246 
73. Passerella schistacea, Baird, var. megarynchus , Baird.—Thick-billed Sparrow. 
Passerella schistacea , Baird, B. N. A., 1858, 490 (only in part) (Fort Tejon). 
Passerella megarynchus , Coop., B. Cal., i, 1870. 221 (Fort Tejon and northward). 
Passerella townsendi var. schistacea , Coues, Key N. A. B., 1872, 352 (includes this form). 
Passerella townsendi var. megarynchus , B., B., & B,., N. A. B., ii, 1874, 57, pi. 28, f. 10. 
P Of the four species or varieties of Passerella, the present bird is the most remarkable 
of all. In coloration it approaches, most closely to the form of the northern middle 
region, P. schistacea, from which indeed it differs but little, if color alone be taken 
as a test. It has the same slate-gray, perhaps slightly darker, as the prevailing tint, 
contrasted on the wings and upper coverts with brownish rufous. It has associated 
with an unusual development of the hind claw, an increased size of bill, paralleled per¬ 
haps in no other case. This is so thick as to appear actually deformed. In the large 
series of the preceding bird collected there is no approach to this form in the size of 
these parts, while the type of coloration peculiar to either is always perfectly tangi¬ 
ble and well preserved. Besides being actually larger, the relative proportions of wing 
and tail are very different. In the present bird, as in the schistacea, the tail is very 
much longer than the wing. In townsendi the tail is usually the shorter, sometimes, 
however, equaling the wing. I have, therefore, thought best to consider P. schistacea 
as distinct from either townsendi or iliacus, assigning to it as a local variety megaryn¬ 
chus , which agrees with it in color and prox>ortions. The relationship of the other two 
is probably similarly intimate. 
The Thick-billed Sparrow appears to be quite confined to California, where it is an 
exclusive inhabitant of the mountains, chiefly in the middle and southern parts. 
Mr. Ridgway found it abundant at Carson City, on the eastern slope of the Sierras, 
which is the northermost locality recorded. In the mountains about Fort Tejou it was 
numerous enough in the month of August, but from its habits it was difficult to be¬ 
come very familiar with it, or even to procure specimens. Besides being of a nat¬ 
urally timid disposition it was only found in the chaparral, which was here composed 
chiefly of oak scrub ; I did not find them lower down than about 5,000 feet. 
When found feeding upon the ground on the outskirts of the thickets, they threw 
themselves with a peculiar loud sharp chirp into the undergrowth, and usually re¬ 
sisted all attempts to dislodge them by keeping in the thickest parts low down among 
the roots, and only flying, when absolutely compelled, to the next hiding-place. 
No. 
Sex. 
Locality. 
Date. 
Collector. 
Wing. 
Tail. 
Bill. 
Tarsus. 
Depth 
of bill. 
371 
cf ad. 
Mountains near Tejon, 
Aug. 17 
H. W. Henskaw. 
3. 42 
3. 96 
0. 63 
0. 98 
0. 52 
Cal. 
404 
cf ad. 
_do. 
Aug. 19 
-do. 
3. 35 
3. 83 
0. 64 
0. 98 
0. 58 
405 
9 inn. 
_do. 
Aug. 19 
__do. 
290 
cf j an. 
_do. 
Aug. 3 
_do. 
74. Guiraca melanocephalus, (Swains.).—Black-headed Grosbeak. 
This species, common throughout the middle region, is no less so on the Pacific 
slope. It occurs in all portions of California. During the summer it is rather partial 
to mountainous retreats, where it is found as often in the pine region as elsewhere ; but 
it also graces the lower regions, and is found in the low valleys coming often about the 
houses. 
Its song is the most interesting part of its history, and in its melody this species is 
excelled by very few others. 
No. 
Sex. 
Locality. 
Date. 
Collector. 
96 
cf ad. 
Santa Barbara, Cal. 
June 27 
H. W. Hensbaw. 
25 
cf j an- 
Los Angeles, Cal. 
Jane 29 
Do. 
133 
cf ad. 
Santa Barbara, Cal. 
June 17 
Do. 
75. Guiraca ccerulea, (Linn.).—Blue Grosbeak. 
Though quite southern in its distribution, this Grosbeak appears to reach much farther 
north ou the Pacific coast than in the interior, and Dr. Newberry has reported it from 
the extreme northern part of the State. We met with it at several places in Southern 
California, where it is pretty well diffused. It is never, I believe, found in the mount¬ 
ains, but inhabits the warm, sheltered valleys. 
