164 BULLETIN : MUSEUM OF COMPARATIVE ZOOLOGY. 
evidently nesting.” The bird may be briefly characterized, therefore, as a 
somewhat uncommon winter, and rare summer resident. To the northward, 
according to Mr. Bryant, it has been met with at only a few places, and no- 
where numerously. Mr. Anthony states that he found it “ quite common” at 
San Pedro Martir in late April and early May, 1893, but that it was “ not seen 
above 7,000 feet.” 4 
In California, the Louisiana Tanager occurs only in summer and at its 
seasons of migration. It is rather rare near the coast, but has been found 
breeding at Santa Barbara. In the interior it breeds commonly among the 
Sierras. Northward its range extends into British Columbia. It goes as far 
south as Guatemala, and is common in western Mexico in spring and autumn. 
Progne subis hesperia Brewst. 
WESTERN MARTIN. 
Progne purpurea (not Hirundo purpurea CatesBy) Barrp, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. 
Phila., 1859, 801, 808 (Cape St. Lucas). 
Progne subis (not Hirundo subis Linnanus) Bairp, Rev. Amer. Birds, pt. I. 1865, 
274-277, part (Cape St. Lucas). Brxtprine, Proc. U.S. Nat. Mus., V. 1885, 
547 (San José). 
Progne subis hesperia Brewster, Auk, VI. 1889, 92, 93 (orig. descr.; types from 
Sierra de la Laguna). Bryant, Proc. Calif. Acad. Sci., 2d ser., II. 1889, 
806 (Cape St. Lucas; San José del Cabo; Sierra de la Laguna) ; Zoe, II. 
1891, 195 (San José del Cabo). 
This subspecies, in which the differential characters are exhibited by the 
female only, was first met with by Mr. Frazar on the summit of the Sierra de 
la Laguna, where it appeared on April 29. Regularly each afternoon, during 
May and the first week of June, a few congregated over an open space in front 
of a hunter’s cabin. They usually flew at a considerable height, but the males 
every now and then pitched downward nearly to the earth, descending with great 
velocity and making a booming noise very like that of the eastern Nighthawk. 
This remarkable habit, unknown in the common Martin, was constantly prac- 
tised here, but, curiously enough, it was not once observed at Triunfo, where 
Mr. Frazar found the Western Martins abundant during the last three weeks 
of June. Belonging to the mine at this latter place, was an immense wood-pile 
covering over three acres and harboring great numbers of long-horned beetles 
upon which the Martins and Texan Nighthawks fed greedily. The Martins 
appeared every afternoon, a little before sunset, to the number of two or three . 
hundred, and skimmed back and forth over the wood-pile until twilight fell. 
Mr. Frazar was told that they were first seen here about the date when they 
arrived on La Laguna. They disappeared suddenly and totally, immediately 
after a succession of heavy showers early in July, and were not afterwards met 
1 Zoe, IV. 1893, 248. 
