398 PROCEEDINGS OF UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 



visits I have made to the place in different years, and once shot a young 

 one there as early as August 1. 



It is a rather rare summer resident at Big Trees, owing, probably, to 

 the absence of its favorite food, the juniper-berry. Once, while calling 

 a companion with a policeman's whistle, I heard a shrill note in the small 

 oak-tree under which I stood. Looking up, I discovered the author of 

 the note, a male pf this species, which had evidently been attracted by 

 the whistle, and was answering my call. 



73610 d" ad. *Big Trees May 4, 1877 



73872 — ad. i Soda Springs Autumn, 1877 



73873 — ad. | do Autumn, 1877 



75312 — juv. | Big Trees July 13, 1875 



* 10. Phainopepla nitens, (Sw.). — Black Ptilogony. 



This is a rather common summer resident of the chaparral belt, out 

 of which I have not seen it. It was observed several times on July 4, 

 between Milton and Murphy's. I shot a male near Jenny Liud, toward 

 the close of the hunting season of 1874, not later than March 12. Early 

 in April I have found it mated at Copperopolis, Calaveras Co. 



Its manners are well described by Dr. Cooper in the Ornithology of 

 California. The young in this collection was gorged with berries of the 

 "wild coffee" of Murphy's, which differs slightly from that of Big Trees. 

 This berry is about half an inch in diameter, very rouud, red just before 

 ripe, black when ripe. 



73534 I cf ad. j *Murphy's. 

 75313 — juv. do 



I 



Mar. 13,1877 

 Aug. 29, 1878 



Family SAXICOLID^E : The Saxicolas. 



* IX Sialia mexicana, Sw. — California)! Bluebird. 



The Californian Bluebird is a common constant resident of the valleys 

 and foot-hills, and is also common as high at least as Big Trees in sum- 

 mer. It arrives at Big Trees about the middle of May. There it is 

 principally confined to the fields or meadows and their borders. 



73879 

 73880 

 73881 

 73882 

 76302 

 7G363 

 70538 



d ad. 

 cf ad. 

 d ad. 

 J ad. 

 cf juv. 

 cf juv. 

 cf ad. 



'Murphy's 



'.'.'."do 



do ... 



*Big Trees 



do ... 



Murphy's. 



Winter, 1877 

 Winter, 1877 

 Winter, 1877 

 Winter, 1877 

 Aug. 20, 1878 

 Aug. 20, 1878 

 Whiter, 1877 



*12. Sialia arctica, Sw. — Rocky Mountain Jllncbird. 



This bird is an irregular winter visitant to the foot-hills and valleys. 

 It was first noticed at Stockton in the fall of 1878, on October 28. It 

 was common in the following November, showing a partiality for fences 

 along roads, sometimes perching on telegraph wires, seldom being seen 

 on trees. A llock was seen March 12, 1878, thirty miles east of Stock- 



