THE CALIFORNIA TOWHEE. 



{Pjpilo fuscus crissalis.) 



California, with its beautiful scenery 

 and its wonderful variety of interesting 

 forms of vegetable life, is the home of 

 the Towhee of our illustration. Its range 

 is long and narrow, including only that 

 region which lies west of the Cascade 

 and Sierra Nevada mountain ranges, 

 from Oregon southward tO' the northern 

 portion of Lower California. Like many 

 other birds which are abundant and fam- 

 iliar, the California Towhee is known by 

 several common names. Some of these 

 are: Brown Finch or Towhee, Crissal 

 Towhee Bunting and Canyon Finch. The 

 last name, though very commonly applied 

 to the bird, seems quite inappropriate, 

 for this Towhee is found not only in the 

 canyons, but also on the level country 

 wherever there is a growth of trees or 

 shrubbery. It also frequents the moun- 

 tain sides to a height of over three thou- 

 sand feet. 



The California Towhee is not only 

 abundant, but it is also one of the most 

 characteristic birds of the States, whose 

 name it bears. It belongs to a group of the 

 finch family, which contains a number of 

 species with terrestrial or semi-terrestrial 

 habits. This group is represented in the 

 eastern portion of the United States by 

 a single species — the chewink or common 

 towhee. In the southern and western 

 portions of our country, however, there 

 are several species and the genus reaches 

 its greatest development in Mexico, 

 where there are several kinds not found 

 elsewhere. 



The habits of the California Towhee 

 are similar to those of the other members 

 of its genus. It is quite partial to the 

 shrubby banks of streams where it seeks 

 its food by scratching among the leaves 

 lying on the ground. It is an excellent 

 example of protective coloration ; the 

 hues of its plumage resembling quite per- 

 fectly those of the earth and fallen fol- 

 iage. In some localities it is a constant 

 companion of the California thrasher. 

 The song of the California Towhees con- 

 sists of a **few quaint chirping and hur- 

 ried notes, as they sit perched on a low 

 bush in the spring." Its most striking 

 characteristics are its brownish color, its 

 long tail and its jerking flight as it 

 passes from bush to bush. 



Regarding its nesting habits. Dr. J. G. 

 Cooper says that he found a large num- 

 ber that were "built in bushes, from two 

 to four feet from the ground, and con- 

 taining but three eggs, with the excep- 

 tion of one, which contained four." He 

 also found nests that were built in low 

 trees and in a vine, growing over the 

 porch of a house. However, these Tow- 

 hees vary greatly in the selection of a 

 nesting site. Not infrequently the nest 

 is placed on the ground, in hollow tree 

 trunks, or in crevices of rocks which are 

 hidden by vegetation. Nests have also 

 been found in cactus plants not more than 

 a foot above the ground, and in trees 

 fully fifteen feet high. 



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