u I LIB R ARY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA. GIFT OK Received . &<&*:. t. . /.., i8g& . Accessions No. 4*2-' ?J? Shelf No. Occasional Papers CALIFORNIA 1? ii. SAN FRANCISCO, 1890. Oil 33 LAND BIRDS Pacific District BELDINQ SAN FRANCISCO: CALIFORNIA ACADEMY OF SCIENCES, September, 1890. Committee of Publication: H. W. HARKNESS, GEORGE HEWSTON, T. S. BRANDEGEE, H. H. BEHR. Editor: TOWNSHEND STITH BRANDEGEE. LAND BIRDS OF THE PACIFIC DISTRICT. In the fall of 1883 the leading ornithologists of the Ignited States and-Canada met at New York' and organ- ized the American Ornithologists' Union, appointed committees for the revision of the classification and no- menclature of North American birds, on their migration, avian anatomy, the elegibility of the European house sparrow in America, and on faunal areas. The United States and British North America were divided into thirteen districts, including the light-houses of the coasts as one, with a superintendent for each dis- trict. The Pacific District comprises California, Oregon, Washington and Nevada, in which I superintended the collection of data concerning migration and distribution of the birds for about two years, resigning early in 1886, as I thought we had already accomplished about all we were likely to in this line of inquiry, with the limited number of observers. The report from the District of British Columbia, Mr. John Fannin, Superintendent, was, at the suggestion of Dr. C. Hart Merriam, Chair- man of the Committee on Migration, and by the courtesy of Mr. Fannin, incorporated in our report. Mr. Fannin informed me that his list of British Columbia birds was made up partly from his own notes and partly from those published by John K. Lord, and says that having traveled the province pretty extensively, he has ascertained that Mr. Lord made some mistakes in limiting the range of some species, and in recording the habits of others, and that the observations concern- ing British Columbia must be taken as referring to the wrhole province, and not for any particular district, un- less otherwise stated. "British Columbia," he writes, "is a country of Z CALIFORNIA ACADEMY OF SCIENCES. migrants within itself, for while it is winter in one por- tion, the flowers of summer are blooming in another. It is also a country of great distances, and it is very won- derful what a change in our bird fauna may be seen in traveling a few miles. It is only nine miles from Bur- rard Inlet to New Westminister, and yet of our summer visitors, there are some four or five species which are abundant at the latter place that are entirely unknown at the former; and so it is all through the Province, although the difference may not be so marked." The notes of the light-house keepers on the coast of British Columbia and Washington were kindly forwarded by Dr. Merriam for the same purpose. In 1885 the Division of Economic Ornithology was established in connection with the U. S. Department of Agriculture, at Washington, with Dr. Merriam as or- nithologist and Dr. A. K. Fisher assistant ornithologist. The work on migration and distribution was continued here, and observations on the food habits of the birds were added; and still later, observations on the food of mammals became a part of the work. This report was mostly type-written by that department, proof read by Dr. Fisher, and the most of the data of 1886 and later was incorporated by him. To do this, he gave very valuable time and much intelligent labor without the hope of reward, although he was, during this time, superintendent of the extensive and important Atlantic District. Finally, we are placed under still greater ob- ligations to the Department of Agriculture by the return, at my request, of the type-written copy. This report aims, mainly, to show the arrivals and departures of migrating species, as well as to give a cat- alogue of all the species known to occur in the district. The data on the food of the birds has been mostly elim- inated from the report, being usually meagre and, BIRDS OF THE PACIFIC DISTRICT. 3 therefore, unsatisfactory. It will, however, be preserved for future use. All persons are credited with the data which they contributed to the report, which has been simply a labor of love from beginning to end. In California the spring migrating land birds almost invariably come gradually and almost imperceptibly, probably many arriving in the night or early morning; and I have never seen, on the Pacific Coast, what might properly be termed a "bird wave," except upon one oc- casion, and that was in the spring of 1866, before I began to keep a record of bird movements. Mr. F. Stephens noticed a " bird wave " at Canipo, San Diego County, the last of April, 1877 (Bull. Nutt. Orn. Club, July, 1883, p. 188). Except these, I know of no other occurrences of this kind on this Coast, of course ex- cluding the occasional movements of large bodies of geese and ducks. It is very difficult, therefore, to as- certain the lines of flight, but we may conclude that many summer residents of California and northward bear well to the east in seeking their winter quarters in the tropics, as at least a dozen species which breed in California have not been observed much south of San Diego at any time, among these being such conspicuous species as Bullock's oriole and the Arkansas flycatcher, which, in common with the other species, occur far south on the mainland in Mexico in winter. Then there are summer residents of Washington, British Columbia and Alaska which have never been collected in California, though they spend the winter in the tropics. The high Sierra Nevada and Cascade ranges would seem to be an impassible barrier to the migrants, and they undoubtedly have great influence in determin- ing lines of flight — but not nearly as much as would naturally be supposed, as a number of species which winter in California migrate vertically and spend the summer on the east slope. 4 CALIFORNIA ACADEMY OF SCIENCES. I have seen pelicans, geese, Lewis's woodpecker and others crossing between eight and nine thousand feet above sea level. Mountain quail cross on foot, some of them making a journey of sixty or eighty miles, no matter how deep the snow in spring, returning in fall, sometimes over a foot or two of snow on the divide, leaving their summer resorts where there is no snow, to reach their well known winter home. A great many of the summer visitants enter the San Joaquin Valley by the Tehachapi Pass, altitude 4,000 feet. Col. N. A. Goss, in the spring of 1884, noticed terns at Julian, San Diego County, altitude 4,500 feet, (< crossing from the Gulf of California to the Pacific." Mr. Walter J. Mor- gan saw an immense migration of sand-hill cranes and geese which lasted about two weeks, by day and night, from Ensenada, Lower California, to Port San Felipe, on the Gulf, in Oct. and Nov., 1884, much of the Penin- sula between these localities being no less than 4,000 feet above sea level. Probably a great many small birds take nearly the same course in fall, cross near the head of the Gulf and spend the winter in Mexico. Mr. F. Stephens, who has collected a long time in San Bernardino Valley, says the spring migrants enter that valley from the southeast and return in an opposite direction in fall. He thinks a great many cross the Gulf of California from Mexico. As the names of all correspondents are connected with the information they furnished, it is not necessary to name them elsewhere. The authorities quoted, sparingly in most instances, but in their own language, usually, or a part of it, are: Dr. J. S. Newberry. Explorations and Surveys for a Railroad Route from the Mississippi Valley to the Pacific Ocean. Vol. 6, part 4, number 2, War Department. BIRDS OF THE PACIFIC DISTRICT. 5 S. F. Baird, John Cassin and Geo. N. Lawrence. Explorations and Surveys, etc. Vol. 9, War Dept. (often quoted as Vol. 9, Pacific R. R. Repts.). Dr. A. L. Heermann. Explorations, etc. Vol. 10, No. 2, War Dept, (Vol. 10, Pacific R. R. Reports.). Drs. G. Suckley and J. G. Cooper. Explorations, etc. Vol. 12, Book 2, part 3, War Dept. (reissued as Natural History of Washington Territory), the extracts from their respective notes being prefaced in this report with Cooper, 1860; Suckley, 1860, this being the date of the- publication of their work. Dr. J. G. Cooper. Geological Survey of California, J. D. Whitney, State Geologist. Vol. 1, Land Birds, edited by S. F. Baird from manuscript and notes of Dr. J. G. Cooper. Herein cited as Cooper, 1870. [Auk, vii, 214.— W. E. B.] H. W. Henshaw. Wheeler's Topographical Surveys, Appendix JJ., dated 1876, cited as Henshaw, 1876. (Observations at Santa Barbara, Fort Tejon, Mount Whitney, Walker's Basin and intervening country in 1875.) H. W. Henshaw. Wheeler's Surveys, 1879, Appen- dix 00., in this report quoted as Henshaw, 1879. (Mr. Henshaw's observations were on the east slope from Carson, to the Columbia River, and included work in the summers of 1877 and 1878.) 0. B. Johnson. Birds of Willamette Valley. Amer- ican Naturalist, 1880. Prof. Johnson also contributed his observations at Seattle in 1884. Capt. Charles E. Bendire, U. S. A. Notes on some of the birds found in southeastern Oregon, particularly in the vicinity of Camp Harney. Proc. Boston Society of Nat. Hist., 1877. (Observations from November, 1874, to January, 1877.) Robert Ridgway. United States Geological Survey 6 CALIFORNIA ACADEMY OF SCIENCES. of the Fortieth Parallel. Part 3. Ornithology. Prof. Ridgway made observations at Sacramento from June 6th to July 4th, 1867, afterward crossing the Sierra to Truckee Valley, Pyramid Lake, Carson and other local- ities in western Nevada, where the remainder of 1867 was spent. Observations were continued in western Nevada until July, 1868. Afterward the route from Austin to Salt Lake was explored. Dr. W. J. Hoffman. Annotated List of the Birds of Ne- vada, Author's Edition, Vol. 6, U. S. Geological and Geographical Survey. Dr. Hoffman followed the 115th meridian from near northern Nevada, southward to about 37° latitude, thence westward to Owen's Valley, California, and from this point southeast to Fort Mojave, and thence up the Colorado River beyond Nevada. Baird, Brewer and Ridgway, North American Birds. No doubt the most complete work on North American birds ever published in America. It has also a merit that is getting rarer of late, that of giving credit to whom credit is due. Bulletin of the Nuttall Club. A quarterly journal of ornithology. The first volume was issued in 1876. It afterward became the Auk. The Auk, the organ of the American Ornithologists' Union. In addition to the forenamed authorities, a few items have been culled from other publications. The Pro- ceedings of the Phila. Acad., containing Dr. Gambel's papers, and the Proc. Cal. Acad. Sci., containing some of Dr. Cooper's articles, came into my possession too late to benefit much by them. There being no correspondents in Nevada, I have drawn freely upon the valuable reports and papers of Messrs. Bendire, Henshaw, Ridgway and Hoffman. By Central California I refer to the part of the State BIRDS OF THE PACIFIC DISTRICT. 7 between the northern parts of Stanislaus and Tuolumne counties and the northern part of Butte, southwestern Plumas and Sierra counties. I have made observations at many localities in this part of the State, in the tule swamps, river bottoms, plains, foothills and coniferous forests of the Sierra Ne- vada Mountains at all altitudes, kept a record of the birds, but have not thought it necessary to burden my notes with a long list of localities. The summer resi- dents are the same in northern Tuolumne County as in northern Butte, though a few species become more nu- merous with increase of latitude, and there is a corre- sponding decrease in altitude of the breeding range of some of the mountain species. There is little difference in the resident species of the northern Sacramento Val- ley and the southern San Joaquin Valley, and I believe the avifauna of Central California nearly represents that of the State north of about the 35° of latitude, east of the coast mountains and west of the Great Basin, though a considerable portion of this tract has not been ornitho- logically explored, the Sierra from near Tehachapi to Alpine county having been quite neglected. I am quite confident that few, if any, species have es- caped my notice in Central California, except a few which probably visit the high Sierra Nevada in winter, from the north, when snow is so deep as to prevent ex- ploration. The Pacific District has an area, exclusive of British Columbia, of 434,000 square miles. California alone is more than twice as large as the six New England States, has a great diversity of surface and climate, and is as long as from Florida to Lake Erie — facts sufficient to prohibit positive opinions until after a more thorough exploration. The nomenclature is that at present sanctioned by the 8 CALIFORNIA ACADEMY OF SCIENCES. American Ornithologists' Union, which has changed considerably since this paper was commenced. Mr. Walter E. Bryant is entitled to credit for making the necessary changes and otherwise preparing it for the printer. i. Colinus virginianus (Linn.) BOB-WHITE. Mr. Ramon E. Wilson, of the California Sportsman's Association kindly furnishes the following concerning introduced game birds; date, October 12, 1885: " Our efforts in that direction have resulted in failures, except as I will state. Mr. Estee, some years ago, placed two dozen bob-whites on his farm in Napa County. Every precaution was taken to protect them from hunters, and they were carefully looked after. They all soon disap- peared, the theory being that they were destroyed by vermin. I learn that last February some of the same kind of birds were placed on the farms of Mr. Miller, Mr. Samuel Rea and Mr. J. P. Sargent, along Carnedero Creek, near Gilroy. It is said they have bred the past season, and their numbers materially increased. The experiments, however, from the length of time can hardly be called u success. Some years ago some Arizona quail were put out near Folsom, but they all soon disappeared, and nothing has been heard of them since. Some bob- whites were placed on General Bidwell's place near Chico, but I un- derstand they have disappeared also. Bob- whites roost on the ground and are therefore unable to protect them- selves from the vermin which is so plentiful everywhere in California. Some years ago a flock of English pheasants was put out in the woods of Santa Cruz county, but nothing has been seen nor heard of them since. Colonel Raymond of San Mateo has a number of these birds, English and BIRDS OF THE PACIFIC DISTRICT. 9 Japanese, but he" has had no success in raising them; when let out they suddenly disappear and nothing is seen or heard of them. Mr. Howard, near by, has experimented with the same bird. A few weeks since he informed me that his foreman told him he had seen a flock of twenty-two birds. The birds mentioned are the only ones experimented with. Certainly thus far the experiments are not a success. In Oregon they have met with great success, with both quail and pheasants." Bendire (1877). This species may properly be in- cluded in the avi-fauna of southern Oregon. It was originally introduced at Boise City, Idaho, and now ex- tends to the Oregon side of Snake River, and is multiply- ing rapidly. Willamette Valley. O. B. Johnson (1880).— Intro- duced and doing finely. 2. Oreortyx pictus (Dougl.) MOUNTAIN PARTRIDGE. Xewberry. They extend from the Columbia almost uninterruptedly, but nowhere abundantly, through the Siskiyou, Calapooya and Trinity mountains to Cali- fornia. 0. B. Johnson. Very common throughout Western Oregon, breeding extensively. Cooper, 1860. Very rare in Washington Territory, a few small coveys only being found about Vancouver as I was informed by the officers of the garrison in 1853. 3. Oreortyx pictus plumiferus (Gould). PLUMED PAR- TRIDGE. San Diego County. F. E. Blaisdell. — Common in the higher mountains. Volcan Mountains. W. 0. Emerson. — Observed January 23, the day of my arrival, and only once after- ward; probably the snow drove them down the mountain. 10 CALIFORNIA ACADEMY OF SCIENCES. Henshaw, 1876. We found it in the mountains near Fort Tejoii and in the Sierra in sufficient number of localities to justify the belief that its distribution in southern California is quite general. Agua Caliente, San Diego County. F. Stephens. — Resident; heard almost daily in the foothills. San Bernardino. F. Stephens. — Tolerably common in the mountains; breeds. Tehachapi. L. B. — Common resident. Paraiso Springs, Monterey County. W. E. Bryant. — April 1885. Baird, Brewer and Ridgway. An egg of this species taken by Dr. Can field near Monterey. Central California. L. B. — Very common throughout the Sierra in summer and is increasing rather than otherwise. Probably a few nests are destroyed by sheep, and a few are deserted in consequence of sheep grazing about them, but this quail does not desert her nest for slight cause. Many cross from California to the east slope to breed, and, having done so, in September they begin to cross to the west slope where they winter at varying heights according to season. Between Summit and Donner Lake, as early as September 4, 1885, I met several flocks coming up from the lake 011 their way down the west slope. The most of the species had passed west of Summit before October 1, although I found a few as late as October 12, and a few winter on the east slope, as the settlers of Sierra Valley told me this was the case there, and Mr. Ridgway found a flock near Pyramid Lake, December 27, 1867. One of his speci- mens was taken at Carson City, March 10, 1868. They frequently take shelter in the snow sheds of the Central Pacific Railroad during early snow storms and sometimes journey westward within them. At such times they often appear stupid and appear to have lost the instinct of self- BIRDS OF THE PACIFIC DISTRICT. 11 preservation but it may be that they become dazzled by the snow if not quite snow-blind. Their nests are usually in rock rose, also called " tar weed " (Chamcebatia folio- losa), or in " bear bush," " snow bush " (Ceanothus cordu- latus). One I saw was in a hollow stump, but, as usual, was on the ground and was probably made when the snow was several inches deep outside of the stump. The eggs appear to be in most cases from eleven to thirteen. The first broods are out from about June 20 to July 5, according as the season is early or late. Cisco. Dr. Cooper (in letter). Cisco, altitude 5,911 feet, April 28, on snow. Igo. E. L. Ballou. — Common resident. March 27, 1884, the species was mated here. June 1, sitting. Henshaw, 1879. It is only at rare intervals that it appears to cross the mountains and appear along the eastern slope. About Carson, at Eagle and Honey Lakes, California, and at the Dalles on the Columbia, their presence was detected and is to be accounted for through the natural dispersion of the species. At several localities near Camp Bidwell, Cal., the several covies are the descendants brought from the Pacific Slope and let loose to shift for themselves. They are nowhere in this region very numerous. Vancouver and adjacent islands. John Fannin — Introduced from California. [Perhaps those seen at the Dalles by Mr. Henshaw belonged under 0. pictus. Those I found in Butte Co., lat. 40° 10', altitude about 5,000 feet, were identical with those found farther south in the Sierra Nevada. I be- lieve San Pedro Mountain, Lower California, is the most southern known range of the genus Oreortyx. I am positive that it does not inhabit Lower California south of La Paz, and doubt if it ever did. San Pedro Mount- ain, as it is termed by the people of northern Lower 12 CALIFORNIA ACADEMY OF SCIENCES. California, is about 125 English miles south of the boundary line, and on the charts of the U. S. Coast Survey bears the name of Santa Catalina Mountain, and also that of Calamajuet, which latter name I have sometimes applied to San Pedro.] 4. Callipepla californica (Shaw). CALIFORNIA PAR- TRIDGE. This, the typical form of the California quail or par- tridge, inhabits the coast of northwest California, Ore- gon and Washington. It is darker above than the interior and southern form of the " valley quail," as all of these birds are universally termed in California. Sportsmen know but two kinds of quails indigenous to this coast, namely valley quails and mountain quails, and these names are likely to be perpetuated. 5. Callipepla californica vallicola Ridgw. VALLEY PARTRIDGE. Abundant about San Diego, where, March 7, 1884, the breeding note of the male was first heard; March 27th scattering in pairs in canons. April 4, a pair exca- vating for a nest under a small cactus. May 13, Mr. W. J. Morgan saw a brood just hatched, the first of the season as far as known; spring wet and cool. Tia Juana Valley near San Diego, April 3, 1885, two broods of young about a week old. Season unusually early. Poway. F. C. Blaisdell. — An abundant resident; first set of eggs taken April 27, 1884. Volcan Mountains, altitude about 5,000 feet. W. 0. Emerson. — Large flocks all winter. Aqua Caliente, San Diego Co., Cal. F. Stephens. — March 18 to April 15, 1886. In small numbers in the outer edge of the desert along foothills. San Bernardino. F. Stephens. — An abundant resi- dent. Santa Catalina Island; probably introduced. BIRDS OF THE PACIFIC DISTRICT. 13 Tehachapi and vicinity. L. B. — Abundant resident; C. gambeli not seen by me. Henshaw, 1876-79. Near Fort Tejon I saw the species on several occasions at an altitude of 6,000 feet. Its numbers in some sections of the State are simply enor- mous. (Nowhere indigenous along the eastern slope.) Dr. Cooper, 1870. The only point east of the Sierra Nevada where I have seen this bird is along the upper part of the Mojave river. Alameda and Contra Costa counties. W. E. Bryant. — Abundant resident. Berkeley. T. S. Palmer. — Common resident. Central California. L. B. — From common to abund- ant in suitable localities, in summer, up to 5,000 feet altitude ; chiefly about dwellings at this altitude. Rather rare at Red Bluff where much of the country is used for pasturing sheep; formerly very abundant in the Marys- ville Buttes but now rare for the same reason. Not only do sheep destroy nests by treading on them but they prevent the growth of cover, and this very timid bird deserts her nest where there is the least cause for doing so. Chico. Wm. Proud. — In General BidwelFs park and orchard, June 6, 1884, first young ; next brood on June 12; June 15 coming out plentifully. On June 14 I counted eight males within a radius of less than one hundred yards and not a female among them, they still being on the nests. I recently found a nest containing twenty- two eggs, the bird sitting. I think this the largest num- ber I have yet found in one nest. The valley quail will, under some circumstances, breed twice but it is seldom they raise two broods. April 1, 1885, first nest, nine eggs; April 15, first young, probably two days old. April 17, sharp frost, snow on the mountains. Igo. E. L. Ballon. — July 1, 1884, first young, not large enough to fly but large enough to hide. 14 CALIFORNIA ACADEMY OF SCIENCES. Oakland, Oregon. W. E. Bryant. — Seen in breeding season. Calaveras County foothills, altitude 1,000 feet, June 7, 1885. Jas. Brice. — A flock of young about the size of a chicken just from the egg; I think they could not fly; the first I have seen on my route this year. Mr. Brice travelled daily from Murphy's to Milton in the hills where this quail is more than abundant, and as I had passed over it a few days before without seeing any I requested him to report the first young, which he did as above. — L. B. Poway. F. E. Blaisdell. — First young seen May 5, 1884. They bred very abundantly until late in August. The last set of fresh eggs were taken August 14, 1884. I think it was unusually late for them to lay. I also noticed some small quails about November 1. 6. Callipepla gambeli (Nuttall). GAMBEL'S PARTRIDGE. Agua Caliente, San Diego Co. F. Stephens. — In the Colorado desert, March 25 to 28, several seen, one shot. March 18 to April 15, 1886. Not so common as G. c. vallicola in. the same locality. Are inclined to keep further in the desert. In San Bernardino County, along the line of the Southern Pacific Railroad, L. californicus and L. gambeli come together; here hybrids occur. (Henshaw, Auk., July, 1885, referring to specimens shot near San Gorgonia Pass, by R. B. Herron. Cooper, 1885. Their range toward the north is not known to be above 36°. At Fort Mojave they are numer- ous and have all the calls of the coast species except the alarm chirp like a robin's which I never heard them utter. There is however a slight difference in their notes, which is recognizable by strangers. Heermann. I first discovered this beautiful species on BIRDS OF THE PACIFIC DISTRICT. 15 the Mojave Desert where the Mojave River empties into a large salt lake, forming its terminus. At Fort Yuma they were quite abundant, congregating in large coveys. [I have found this bird very wild, and again very tame, owing no doubt to its experience, or inexperience, with mankind.] 7. Dendragapus obscurus fuliginosus Ridgway. SOOTY GROUSE. Henshaw. In California it is found in both the coast and Sierra ranges as far south as latitude 35° and prob- ably even lower. It was present though not very com- mon in the mountains near Fort Tejon and was rather numerous in the region about Mount Whitney. L. B. — Calaveras county, altitude about 3,500 feet to summit of Sierras, not common, mostly in rugged localities. I think but few of their nests are de- stroyed by sheep and that they usually hatch before the mountains are overrun by the large droves of sheep which are annually driven from the valleys to the mountains to spend the summer and spread desolation and dust everywhere. The following will give some idea of the time of hatching : Calaveras Big Trees, June 25, 1881, female parent and six or seven young, the latter about a week old; season early. Big Trees, June 14, 1882, female adult and chicks. Summit, 7,000 feet altitude, July 4, 1885, a brood of young about twro weeks old; a few old males still hooting or grunting, but the most of them had aband- oned the society of the hens and gone into the high peaks. I found as early as August 5, young nearly two- thirds grown. I could not find any of these birds after about Octo- ber 1st, when they were probably in the evergreen trees, their usual winter quarters. I have never seen more 16 CALIFORNIA ACADEMY OF SCIENCES. than seven young in a brood, though perhaps some escaped my notice, as Captain Bendire says the full complement of the Camp Harney bird is from eight to ten. Newberry. Found not uncommonly in the Sierra Nevada in California and in the wooded districts lying between the Sacramento Valley and the Columbia. Willamette Valley. 0. B. Johnson. — Common resi- dent, breeding extensively. Cooper, 1860. Common in most of the forests of the Territory. Suckley, 1860. It is common on the east side of the Cascades as far north as the 49th parallel. British Columbia. John Fannin. — An abundant res- ident. Henshaw, 1879. The blue grouse, which is found in the Sierra and Cascade ranges, at least along their east- ern slopes and as high up as the Columbia River, is the typical middle region form. The mountain forests, especially those composed largely of firs and spruces, abound with this fine game bird. Several broods of young chicks were found about the middle of June. Camp Harney. Bendire, 1877. — A common resident throughout the mountains. We have two varieties, fuliginosus and richardsoni, the former being the most abundant. In winter they seldom alight on the ground, excepting to get water. Ridgway. More or less common on all the ranges clothed with a sufficient extent of pine forest. It was found on the Sierra Nevada, near Carson, and on several of the higher ranges of the Great Basin. 8. Dendragapus obscurus richardsonii (Sab. ) RICHARD- SON'S GROUSE. Camp Harney. Bendire. — Less abundant than var. fuliginosus. BIRDS OF THE PACIFIC DISTRICT. 17 9. Dendragapusfranklinii(DougL) FRANKLIN'S GROUSE. British Columbia. John Fannin. — An abundant resident east of the Cascades. Suckley, 1860. Abundant in the Rocky and Bitter Root Mountains, also found in the Cascades in the Ya- kima passes. 10. Bonasa umbellus umbelloides (Dougl.) GRAY RUFFED GROUSE. Camp Harney. Bendire. — Rare resident about here, frequenting densest undergrowth along the mountain streams, and seldom seen. 11. Bonasa umbellus sabini (Dougl.) OREGON RUFFED GROUSE. Wilbur, Oregon. W. E. Bryant. — Summer of 1883, young and old shot. Willamette Valley. 0. B. Johnson. — Very common along water-courses, where it breeds. Seattle, May 1st, 1884, nest and fresh eggs. Cooper, 1860. Very abundant everywhere about the borders of woods and clearings; it is common near the forest east of the Cascade Mountains. Suckley, 1860. Abundant in the timbered districts throughout Washington and Oregon. In habits they are identical with the same bird east. Owing to the mildness of the season in the vicinity of Fort Steilacoom, the males commence drumming as r-arly as January, and in February I have heard them drumming through the whole night. British Columbia. John Fannin. — An abundant res- ident. Henshaw, 1879. This form of the ruffed grouse oc- curs abundantly along the eastern slope, although per- haps not until Oregon is entered (from the south). Fort 2 18 CALIFORNIA ACADEMY OP SCIENCES. Klamath was the first point at which I obtained undeni- able proof of its presence. The grouse of this region, while referable as above, do not typically represent the variety sabini, which reaches its maximum of develop- ment, as indicated by depth of color and redness of tint, only on the Pacific slope. Camp Harney. Beiidire. — Moderately common in the John Day River Valley. 12. Lagopus rupestris (Gmel.) ROCK PTARMIGAN. British Columbia. John Fannin. — Common resident. 13. Lagopus leucurus Swains. WHITE-TAILED PTAR- MIGAN. British Columbia. John Fannin. — Common resident east of the Cascades. 14. Pediocaetes phasianellus columbianus (Ord.) COL- UMBIAN SHARP-TAILED GROUSE. Newberry. — Found as far west and south as the valleys of California. We first found it on a beautiful prairie near Canoe Creek, about fifty miles northeast of Fort Reading. Subsequently, after passing the mountain chain which forms the upper canon of Pit River we came into a level grass-covered plain. On this plain were so many that they afforded us fine sport and an abundance of excellent food. We found them again about the Klamath Lakes and in the Des Chutes Basin quite down to the Dalles. Fort Klamath. Lieut. Wittich, 1879. Henshaw, 1879. Appears to be entirely absent from eastern California and western Nevada except in the upper districts. About Camp Bidwell the " sharp tails " are sufficiently numerous to afford excellent shooting. Farther north in Oregon, and especially on the grassy BIRDS OF THE PACIFIC DISTRICT. 19 plateaus that border the Columbia River, and on the rolling hills for a hundred miles south, it is extremely abundant. Camp Harney. Bendire. — Only a moderately com- mon resident, apparently irregularly distributed. In the vicinity of Camp Harney they are mostly found in the juniper groves during cold weather, and the birds live almost exclusively on the berries of these trees. The eggs usually number from eleven to fourteen. Hoffman. Found in moderate numbers at Bull Run Mountain. Ridgway. This grouse, known universally among the western people as the " prairie chicken," we found in the upper Humboldt Valley near " Trout Creek," where it was abundant. British Columbia. John Fannin. — Tolerably abun- dant; only east of the Cascades. [ Perhaps Mr. Fannin's note refers to the northern sharp-tail Pedioccetesphasianellus, the habitat of which is given in the recent check list of the A. O. U. as follows: British America, from the northern shore of Lake Supe- rior and British Columbia to Hudson's Bay Territory and Alaska.] 15. Centrocercus urophasianus (Bonap.) SAGE GROUSE. Cooper, 1860. Common on the high barren hills and deserts east of the Cascades. Suckley, 1860. Abundant on the sage plains of Ore- gon near Snake River on both sides of the Blue Moun- tains. They are also found along the line of the Col- umbia River on the open plains and again on the sage barrens of the Yakima and Simcoe valleys in Washing- ton Territory about latitude 46°-47° north, in fact where- ever " sage " (Artemisia) abounds this bird is found. Camp Harney. Bendire. — A common resident spe- 20 CALIFORNIA ACADEMY OF SCIENCES. cies, particularly abundant in the upper Sylvies Valley at an altitude of about 6,000 feet. Henshaw, 1879. Numerous as is this species in many portions of the Rocky Mountain region it appears to be even more abundant in the sterile tracts that lie just east of the Sierra Nevada and Cascade ranges. Ridgway. Abundant in certain localities but by no means evenly distributed. Hoffman. The only locality where this bird was found at all common was near Belmont. Specimens were also- shot at Hot Creek Canon. L. B. — Common resident of Sierra Valley and occurs in Alpine county up to 8,500 feet but rare so high; also- found in Mono county by Lieutenant McComb. Newberry. On the shores of Wright and Rhett lakes we found them very abundant. 16. Columba fasciata Say. BAND-TAILED PIGEON. I saw a flock in El Cajon, San Diego county, Decem- ber 15, 1883, a rare occurrence. — L. B. Poway. F. E. Blaisdell. — I have seen this species here on three occasions. It was very abundant in the Volcan Mountains in September and October when choke cherries were ripe. Henshaw, 1876. Not seen by us until in the fall. In November I often saw them in flocks of from ten to one hundred. Cooper, 1870. North of San Francisco I have seen them in flocks as early as July and at the Columbia River they spend the summer in the valleys as well as. throughout the mountains. They are there migratory, leaving in October, but in California their wanderings are guided chiefly by want of food. I have found them building in the Coast Range as far south as Santa Cruz. L. B. — It is rare in the mountains of Central California BIRDS OF THE PACIFIC DISTRICT. 21 in summer, but usually quite common in the foothills in winter. I have shot them in July, in Calaveras County, with their crops full of pine nuts. Igo. E. L. Ballou. — A migrant and resident. On March 26 and 27, 1884, a flock seen; also during our heavy snow storms, five weeks previously, from which I infer that the storms and pigeons had some connection. Cape Foulweather. S. L. Wass. — Resident. Willamette Valley. 0. B. Johnson. — An abundant summer resident. Cooper, 1860. Arrives at Columbia River in April. Suckley, 1860. I saw but one flock containing five individuals, east of the Cascade Mountains. British Columbia. John Fannin. — Tolerably com- mon summer resident. San Jose. A. L. Parkhurst. — April 19, 1885, large flocks, the last seen. Beaverton, Or. A. W. Anthony. — March 29, 1885, first seen (ten birds); next seen March 30; April 21 common. Common in breeding season. Admirality Head, Whidby Island, W. T. Lawrence Wessel.— April 22, 1885, first seen. Burrard Inlet, B. C. John Fannin. — April 5, 1885, first seen (two males); next seen April 12; May 4 com- mon. Common in breeding season. 17. Ectopistes migratorius (Linn.) PASSENGER PIGEON. Ridgway. Only a stray individual was met with by us, and it cannot be considered as more than an occa- sional straggler in the country west of the Rocky Mountains. Mr. Ridg way's specimen was shot at West Humboldt Mountains, Nevada, September 10, 1867. — L. B. 22 CALIFORNIA ACADEMY OP SCIENCES. 18. Zenaidura macroura (Linn.) MOURNING DOVE. San Diego. L. B. — Common in winter; abundant in summer. Very common in the northern 100 miles of Lower California in May, and breeding. At San Diego,, spring of 1885, the first nest I found was on April 17; incubation far advanced. They raise several broods in a season, and I have seen eggs in Calaveras County in the first part of September. Poway. F. E. Blaisdell. — Common in winter, abund- ant in summer. The first eggs seen in 1884 were taken April 14. Santa Isabel. W. 0. Emerson. — Wintered here. San Bernardino. F. Stephens. — Breeds abundantly in the valleys. Agua Caliente. F. Stephens. — March 25-28, not common. March 18 to April 15, 1886. First seen March 27; common after April 1. Summer resident. Henshaw, 1876. Very numerous in southern Cali- fornia. Santa Cruz. Jos. Skirm. — First seen April 10, 1882; April 6, 1883. Alameda and Contra Costa counties. W. E. Bryant. Abundant summer resident. Hay wards. W. 0. Emerson. — Common summer res- ident. April 23, first; next seen May 1, 1885. Berkeley. T. S. Palmer. — Tolerably common sum- mer resident. December 4, 1884, tolerably common; never knew it to remain so late. First seen April 30,, 1885. Nicasio. C. A. Allen. — First seen April 20, 1876;; April 30, 1884. Olema. A. M. Ingersoll. — First seen April 18, 1884. Central California. L. B. — Abundant summer resi- dent in valleys and foothills. Seen at Red Bluff Febru- ary 3, 1885, but rare; Chico, February 6-7, rather BIRDS OF THE PACIFIC DISTRICT. 23 common, and cooing. Common in flocks throughout ordinary winters, if not every winter, as far north as Yuba and Butte counties. Chico. Win. Proud. — February 27, 1885, one speci- men. Beaverton, Or. A. W. Anthony. — Common summer resident. First seen April 29, 1884; rare until about June 1st; abundant June 7. First seen March 30th, 2 specimens; common April 10, 1885. Willamette Valley. 0. B. Johnson. — An abundant summer resident. Walla Walla, W. T. Dr. Williams.— April 24, four; common May 5, 1885. Suckley, 1860. Very abundant throughout Oregon and Washington Territories. British Columbia. John Fannin. — Rare summer resi- dent. Burrard Inlet. First seen May 7; common May 20, 1885. Carson. Henshaw, 1879. Extremely numerous, not only here but all along the eastern slope far up into Oregon and Washington territories. Camp Harney. Bendire. — An abundant summer resi- dent, arriving about May 1. They rear but a single brood in a season, while in Arizona I found fresh eggs as late as September 14. Hoffman. Generally distributed over the whole State. Dr. Cooper. Truckee, April 29, 1870. Carson. Ridgway. Arrived April 23, 1868. 19. Melopelia leucoptera (Linn.) WHITE-WINGED DOVE. F. Stephens (Bull. Nutt. Orn. Club, January, 1883). At Yuma they were actually common, but none were found to the westward of this point. They are abundant in the Cape St. Lucas region and probably inhabit the coast on the west side of the Gulf of California from Cape St. Lucas to Fort Yuma. — L. B. 24 CALIFORNIA ACADEMY OF SCIENCES. 20. Columbigallina passerina (Linn.) GROUND DOVE. Baird, Brewer and Ridgway, Vol. 3, 522. Dr. Cooper states 'that an individual of this species was killed by Mr. Lorquin at San Francisco in May, 1870. Mr. Lorquin also obtained several at San Gabriel, Los Aii- geles County, several years previous. 21. Pseudogryphus californianus ("Shaw). CALIFORNIA VULTURE. San Diego. L. B. — Generally reported to be a resi- dent of the mountains in this part of the State, but not seen here or in any part of Lower California by me, though Col. N. S. Goss informed me that one or more pairs breed near Mr. Crosswaith's ranch about 60 miles south of San Diego. I have not seen one of these birds in the field in ten years. I was told at Tehachapi, in the spring of 1889, that a few still breed between Te- hachapi and Tejon Valley. Poway . F . E . Blaisdell . — A rare species in this region ; occasionally seen on Volcan Mountains from August 21 to November 28. San Bernardino. F. Stephens. — Very rare resident of the valley and mountains. Heiishaw, 1876. Our opportunities for an acquaint- ance with this vulture were limited to seeing two or three individuals. Santa Cruz. Joseph Skirm. — Tolerably common. I have seen them in a flock in company with Cathartes aura. It journeys along the coast. Chico. Wm. Proud. — Sometimes seen. Cooper, 1870. I have not seen many of these birds along the coast where most of my later collections were made, and none on the islands or in the highest Sierra Nevada. Newberry, 1855. This vulture, though common in BIRDS OF THE PACIFIC DISTRICT. 25 California, is much more shy and difficult to shoot than its associate, the turkey buzzard, and is never seen in such numbers. We saw very few in the Klamath Basin and none in Oregon. Cooper, 1870. This confirms the observations of Dr. Suckley and myself, as we saw none during a long resi- dence and travels near the Columbia, except one which I supposed to be this, seen at Fort Vancouver in January. Like several other birds seen there by Townsend and Nuttall, they seem to have retired more to the south since 1834. British Columbia. John Fannin. — Very rare summer resident. Nuttall, 1840. According to Douglass in the Zoulogi- cal Journal it is common in the wooded districts, mi- grating in summer as far north as the forty-ninth parallel. [It is difficult to believe that this was ever really an abundant species in California. It has certainly been very rare in the center of the State north of latitude 38° since the spring of 1856. Its present rarity may be ac- counted for by quoting Dr. Cooper (Cal. Orn.): "It is often killed by feeding on animals such as bears, when poisoned by strychnine by the rancheros; the poisoned meat kills them readily. The rancheros have very little fear of their depredations on young cattle, though it has come within my knowledge for five or six to attack a young calf, separate from its mother, and kill it; the Californians also say they are often known to kill lambs, hares and rabbits."] Heermann, 1854. This bird was observed occasionally during our survey. Whilst hunting unsuccessfully in the Tejon Valley we have often passed hours without one of this species being in sight, but on bringing down any large game, ere the body had grown cold these birds 26 CALIFORNIA ACADEMY OF SCIENCES. might be seen rising above the horizon, slowly sweeping towards us, intent upon their share of the prey. Nor, in the absence of the hunter, will his game be exempt from their ravenous appetite, though it might be care- fully hidden and covered by shrubbery and heavy branches. I have known these marauders to drag forth from its concealment and devour a deer within an hour. Gambel (Phila. Acad.) Particularly abundant in winter, when they probably come from Oregon. 22. Cathartes aura (Linn.) TURKEY VULTURE. San Diego. L. B. — Common resident; common in northern and southern Lower California, and probably in all parts of it. This bird, the caracara eagle and other very useful carrion-eating birds are wisely protected by law in Mexico, as should be the case with this in our country, being harmless in all respects and very useful as scavengers. Poway. F. E. Blaisdell. — Common resident. Volcan Mountains. W. 0. Emerson. — February 9, five observed. Contra Costa County. W. E. Bryant. — Common res- ident; breeds. Central California. L. B. — Very common constant resident below the pine forest; often seen in the high Sierra in summer; no doubt a common species through- out the State. One that I shot on a ranch at Gridley appeared to be catching grasshoppers, but as it had re- cently feasted on dead colt it was too offensive for thor- ough inspection. There were many on this ranch, and if they did not partake of the grasshoppers, or, rather, of the true middle province locust, they were about the only exception besides the turtle dove, as all the other birds from the large red-tailed hawk .and crow down to the little plain titmouse fairly feasted on the destructive BIRDS OF THE PACIFIC DISTRICT. 27 insect; even the egg-sucking magpies and blue jays be- came more than useful, and this continued throughout the most of the summer. Willamette Valley. 0. B. Johnson. — Common dur- ing summer. Beaverton, Or. A. W. Anthony.— March 22, 1885, first seen; next seen April 15; rare. Cooper, 1860. Very abundant in all parts of the Territory I have visited. They arrived at Puget Sound about the middle of May and flocks could be seen daily about the carcasses of sheep. British Columbia. John Fannin. — Tolerably com- mon. Henshaw, 1879. Generally distributed. In some lo- calities as near Honey Lake, California, very numerous. Camp Harney. Bendire. — Moderately common dur- ing the summer months and breeding in this vicinity. They arrive here early in April and I saw one on the 27th of November after a fall of snow. Hoffman. Arrives in the middle regions about the second or third week in March, after which time it was was common. Was also observed in the Colorado Valley from Fort Mojave northward. Agua Caliente. F. Stephens. — March 25, rather common. Abundant March 18, 1886, and seen often after up to the day of leaving (April 15). Ridgway. In the interior it was abundant through- out the summer when it was found in. nearly all locali- ties, but during the winter months they seemed to have retired to the southward, none having been seen in the latitude of Carson earlier than the middle of March. 23. Elanus leucurus (Vieill.) WHITE-TAILED KITE. Ventura County. B. W. Evermann. — A rare resi- dent. I obtained a full set of eggs April 12. (Auk> vol. iii, 1886.) 28 CALIFORNIA ACADEMY OF SCIENCES. Baird, Brewer and Ridgway. Dr. Gambel, who secured his specimens at the mission of St. John, near Monterey, describes it as flying low and circling over the plains in the manner of a marsh hawk. Alameda County. W. E. Bryant. — This hawk bred here formerly; it is still a very rare resident. Sebastopol. F. H. Holmes. Berkeley. T. S. Palmer. — Rare accidental visitant. Found only about the marsh, three miles west of here on the bay. December 26, 1885, again April 13, 1886. Cooper, 1870. I have seen them as far south as Bolinas Bay and near Monterey, but always about streams or marshes. Heermann. The extensive marshes of Suisun, Napa and Sacramento Valleys are the favorite resorts of these birds, more especially during the winter season, as they then find a plentiful supply of insects and mice, their principal nourishment. I fell in with an isolated pair in the mountains between Elizabeth Lake and William- son's Pass. L. B. — This hawk is still a common resident about the extensive tule marshes in the center of the State. I have seen what I believed were their old nests in willow trees along the San Joaquin River. I noticed one of these birds at Gridley, October 20, 1884, and another at Red Bluff, February 4, 1885. It is a common resident in the tules of Sutter County. 24. Circus hudsonius (Linn.) MARSH HAWK. Northwest Lower California. Col. N. S. Goss. — Near the boundary line, March 23, 1884, nest and eggs. Tolerably common about San Diego. — L. B. Santa Ana River. F. E. Blaisdell. — December 9, 1884, to January 6, 1885, not common. BIRDS OF THE PACIFIC DISTRICT. 29 San Bernardino Valley. F. Stephens. — Tolerably common resident. Agua Caliente, San Diego County. F. Stephens. — One was observed on each of the following days: March 18, April 3 and April 8, 1888. Henshaw, 1876. Very numerous in California; resi- dent in the southern part. Cooper, 1870. One of the most abundant hawks throughout the unwooded country and about every marsh, even in the dense forest. Alameda and Contra Costa counties. W. E. Bryant. Rare, resident (?) Central California. L. B. — Common resident in the valleys; rare summer resident of the mountain mead- ows. Willamette Valley. 0. B. Johnson. — Moderately com- mon; breeding. Fort Klamath. Lieut. Wittich. — Abundant. Cooper, 1860. Abundant throughout the open dis- tricts of the Territory, especially in winter, and it breeds there. British Columbia. John Fannin. — A common sum- mer resident. Henshaw, 1879. Very numerous in every suitable locality. Camp Harney. Bendire. — Moderately abundant and a few resident. Ridgway. No marsh of any extent was visited, either in winter or in summer, where this hawk could not be seen at almost any time during the day skimming over the tules in search of its prey. Newberry. Rather common in the Sacramento val- ley, and abundant beyond all parallel on the plains of Pit River. 30 CALIFORNIA ACADEMY OF SCIENCES. 25. Accipiter velox rufilatus Ridgw. WESTERN SHARP- SHINNED HAWK. San Diego. L. B. — Tolerably common winter visitant. Volcan Mountains. W. 0. Emerson. — Seen Febru- ary 22. Volcan Mountains. F. E. Blaisdell. — From August 21 to November 28, not common. Cooper, 1870. They probably breed more generally towards the southern and lower parts of the State than that species ( A. cooperi), as I have seen a few of them (or perhaps A. mexicanus), in the warmer months. Henshaw, 1876. A common resident throughout southern California. L. B. — Common during summer months in the upper Sierra. (Birds Central Cal., 1879). My later observa- tions are greatly at variance with the statement of 1879. During the summer of 1885, nearly all of which I spent at the Summit of the Central Pacific Railroad, altitude 7,000 feet, and upward, I saw but a single individual, a fine adult male, shot July 4. About September 15, it became common; still more so about October 1. It may be a common summer resident in a very few localities in central and southern California, especially in mountains having the height of Mount Whitney where Mr. Hen- shaw probably saw it. Alameda and Contra Costa counties. W. E. Bry- ant.— Tolerably common winter visitant. Haywards. W. 0. Emerson. — March 21, 1884, last seen; first seen in fall, August 28. Berkeley. T. S. Palmer. — March 9, 1885, last seen. Tolerably common winter visitant. In 1886, seen March 7 and April 12. Willamette Valley. O. B. Johnson. — Moderately com- mon nesting in trees. BIRDS OF THE PACIFIC DISTRICT. 31 Cooper, 1860. Not common, and observed only in the colder months. Suckley, 1860. Quite common near Fort Steilacoom latter part of summer and early autumn; quite scarce during breeding season. British Columbia. John Fannin. — Common summer resident. Henshaw, 1879. A single specimen only, at the Columbia River -in October. Camp Harney. Bendire. — Rather rare at all seasons. Ridgway. Was observed only in the upper Humboldt where it was common in September. 26. Accipiter cooperi mexicanus (Swains.) WESTERN COOPER'S HAWK. L. B. — Tolerably common about San Diego in winter; probably breeding in El Cajon ; April 26, a single pair. Volcan Mountains. W. O. Emerson. — Seen February 28, March 17 and March 20, 1884. Volcan Mountains. F. E. Blaisdell. — August 21 to November 28, common. (1884). Agua Caliente, San Diego Co., Cal. F. Stephens. — One seen April 8, 1886. San Bernardino Valley. F. Stephens. — Rare resident. Henshaw, 1876. In summer it is not often seen in the lower districts, but will then be found to have re- tired to the mountains. In the fall there appears to be a very decided migration from the north. Cooper, 1860. A common species during the winter months in all the wooded portions of the State. Alameda and Contra Costa counties. W. E. Bryant. — Rare winter visitant. Central California. L. B. — Tolerably common in winter in the valleys and foothills; a few breed in the pine forest of Calaveras county, altitude 4,500 feet and 32 CALIFORNIA ACADEMY OF SCIENCES. upward, and I found a family along Feather River, July 25, 1885, where they had probably been reared. Willamette Valley. 0. B. Johnson. — Occasionally seen. Cooper, 1860. Very abundant in summer. British Columbia. John Fanniii. — An abundant summer resident. Henshaw, 1879. Appears to be more numerous in this region than the sharp-shinned hawk. Camp Harney. Bendire. — Rare; seldom seen. Hoffman. Not uncommon. Ridgwray. This daring depredator was more or less common in all localities where small birds abounded, but it was far from numerous anywhere. 27. Accipiter atricapillus striatulus Ridgw. WESTERN GOSHAWK. British Columbia. John Fannin. — Summer resident; not common. Suckley. I obtained several specimens both at Fort Dalles and Fort Steilacoom. Cooper, 1860. It would seem to be the special fre- quenter of dark woods, where other hawks are rarely seen. Henshaw, 1879. Seen at several points along the Cascade Mountains in Oregon. Bendire. A few pairs breed in the mountains north of Camp Harney. Collected at Walla Walla. Calaveras County. L. B. — Common summer resident; a pair or two breeding in the grove every summer; never positively identified in the foothills and valleys where it must be very rare if it occurs at all. It is occasionally found on the east slope of the Sierras in summer, as at Webber Lake, Donner Lake and Lake Tahoe. At the latter locality I saw about twenty at dif- BIRDS OF THE PACIFIC DISTRICT. 33 ferent times in September, 1889. It is usually in the densest forest. 28. Buteo borealis calurus (Cass.) WESTERN RED- TAILED HAWK. (B. montanus in part of Cooper and previous writers.) San Diego, L. B. — Common resident. Poway. F. E. Blaisdell. — Common resident. Volcan Mountains. W. O. Emerson. — Seen on every collecting trip; paired and breeding February 20; eggs collected at Live Oak Spring March 20. San Bernardino. F. Stephens. — Tolerably common resident. Agua Caliente, San Diego county, Cal. F. Stephens. One seen on March 20, and another April 10, 1886. Henshaw, 1876. Of almost universal distribution in the West. San Jose. A. L. Parkhurst. — March 1, 1885, fresh eggs. Alameda and Contra Costa counties. W. E. Bryant. — Common resident. Berkeley. T. S. Palmer. — Common resident. Central California. L. B. — Very common resident throughout the agricultural districts; many breed in the Sierra. Newberry. It may be said to inhabit all portions of our Pacific possessions. Willamette Valley. 0. B. Johnson. — Common. Cooper, 1860. An abundant and resident species in every part of the territory I have visited. Suckley. I noticed that the poultry yards were as much harassed by this hawk as by the goshawk, neither of which hesitated to seize poultry from the very doors of dwelling houses. This may be accounted for by the fact that on Puget Sound hawks, as a class, are more 3 34 CALIFORNIA ACADEMY OF SCIENCES. numerous than in the Eastern States, and small birds to support them are less so in proportion. British Columbia. John Fannin. — Common sum- mer resident. Henshaw. Numerous throughout all the heavily wood- ed portions of the region. Camp Harney. Capt. Bendire. — Moderately com- mon resident and one of the earliest hawks to breed. Ridgway. A very common species in all wooded localities of the interior. Truckee and Carson Valleys, especially abundant in winter. Hoffman. A common species throughout the wooded valleys in winter; ascending to the more elevated tim- bered regions in summer. Buteo cooperi Cass. Cooper's Henhawk. — Has been placed in the hypothetical list of the A. 0. U., 1886, with the remark that it is "probably the light phase of B. harlani Aud." (See discussions in the Auk, Vol. I, p. 253, and II, p. 165, on relationship of B. harlani with Cooper's henhawk.) Cooper, 1870. The type specimen I shot near Mount- ain View, Santa Clara Valley, California, November, 1855. 29. Buteo lineatus elegans (Cass.) RED-BELLIED HAWK. Willamette Valley. 0. B. Johnson. — A single ex- ample referable to this species. Heermann. Abundant, and extending from northern California to the edge of the Colorado desert. Upper Sacramento Valley. L. B. — Apparently rare; probably resident, though not seen by me later than October 20. It is very common about Stockton in sum- mer; nearly as common, in breeding season, as the red- tailed hawk. I knew of a pair nesting within less than two hundred yards of a residence where poultry was BIRDS OF THE PACIFIC DISTRICT. 35 plentiful and easily obtainable. They nested there three consecutive seasons unmolested by the occupants of the dwelling. I shot the female as she flew from the nest, April 4, 1880. Her stomach contained several small lizards, a tree-frog (Hyla), grubs and insects. May 11, 1879, there were three young in the nest that would weigh about a pound each. Mr. Charles Moore, who climbed the large oak in which the nest was placed, reported a lining of green but dried and broken leaves in the nest, about three inches deep in the center. On April 4, 1880, there were three nearly fresh eggs in the nest, which this year had a lining of the lace-like lichen (Ramalinaretiformis), found on the oaks in the vicinity, a sample of which was brought down from the nest by Mr. George Ashley, who, with great difficulty, secured the eggs. The largest egg measured 225x175; ground color of all bluish-white, much blotched with reddish- brown, the brown varying greatly in intensity. One egg was smaller and paler than the others, and was probably unfruitful. I saw one of these hawks at Sto'ck- ton, January 25, 1885, repairing an old nest. This, too, was near a farm-house where poultry was abundant, but I doubt if it often attacks poultry, though I have known them to catch small birds. Newberry. Common in those parts of California and Oregon traversed by our party. Ridgway. Seen only in the Sacramento valley, where it was rather common among the trees along the river. Cooper, 1870. Common in the southern part of the State, especially near San Diego. I did not see any in the Colorado valley. El Cajon, San Diego County. L. B.— April 26, 1884, a pair about a nest. I saw one in Santa Margarita canon April 26, 1885, and I also saw two in San Rafael valley, 95 miles southeast of San Diego, May 12, 1885. Marysville. W. F. Peacock. — November, 1885. 36 CALIFORNIA ACADEMY OF SCIENCES. 30. Buteo abbreviatus Caban. ZONE-TAILED HAWK. Cooper, 1870. I shot the specimen above described, the first found within the United States, on the 23d of February, 1862, thirty miles north of San Diego, and five from the coast. 31. Buteo swainsoni Bonap. SWAINSON'S HAWK. Cooper, 1870. I found this species pretty common near San Diego, March, 1862. San Diego. L. B. — Rare in winter, breeding in El Cajon, April 26. Shot in Lower California May 10,. 1885, 40 miles southeast of San Diego; appears to be rare south of San Diego. Poway. F. E. Blaisdell. — Only three observed, and these before April 1, 1885. San Bernardino. F. Stephens. — Breeds in the val- leys; rare. Henshaw, 1876. Pretty well distributed over the southern part of California, and is in certain localities very common. This was the case in the San Fernando* Valley in July. Techachapi. L. B. — Common. Two shot in March r 1889. Heermann. I first remarked this species at Grayson- ville Ferry on the San Joaquin River, and continued to- meet it occasionally until we had crossed Kern River. W. E. Bryant. Several specimens taken at Grayson in spring of 1881. Stockton. L. B. — October 8, 1883, twelve seen on the ground in a single field catching insects. I have seen the species in Butte county in June and September; I suppose they breed there. Fort Klamath. Lieut. Wittich. Jacksonville, Oregon. W. E. Bryant. — In breeding season. BIRDS OF THE PACIFIC DISTRICT. 37 Henshaw, 1879. Very numerous in summer in the low, partially-wooded country near the mountains. I noticed more of these hawks in northern California than farther south,. but this increase in numbers may have been only apparent and due to their concentration as fall approached. Camp Harney. Capt. Bendire. — A common summer resident, generally distributed. Hoffman. Frequently seen throughout the valleys, and appears to be more common during the autumn than B. calurus. Has also been obtained in the Colo- rado valley from Fort Mojave northward. Ridgway. One of the most abundant of the large hawks of the interior, but it seemed to be less common in winter than in summer. 32. Archibuteo lagopus sancti-johannis (Gmel.) AMER- ICAN ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK. Cooper, 1870. This species is only a winter visitor in California, as far as I know, and I have not seen them south of Santa Clara valley, though I think some may breed in the high mountains, as they are seen at the Columbia River in July. Alameda and Contra Costa counties. W. E. Bryant. A rare winter visitant; one specimen taken at Berkeley. Central California. L. B. — Tolerably common winter visitant; it may breed in the mountains, but I have no evidence that it does so. Cooper, 1860. In October I found a large number near the seacoast; some remained all winter, and I think a few build near the mouth of the Columbia, where I saw young birds in July. British Columbia. John Fannin. — Summer resident; not common. Henshaw, 1879. Common in fall in marshy locali- ties. 38 CALIFORNIA ACADEMY OF SCIENCES. Camp Harney. Capt. Bendire. — An irregular winter visitor; common at some seasons and entirely wanting in others. Ridgway. This common species was observed nearly everywhere in the vicinity of the fertile valleys. It ap- pears to be resident in western Nevada, for it was ex- tremely abundant in July at the Truckee Meadows. 33. Archibuteo ferrugineus (Licht.) FERRUGINOUS ROUGH-LEG. British Columbia. John Fannin. — Summer resident; not common. Suckley, 1860. An adult specimen taken in Decem- ber, 1854, at Fort Dalles, Oregon. Camp Harney. Bendire. Rather rare but more common in the open country to the southward, particu- larly so near Camp McDermitt where it breeds. Ridgway. This magnificent hawk was much less fre- quently seen than its relative, the common rough-leg. L. B. — I have never seen this hawk in California in summer, but it is rather common in the treeless lower foothills of Central California in winter, spending much of the time on the ground. It appears to be very rare- in the upper Sacramento Valley. Cooper, 1870. I found it common in December at Martinez. Alameda and Contra Costa counties. W. E. Bryant. — Rare winter visitant. Henshaw, 1876. It does not appear to be at all com- mon in southern California, but becomes numerous in fall. Heermann. During the recent survey in the south- ern part of the State I found it very abundant, having seen on one occasion in the mountains about sixty miles from San Diego, five or six of these birds at the same BIRDS OF THE PACIFIC DISTRICT. 39 moment. Large tracts in the southern portion of the State being totally destitute of trees, this bird alights on the ground, or, taking a position on some slightly elevated tuft of grass or stone, will sit patiently for hours wait- ing for its prey. 34. Aquila chrysaetos (Linn.) GOLDEN EAGLE. Volcan Mountains. F. E. Blaisdell. — August 21 to November 28, occasionally seen. Temecula Canon. H. Willey. — December 2, 1881, one specimen. Santa Cruz. Joseph Skirm. — Quite common resident. Santa Catalina Island. F. Stephens. — August, 1886, four seen. Alameda and Contra Costa counties. W. E. Bryant. Breeds; two records of capture. Upper Sierras of Central California. L. B. — Rather rare summer resident; occasionally seen in the valleys in winter; formerly less rare; not seen at or south of San Diego by me. Heermann. Rarely seen, save by the naturalist who is on the alert. Ridgway. At Carson we scarcely ever went among the hills without seeing it soaring about, generally in pairs. We first met with it in July, 1867, near the sum- mit of the western slope of the Sierra Nevada; afterward it was continually observed on all the higher ranges to the eastward. Henshaw, 1879. Occurring more or less numerously among the mountains. Camp Harney. Bendire. — Moderately abundant throughout the mountainous portions during the greater part of the year. Hoffman. Not uncommon in the elevated mountain regions. They were observed at Bull Run Mountains, Mount Magruder and other similar localities. 40 CALIFORNIA ACADEMY OF SCIENCES. 35. Haliaeetus leucocephalus (Linn.) BALD EAGLE. British Columbia. John Faniiin. — Very abundant resident. Cooper, 1860. One of the most abundant of the Fal- con tribe in Washington territory, particularly along the Columbia River and smaller streams, as well as salt water. This eagle is a constant resident. Suckley, 1860. Exceedingly abundant in Oregon and Washington Territories, and in certain localities, espec- ially during the salmon season, may be found in great numbers. 0. B. Johnson, 1880. Common along the Columbia River nesting in high trees. Henshaw, 1879. Present on nearly all the streams and lakes that furnish fish; extremely abundant at Klamath Lake. Camp Harney. Bendire. — I obtained a single spec- imen February 18, 1875. A pair breed on Silvies River and are the only ones I have seen here. Ridgway. Met with only in the neighborhood of Pyr- amid Lake where it was rare. Newberry, 1854. Not rare in California along the San Joaquin and Sacramento Rivers; is very common at the Cascades of the Columbia and at the falls of the Willamette, and still more abundant about the chain of lakes which cover so large a surface in the Klamath Basin. We found it in the Cascade range about the mountain lakes, and indeed in all places where fish, its favorite food, is obtainable. Heermann, 1854. We found this species in the Tulare Valley on the borders of large lakes, and in one place counted three nests within sight of each other. Cooper, 1870. Very abundant where not extermi- nated by the foolish ambition which inspires most gun- ners to kill an eagle. BIRDS OF THE PACIFIC DISTRICT. 41 Henshaw, 1876. An abundant resident of California particularly along the sea coast. It is also not uncom- mon in the mountain districts. The islands of the Santa Barbara Channel are the resort of many pairs that remain during the year. San Diego. T. C. Parker. — January, 1875 L. B. — It is decidedly rare in San Diego c has not been seen by me in any part of Lower It was common in Central California in winter . as 1866, but is now rare. Marysville. W. F. Peacock. — November 15, 1885. During the last two years four of these eagles have come into my possession; two of them were shot at Red Bluff about the middle of April, and one was caught in a steel trap at Bangor, Butte county. The fourth was killed in Marysville Buttes and brought to me in flesh, October 20, 1885. I am credibly informed that seven of these birds are seen almost daily in these mountains. 36. Falco mexicanus Schleg. PRAIRIE FALCON. Camp Harney. Bendire. — Not at all rare during the migration of the water fowl. A few breed in this vicinity. Henshaw, 1879. A widely diffused species and com- mon in certain localities of this region, as near Camp Bidwell. Ridgway. A rather common species throughout the Great Basin. It was common during summer about the cliffs of the Ruby Range where the families of young accompanied by their parents flew among the precipit- ous rocks where they had been bred. Heermann. I obtained near Sacramento three speci- mens and saw a young unfledged one in San Francisco. I also procured one on the Farallon Islands. r> jr