_Harporhynchus cinereus_, XANTUS, Pr. A. N. Sc. 1859, 298.—BAIRD,
IB., 303; Review, 46.—SCLATER, Catal. 1861, 8, no. 49.—ELLIOT,
Illust., I. pl. i.—COOPER, Birds Cal. 1, 19.
SP. CHAR. Bill as long as the head; all the lateral outlines gently
decurved from the base. Bristles not very conspicuous, but reaching to
the nostrils. Wings considerably shorter than the tail, much rounded.
First primary broad, nearly half the length of the second; the third
to the seventh quills nearly equal, their tips forming the outline of
a gentle curve; the second quill shorter than the ninth. Tail
considerably graduated, the lateral feathers more than an inch the
shorter. Legs stout; tarsi longer than middle toe, distinctly
scutellate, with seven scales.
Above ashy brown, with perhaps a tinge of rusty on the rump; beneath
fulvous-white, more fulvous on the flanks, inside of wing, and
crissum. Beneath, except chin, throat, and from middle of abdomen to
crissum, with well-defined V-shaped spots of dark brown at the ends of
the feathers, largest across the breast. Loral region hoary. Wings
with two narrow whitish bands across the tips of greater and middle
coverts; the quills edged externally with paler. Outer three
tail-feathers with a rather obsolete white patch in the end of inner
web, and across the tips of the outer.
Spring specimens are of rather purer white beneath, with the spots
more distinct than as described.
Length of 12,960 (skin), 10.00; wing, 4.10; tail, 4.65; first primary,
1.60; second, 2.50; bill from gape, 1.40, from above, 1.15, from
nostril, .90; tarsus, 1.26; middle toe and claw, 1.12; claw alone, .30.
HAB. Cape St. Lucas, Lower California.
This species is curiously similar in coloration to _Oreoscoptes
montanus_, from which its much larger size, much longer and decurved
bill, and the graduated tail, of course readily distinguish it. It
agrees in some respects with _H. rufus_ and _H. longirostris_, but is
smaller, the bill longer and more curved; the upper parts are ashy
olivaceous-brown instead of rufous, etc.
HABITS. So far as is at present known in regard to this species it
appears to be confined exclusively to the peninsula of Lower
California. It has, at least, been met with nowhere else. Mr. Xantus
found it quite numerous in the vicinity of Cape St. Lucas, in a region
which, as he describes it, was singularly unpropitious. This was a
sandy shore, extending about a quarter of a mile inland, whence a
cactus desert stretched about six miles up to a high range of
mountains. Throughout this tract the ground is covered with a saline
efflorescence. There is no fresh water within twenty-eight miles.
Mr. Xantus speaks of the habits of this bird as being similar to those
of the _Oreoscoptes montanus_. It was a very abundant species at this
cape, where he found it breeding among the cactus plants in large
numbers. He mentions that as early as the date of his arrival at the
place, April 4, he found them already with full-fledged young, and
states that they continued to breed until the middle of July.
He was of the impression that the eggs of this species more nearly
resemble those of the common Mocking-Bird than any others of this
genus. The aggravatingly brief notes that accompanied his collections
show that the general position of the nest of this species was on low
trees, shrubs, and most usually, cactus plants, and in no instance at
a greater elevation from the ground than four feet. Their nests were
flat structures, having only a very slight depression in or near their
centre. They were about 5 inches in diameter, and were very little
more than a mere platform.
The eggs vary somewhat in their ground color, but exhibit only slight
variations in size or shape. Their greatest length is 1.13 inches, and
their average 1.12 inches. Their mean breadth is .77 inch, and their
maximum .79 inch. The ground color is a greenish-white, profusely
marked with spots of mingled purple and brown. In others the ground
color is a bluish-green. In some specimens the spots are of a
yellowish-brown, and in some the markings are much lighter.
Harporhynchus curvirostris, CABAN.