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Show 250 BO that it may be the regular habit of the species to thus gather together into rookeries. In fall, the white bordering the Red- wing patch changes to pale buff, being then precisely as seen in southern examples of A. phcenioeua. The red, however, is of a totally different hue, being many shades darker. The black is of a brilliant metallic luster, yery much as in the Sooleoophogus cyanocephalus, never dull, as in phaenioeus. The female and young are readily distinguishable from that species. The Yellow- headed Blackbird is, according to Dr. Cooper, a common resident of the warm valleys of the interior of the State. The species was, however, not met with by us, ' owing to the fact that scarcely a locality was visited which would meet the necessities of their mode of life. No. 33 34 35 37 363 364 745 189 1% 191 199 193 194 i< w 196 197 198 199 2( H) 901 Sex. cf art. cf ail. cf ad. d m cf atl. cf ad. cf ad. cf jnn cf jnri. 9h cf jo cf ju cf jor, cf jo 9 juu, v jo V jo cf jo cf jnn. 9 jim Locality. Santa Clara Valley, Cal t do do ' S dO do do do ; do Santa Barbara, Cal , do do 1 do do ; do i do » do i do do ." L do do do Date. Jane 22 Jane 22 Jane 24 Jane 22 Aag. 16 Aag. 16 Oct 25 Aug. - J a l y 6 J a l y 6 July 6 J a l y 6 J a l y 6 July 6 July 6 J a l y 6 July 6 July 6 J a l y 6 July 6 July 6 Collector. HLW. Henehaw. do do do do . . . . do do do do do . . . . do do do do . . . . do do . . . . do do do do Wing. 4.83 4.70 4.20 4.93 4.58 4.80 4.79 4.58 Tail. 3.72 3.66 3.16 3.79 3.76 3.77 3.74 3.62 Bill. 0.92 0.92 0.75 0.92 0.86 0.88 0.90 0.88 Tarsus. 1.19 1.23 1.03 1.17 1.17 1.23 1.13 1.83 83. Sturnella magna, ( Linn.), var. neglecta, Aud.- Western Meadow- lark. The distribution of the Lark in California agrees with its general dispersion over the West. It is found in the fertile valleys and on the plains, even when the latter are dry. In summer it is more restricted to the meadowy lands where there is herbage sufficient to serve as a cover for its nest. I was much surprised to see a pair upon the island of Santa Cruz, this being about as unpromising a locality for birds of their habits as could well be imagined. The single couple had taken up their abode in a small garden, the green things in which were nourished by a small rivulet of water, and their nest had probably been made in a patch of grain, which they frequented much of the time. No. i Sex. Locality. Date. Collector. 21 172 173 420 502 582 583 628 629 J ad. cf ad. 9 Jan. cf cf cf ad. cf ad. cf ad. $ Santa Crass Island, Cal Santa Barbara, Cal do Walker's Basin, Cal Near Mount Whitnej-, Cal. Near Kern ville, Cal do do do.. June 10 July 1 July 1 Aug. 27 Sepl26 Oct. 21 Oct 20 Oot 27 Oct 25 H. W. Henshaw.. do do do do do do do do 84. Icterus bullocki, ( Swains.).- Bullock's Oriole. This Oriole occupies in the West the same place so conspicuously filled by the well-known Baltimore in the East. It comes freely into the precincts of village and city, suspending its nest from the swaying limbs of the shadetrees. It Was very common about Los Angeles in June, and probably had young at that time. No. 260 Sex. 9 Jnn. Locality. FortTejon, Cal Date. Aug. 27 Collector. H. " W. Henshaw... |