mexico, and it has once been found in Guatemala. 
Recurvirostra americana Gmet. 
AMERICAN AVOCET. 
Recurvirostra americana Brtprne, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., VI. 1883, 351 (s. of lat. 
24° 30’). Bryant, Proc. Calif. Acad. Sci., 2d ser., Il. 1889, 271 (La Paz). 
Mr. Frazar met with the Avocet only four times in all, at La Paz on Feb- 
ruary 3, and at San José del Cabo on October 15, 18, and 26. On the first 
three occasions single birds were seen, on the last a flock of eight. Mr. Beld- 
