OCR Text |
Show 1318 REPORT OF THE CHIEF OF ENGINEERS. canses: first, actual increase in the length of the tail; second, actual decrease in the length of the wing. By the abfve arrangement the four formB will stand as follows: Passerella iliaca ( Men*.).- Habitat: Eastern province of North America; breeds from British America northward, across to month of Yookon. Iu migrations to eastern edge of great plains; occasional in spring in Colorado ( Maxwell) floe Ridgway. Passerella iliaca, v& r. schistaoea Bd.- Habitat: Middle province; restricted by western edge of plains and eastern slope of Sierras; an occasional straggler in Kansas and California in fall. Passerella iliaca, var. townsendi ^ Aud.).- Habitat: Pacific province; breeds in northern Sierras; Southern California in winter; confined to western slope of Sierras. Passerella iliaca, var. megaryncha Bd.- Habitat: Southern Sierras, eastern as well as western slope; probably a resident species. 21. Pipilo maculatus ( 8w.), var. megalonyx Beil.- Long- spurred Towhee. I saw but few Pipilos, and these on the brashy foot- hills, or in the chaparral of the mountain sides. They were extremely shy, so much so that I failed to secure specimens. They were doubtless of the above variety, as the variety oregonus is a more northern form. 22. Pipilo chlorurus ( Towns.).- Green- tailed Finoh. Not uncommon in October; probably rather numerous in summer. ICTERID. E. 23. Sooleoophagus cyamoephalue ( Wagl.).- Brewer's Blackbird. Rather numerous during the fall months on the borders of Lake Tahoe. CORVHXE. 24. Corvus oorax L.- Raven. Not nearly so common In the mountains as in the valleys below. 25. Picioorvus columbianus ( Wils.).- Clarke's Crow. A very abundant resident throughout the pine- region, appearing to live exclusively upon the pine- seeds. 26. Pica melanoleuca L. v var. hudsonica ( Sab.).- American Magpie. As noticed in the previous list, soaroely reaching into the mountains, and but few were seen on the immediate borders of Lake Tahoe. 27. Cyanura stelleri Gm., var. frontalis Ridg.- Blue- fronted Jay. Very abundant on the eastern slope, here replacing the var. macrolopka of the Rocky Mountains. A permanent resident. TYRANNID^ l. 28. Empidonax hammondi ( Xantus).- Jlammond's Fly- catoher. This was the sole representative of the family noted by i s in the mountains. It probably is not uncommon as a summer resident. CAPRIMULGID. E. 29. Antrostomus nuttalli ( Aud.).- Nnttall's Poor will. Not uncommon in fall in the shrubbery of the open mountain sides, but avoids the pine- woods. TROCHILnXE. 30. Selasphorus rvfus ( Gm.).- Rufous- backed Humming- bird. The only humming- bird seen by us in the mountains. Very numerous in September and the first of Ootobei. An unaccountable fact to us in connection with the present bird is the apparent absence of all ad alt males in the fall from localities and regions where the young and fe- |