186 



TOWHEES— JAYS— EMERALD— HUMMINGBIRDS. 



ners and general habits it is similar to the common Meadow Lark 

 (Sturnella magna), Plate XXIV, page 23. Its striking charac- 

 teristic is its song, which is spoken of as highly musical. 



Mr. Ridgeway, who found this bird very numerous in California, 

 and all fertile portions of the interior as far east as the Missouri, 

 says, although closely resembling the eastern bird in appearance, 

 its song is totally different, not a note uttered by it having more 

 than a very distant resemblance to any of the well-known magna 

 of the eastern meadows. In the depth of its tone and the charms 

 of its articulation, its song is hardly excelled, resembling very 

 nearly the song of the Wood Thrush ; its modulation is best ex- 

 pressed by the syllables tung-tung-tungah-tiVlah-tiriah-tung, each 

 note powerful and distinct. He adds that, the difference between 

 the other notes of the two birds is still greater than in their song, 

 and even in character these are not alike. In the neglecta, the 

 call-note of watchfulness or alarm is a loud, deep-toned tuck, sim- 

 ilar to the chuck of the Black-bird, but much louder and more me- 

 tallic. That of sympathy for the young, or anxiety when the nest 

 is approached, is a loud, liquid tyar, slightly resembling the com- 

 plaining note of the eastern Black-bird, and also of the Orchard 

 Oriole. Their flight is also quite different. That of the eastern 

 species is carried on by an occasional spasmodic beat or jerk of 

 the wings, which are then extended, the bird sailing a short dis- 

 tance. The flight of the Western Lark is much more irregular, 

 the bird flitting along by a trembling flutter of the wings, never 

 assuming those peculiar features. 



Brown, or Crissai Towhee ; Canon Finch. (Pipilo fuscus, var. crissalis.) 



Fig- 3«- 



This Towhee is met with on the coast of California. Dr. Cooper 

 regards it as one of the most abundant and characteristic birds of 

 California, residing in all the lower country west of the Sierras, 

 and extending up the slopes of the Coast Range to the height of 

 three thousand feet. Their habits are similar to those of all other 

 species, living much upon the ground, and seeking their food 

 among the dead leaves, which they generally resemble in color. 

 They have but little song, and only utter a few faint chirps, and 

 hurried notes, as they sit perched upon some low bush, in the 

 spring. 



Cape, op White-throated Towhee. {Pipilo fuscus, var. albigula.') 



Fig. 32. 



This variety was first met with by Mr. Xantus, in the southern 

 extremity of the peninsula of Lower California. Nothing is 

 known in regard to its habits, but is supposed to be similar to 

 other species. 



PLATE CV. 



Rio Grande, or Green Jay. (Xanthoura incas, var. luxuosa.) 

 Fig. 1. 



This beautiful Jay is a resident of the Valley of the Rio Grande, 

 thence southward into Mexico. It was first described by the. French 

 Naturalist, M. Lessor. Specimens were obtained by Lieutenant 

 Couch, on the Rio Grande, at Matamoras, New Leon, and San 

 Diego, Mexico, who states that its food consists of seeds and in- 

 sects. Colonel McCall was the first who collected specimens of 

 this species within the limits of the United States. They were 

 obtained in the forests that border the Rio Grande, on the south- 

 eastern frontier of Texas. They were mated, and had their nests 

 in the extensive and almost impenetrable thickets of mimosa, com- 

 monly called chaparral. In character and temperament, these 



birds appeared to be very active and lively, though less noisy than 

 some other species of the family. Their gay plumage was exhib- 

 ited to great advantage, as they flitted from tree to tree, or dashed 

 boldly in pursuit of such of their more plainly attired neighbors a? 

 ventured to intrude upon their domains. 



Sierra, or Blue-fronted Jay. (Cyanurus stelleri, var. frontalis^ 



Fig. 2. 



This variety is an inhabitant of the whole length of the Sierra 

 Nevada. Its habits and characteristics are very similar to the 

 Eastern Blue Jay (Cyanura cristatus), represented on Plate 

 XXXIX., figs. 3 and 4, page 55, and those of the typical bird, 

 Steller's Jay (Cyanura stelleri), represented on Plate LXXL, 

 fig. 1, page 101. 



Long-crested Jay. (Cyanura stelleri, var. macroloplia?) 



Fig- 3. 



This variety, in habits and manners, is similar to the species 

 mentioned above. The Southern Rockv Mountain region is its 

 place of habitation. 



Sieber's Jay. (Cyanocitla ultramarina, var. sordida.) 

 Fig. 4. 



Very little is known regarding the habits of this variety. Its 

 habitat is mostly along the southern borders of Arizona and New 

 Mexico. 



Linne Hummingbird; Linnaeus Emerald. (Thamnatias linncei.) 



Fig. 5. 



These birds belong to South and Central America, and extend 

 their migrations to Guatemala. The species is figured in this 

 work as a member of our North America fauna, although it is 

 very doubtful if it is entitled to that recognition. It is said that 

 Mr. William Brewster shot a specimen in the summer of 1868, 

 near Mount Auburn, Cambridge, Massachusetts. Nothing has 

 been given to the public as regarding any distinctive habits. 



Heloisa's Hummingbird. (Atchis heloisa.) 



Fig. 6. 



This little Hummer was first discovered by Mr. Delattro, on the 

 highlands of Mexico, between Jalapa and Quatepa. He states 

 that the male bird is known to rise very early in the morning, and 

 is never seen in quest of food later than nine in the forenoon. It 

 very seldom goes to any distance from its mate or young, seeming 

 to prefer to frequent the flowers in the edge of forests, but does not 

 disdain those of open fields. This bird is accorded a place in the 

 list of North American species on the ground of a specimen taken 

 by Mr. Clark, at El Paso, Texas. 



Xantus' Hummingbird. (Heliopcedica xantusL) 

 Fig. 7- 

 This distinctly-marked species was discovered by Mr. Xantus, 

 at Cape St. Lucas. 



Refulgent Hummingbird. (Eugenes fulgens) 



Fig. 8. 



A new species of Hummingbird, discovered a few years ago, 

 by Mr. H. W. Henshaw. It is a resident of Arizona. 



