NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. 



397 



588a. SPXJBKEp TOWHEE. Pipilo maculatus megalonyx (Baird.) Geog. 

 Dist. — Rocky Mountain region westward to Southern California, north to Eastern 

 Washington Territory, south into Northern Mexico and Lower California. 



The Spurred Towhee Bunting is the prevailing form of the Rocky Mountain 

 region — New Mexico, Arizona, etc. Its habits, nesting and eggs are substantially 

 the same as those of P. erythroplitlialmus. Mr. S. C. Evans found several nests of this 

 bird near Riverside, California, all of which were placed in low bushes. Mr. Emer- 

 son says the bird is quite common in the vicinity of Haywards, California, where 

 he has taken many of its nests. The nearest he has ever found the nest to the 

 ground was about ten inches. In other localities, however, it is known to nest on the 

 ground like the Eastern Towhee. The eggs have a light pinkish-white ground, 

 thickly sprinkled and speckled with vinaceous-cinnamon, and average .88x.70 inches. 



5886. OKEGON TOWHEE. Pipilo maculatus oregonus (Bell.) 

 Pacific coast from British Columbia south to Santa Cruz, California. 



Geog. Dist— 



BSSi. Oregon Towhee (E. S. Cheney del). 



The Oregon Ground Robin is a resident In the western portion of the State of 

 Oregon and Washington during the summer, and in the more northern portions of 

 California. The nest is placed on the ground and sometimes in bushes, on stumps, 

 etc., like the Eastern Towhee's. It is composed of grasses and leaves, with a 

 lining of fine grass. Mr. Anthony mentions finding an egg of this species in the 

 nest of the Rusty Song Sparrow. In color and general appearance the eggs resemble 

 those of P. erythropJtthalmus. A set of four eggs, taken May 12, are pinkish-white, 

 thickly speckled with vinaceous and vinaceous-cinnamon; their sizes: .94x.70, .92x 

 .69, .91X.71, .95X.71 inches. 



