Colorado.

A common species in the valleys and on the side hills, nesting in bushes
near the ground, and sometimes on the ground; the nests are made of
grasses, weeds and twigs lined with rootlets, and the three or four eggs
are greenish blue sparingly spotted or scrawled with blackish brown, the
markings being similar to those on many Red-winged Blackbirds' eggs.
Size 1.00 x .70.

591a. SAN LUCAS TOWHEE. _Pipilo fuscus albigula._

Range.--Southern Lower California.

This variety is like the last but is usually paler below. It is abundant
in the region about the cape where they nest in thickets, either in the
bushes or on the ground. The eggs cannot be distinguished from those of
the Canon Towhee.

591b. CALIFORNIA TOWHEE. _Pipilo crissalis crissalis._

Range.--Pacific coast of California.

This variety is similar to the Canon Towhee but is browner, both above
and below. They are one of the most common of California birds,
frequenting scrubby thickets, both on mountain sides and in valleys and
canons, from which their harsh scolding voice always greets intruders.
They place their nests in bushes at low elevations from the ground and
sometimes on the ground;

[Illustration 362: 588b--591.]
[Illustration: Greenish blue.]
[Illustration: left hand margin.]

Page 361

they are made of twigs, strips of bark, weeds and coarse grasses, lined
with fine rootlets. Their three or four eggs are laid in April or May;
they are light bluish green marked like the others with purplish or
brownish black. Size .95 x .72.

591.1a. ANTHONY'S TOWHEE. _Pipilo crissalis senicula._

Range.--Southern California and south through Lower California.

A very similar bird to the last but sightly smaller and lighter below.
The habits and nesting habits of these birds are in every way identical
with those of the California Towhee and the eggs cannot be distinguished
from those of that variety. They are fully as abundant in the southern
parts of California as the others are in the northern.

592. ABERT'S TOWHEE. _Pipilo aberti._

Range.--Arizona and New Mexico north to Colorado and Nevada and east to
southeastern California.

This bird is wholly brownish gray both above and below shading into
reddish brown on the under tail coverts; the face is black. They are
abundant in the valleys of Arizona and New Mexico, but unlike the
preceding species, they are generally wild and shy. They nest in
chaparral thickets along streams, t