The Abert Towhee 



County, and unmistakable meow yeaow on Santa Cruz Island. The last- 

 named note is so precisely that of the Green-tailed Towhee (Oberholseria 

 chlorura) that I reached my reluctant conclusion only after searching and 

 repeated investigation. 



Towhee's humble manner of life enables it to conduct its domestic 

 operations by stealth. It is only by accident that one discovers the nest, 

 deep set in the leafy covering of the ground, or flushes the close-sitting 

 bird. On April 19th, 1915, on Santa Cruz Island, in a willow "bottom," 

 well shaded, and buried in heavy grass, I caught a glimpse of a black rat 

 shooting along the ground under a brush clump eight feet ahead. I had, 

 fortunately, seen "black rats" before, so I checked my steps instantly, 

 stooped and grasped firmly a dead branch which lay imbedded in the 

 grass at my feet. Wrenching this loose, three dainty eggs were disclosed, 

 in a sunken basket of coiled bark-strips and grasses — three eggs and a 

 system of runways by which the brooding bird could glide off under cover 

 for a considerable distance before emerging to view. There had not been 

 a sound of protest at first, but when they saw the game was up, the Tow- 

 nees confessed ownership vehemently enough. Sympathetic neighbors 

 dropped in — notably, a Hutton Vireo, which sat on a twig six feet over- 

 head and called me a bad man. But the affair was soon hushed up, and a 

 week or so later there were, no doubt, three more treasures buried under 

 the grass. 



No. 68 



Abert Towhee 



A. O. U. No. 592. Pipilo aberti Baird. 



Synonym. — Desert Towhee. 



Description. — Adult (sexes alike): General color cinnamon-gray. Above drab, 

 shading on sides to grayish cinnamon of underparts; red element of throat and chest 

 more intense, nearly fawn-color, palest (avellaneous) on breast, reintensifying pos- 

 teriorly; crissum mikado brown; face narrowly dull blackish, the color scattering and 

 passing out in flecks, especially upon throat. Bill grayish brown; tarsi light brown: 

 feet darker. Young: Like adults, but breast faintly streaked with dusky. Length 

 about 215.9-228.6 (8.50-9.00); wing 79 (3.10); tail 88.9 (3.50); bill 14 (.55); tarsus 26.6 

 (1.05). Females smaller. 



Recognition Marks. — Towhee size; almost uniform drab coloration; paler 

 above and ruddier below than Pipilo crissalis; face narrowly dusky. 



Nesting. — Nest: A deep, well-made cup of twigs, grasses, weed-stems, and 

 trash; neatly lined with fine grasses or horsehair; placed at moderate heights in bushes 



397 



