GEOCOCCrx. 535 



Saurothera californiana, Less. Compl. Buff., Ois. vi. p. 420 (1829)". 



Geococcyx calif or nianus, Baird, Brew., & Ridgw. N. Am. Birds, ii. p. 472"; Sennett, Bull. U. S. 

 Geol. Surv. v. p. 413"; Belding, Pr. U. S. Nat. Mus. vi. p. 344"; Shufeldt, Ibis, 1885, 

 p. 286, t. 7 " ; P. Z. S. 1886, p. 466, tt. 42, 45 '"; Herrera, La Nat. (2) i. pp. 178, 321". 



Cuculus viaticus, Licht. Preis-Verz. Mex. Vog. p. 1 (c/. J. f. Orn. 1863, p. 55)". 



Geococcyx variegata, Wagl. Isis, 1831, p. 524". 



Supra ajneo-viridescens, plumis omnibus (praeter apices) cervino limbatis, crista nuchali saturate purpurea : 

 subtus sordide albus, gutturis et pectoris plumis medialiter stria rachali nigra utrinque fulvo limbata, gula 

 immaeulata, tectricibus subcaudalibus abdomine eoncoloribus ; alis purpureo-nigris, remigibus maculis 

 duabus elongatis in pogonio extern© albis, una mediana, altera apicali ; cauda sneo-viridi, rectricibus 

 quatuor utrinque lateralibus albo terminatis ; rostro corneo ; pedibus plumbeis ; iride (ave vivo) rubro 

 bicincta, oculorum ambitu nudo caerdeo medialiter cretaceo-albo, postiee plaga coccinea ornato. Long, 

 tota circa 21-0, alsB 7'3, caudae rectr. med. 11-5, rectr. lat. 8-0, rostri a rictu 2-55, tarsi 2-5. (Descr. 

 feminge ex San Salvador, Puebla, Mexico. Mus. nostr.) 



<S feminae simUis. 



Hah. North America, Southern frontier States ^^, Texas ^^. — Mexico {I)epp6 i^, 

 Wagler i^, T. Mann ^, White ^, SumicJirast % Guaymas {Belding i^}, Mazatlau 

 {Grayson'', Xantus''), Guanajuato {Dugh% Zapotlan {W. Lloyd, W. B. Richard- 

 son), Nuevo Leon {F. B. Armstrong), Sierra Madre above Ciudad Victoria, 

 Xicotencal, Soto La Marina, Tamesi near Tampico, Tenango del Valle [W. B. 

 Richardson), San Salvador in Puebla {Ferrari-Perez), Valley of Mexico {Herrera "), 

 Velasco {le Strange), Jalapa {Salle *). 



This species has frequently been called by Gmelin's name, Phasianus mexicanus, 

 which was applied to the Hoitlallotl of Hernandez. This may be correct ; but as the 

 name mexicanus has also been applied to the smaller G. affinis, and the description 

 is so vague that it is impossible to decide to which bird it should belong, we think 

 it best to take Lesson's title californianus for it, as is the practice with American 

 ornithologists. 



The range of this species is extended over the whole of Northern Mexico as far as 

 the States of Jalisco and Sonora and the southern extremity of Tamaulipas. It is also 

 found in the Valley of Mexico, in small numbers, according to Herrera, in winter near 

 Tlalpam ^^. The only record we have of it south of this district is a specimen sent us 

 by Don F. Ferrari-Perez from San Salvador in the State of Puebla. In altitude the 

 range of this species is great, and extends from the sea-level at Mazatlan and Tampico 

 to the Valley of Mexico. Beyond the northern frontier of Mexico it occurs in all the 

 border States from Texas to California, and is a well-known bird in those countries. 



The habits of Geococcyx californianus have been fully described by several writers, 

 and a summary of their observations is so well given by Brewer in the ' History of North- 

 American Birds ' 12, that we need only add Grayson's notes '^ concerning the bird, and 

 those of Mr. Sennett ^^ which relate to its breeding. Grayson writes : — " This remarkable 

 bird, which the Mexicans call 'Churea.del Camino ' (Eoad-runner) — so called from the 

 habit it sometimes has of running along a path or road, — seldom fails to attract the 



