The Brown Towhees 



Authorities. — Vigors (Fringilla crissalis), Zool. Voy. "Blossom," 1839, p. 19 

 (Monterey; orig. desc.) ; Brewster, Bull. Nutt. Orn. Club, vol. iv., 1879, p. 41 (desc. 

 young) ; Beat, U. S. Dept. Agric, Biol. Surv. Bull., no. 34, 1910, p. 89, part (food); 

 Swarth, Condor, vol. xx., 1918, p. 117, fig., map (distr., desc, crit.) ; Oberholser, Condor, 

 vol. xxi., 1919, p. 210 (crit.); Hunt, Condor, vol. xxiv., 1922, p. 193 (song). 



No. 69a Northern Brown Towhee 



A. O. U. No. 591. 1, part. Pipilo crissalis carolae McGregor. 



Description. — "Closely related to P. f. crissalis, but distinguished by grayer 

 and more uniform color of upper parts, much paler throat patch and slightly longer 

 tail" (orig. desc). Very dubious. 



Range of P. c. carolce. — Resident in Upper Sonoran zone interiorly in northern 

 California and southwestern Oregon. 



Distribution in California. — Common resident locally in Upper and Lower 

 Sonoran zones west of the Sierras, from the Tehachipe divide north to the northern 

 boundary. The subspecies thus occupies the western slopes of the Sierras, the great 

 interior valley and the eastern slopes and semi-arid areas of the coast ranges, from the 

 latitude of Tulare Lake north. 



Authorities. — Heermann (Pipilo fuscus), Jour. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila., ser. 

 2, ii., 1852, 267; McGregor, Bull. Cooper Orn. Club, vol. i., 1899, p. 11 (Battle Creek, 

 n. Calif.; orig. desc); Tyler, Pac Coast Avifauna, no. 9, 1913, p. 86 (Fresno; habits, 

 nests and eggs); Swarth, Condor, vol. xx., 1918, p. 117, fig., map (distr. in Calif., desc, 

 crit.). 



No. 69b Anthony's Brown Towhee 



A. 0. U. No. 591.1a. Pipilo crissalis senicula Anthony. 



Description. — "Differing from crissalis in smaller size, much less rusty on 

 lower parts, upper parts darker and lower more grayish" (orig. desc). A very 

 "light" form. 



Range of P. c. senicula. — Resident in the southern Pacific Coast districts, 

 broadly, from San Luis Obispo County, California, south to (at least) Latitude 29. 

 Lower California. Casual east of the desert divides: Palm Springs (Gilman), Mo- 

 rongo Pass (Stephens). This form intergrades with crissalis on the north, but is 

 probably distinct from carolce, from which it may prove to be separated by the southern 

 end of the Tulare basin. 



Authorities. — Cooper (Pipilo fuscus), Orn. Calif., 1870, p. 245, part; Anthony, 

 Auk, vol. xii., 1895, pp. in, 141 (San Fernando, Lower Calif.; orig. desc.) ; Grinnell, 

 Pasadena Acad. Sci. Pub., no. 2, 1898, p. 40 (s. Calif.; occurrence, nesting dates, etc.); 

 Dickey, Condor, vol. xviii., 1916, p. 93, figs, (habits; photos of birds, nests and eggs); 

 Swarth, Condor, vol. xx., 1918, p. 120, figs., map (distr., desc, crit.). 



FAMILIAR objects, whatever their worth, come to be dear to us 

 through association. There is, honestly, no particular reason why we 

 should be fond of this prosy creature, save that he is always around. In 

 appearance, the bird is a bit awkward, slovenly, and uncouth; or at least, 

 we are obliged to see him oftenest in every-day duds, and he seems to 



4°3 



