A History of North American Birds; Land Birds; Vol. 2 of 3Baird, Spencer Fullerton
Science
A History of North American Birds; Land Birds; Vol. 2 of 3
Baird, Spencer Fullerton
Birds -- North America
If we consider all the brown _Pipilos_ as modifications of one
primitive species, it will be well to consider the Arizonan and New
Mexican bird as the central figure around which the others are
grouped. The common character will then be varied in the California
race, _crissalis_, by the absence of decided rufous on crown, a darker
shade of color, and an extension of the gray of sides over the whole
under parts, almost entirely displacing the white. The wing is more
rounded, and the general dimensions larger southward on the central
plains of Mexico; the general tints are almost precisely as in the
California bird, except that the white of belly is very evident; but
the chestnut cap and extended whiteness of belly, together with the
pointed wing of _mesoleucus_, are wanting. In _P. albigula_ of Cape
St. Lucas we have the general characters of _mesoleucus_, with paler
colors, more restricted spots encircling throat, and a tendency to
white in its lower part. In this it approaches _albicollis_ of
Southwestern Mexico.
HABITS. This little-known form was first obtained by Dr. Kennerly,
naturalist to the Pacific Railroad Expedition on the 35th parallel,
under Lieutenant Whipple. He met with it at Bill Williams Fork, in
Arizona, February 5, 1854. It was described by Professor Baird the
following June. Dr. Kennerly furnished at the time no information in
regard to its habits.
Dr. Heermann, in his Report on the birds observed in Lieutenant
Parke’s expedition, mentions having met with this species in the
vicinity of Tucson. Its habits, so far as he could judge of them from
his opportunities, appeared very similar to those of _Pipilo aberti_.
Lieutenant Couch met with this species at Santa Catalina, Mexico, in
April, 1853, but furnishes no information in reference to its manners.
Mr. J. H. Clark, who obtained a specimen near the Copper Mines of the
Mimbres, states that they were met with in abundance in the deep
valleys or cañons of that region. They were almost always in or about
the thick clumps of bushes, several usually being in company.
Dr. Kennerly, who met with them on a second trip, in June, 1855, near
Los Nogales, in Mexico, speaks of them as not very common in that
region. He found them preferring the dense bushes in the valleys. When
approached, they became very restless, flying from one bush to
another, accompanying their motions with very peculiar notes, which he
does not describe.
Dr. Coues found this species abundantly distributed throughout the
warmer portions of New Mexico and Arizona, from the valley of the Rio
Grande to that of the Colorado. He did not observe any at Fort
Whipple, though they were found breeding some twenty-five miles to the
southward. He found them associating freely with _Pipilo aberti_, and
inhabiting the same regions. The two birds have very similar habits.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account