JUNCO. 373 
nostril is below a membrane which covers the upper part of the nasal fossa. The tarsus 
and the middle toe, with its claw, are subequal; the lateral toes subequal. The wings 
are long, the second and third quills forming the point; the first equals the fourth, and 
the secondaries are short, the inner ones decreasing in length, and all of them shorter than 
the shorter primaries. The tail is about the same length as the wings, and somewhat 
rounded. The plumage of the adult is destitute of spots both above and below, and the 
outer tail-feathers are more or less white on both webs. The young are thickly spotted 
everywhere. 
1. Junco cinereus. 
Fringilla cinerea, Sw. Phil. Mag. new ser. i. p. 4357. 
Junco cinereus, Bp. Consp. Av. i. p. 486°; Cab. Mus. Hein. i. p. 134°; Scl. P.Z.S. 1856, p. 306°; 
1858, p. 304°; 1859, p. 865°; 1864, p. 1747; Sumichrast, Mem. Bost. Soc. N. H. i. 
p. 551°; Duges, La Nat. i. p. 140°; Salv. Cat. Strick]. Coll. p. 232"; Ridgw. Auk, 1885, 
p. 863 *. 
Junco pheonotus, Wag]. Isis, 1831, p. 5267. 
Niphea rufidorsis, Licht. Nomencl. p. 43”. 
Supra cinereus, interscapulis, secundariis extus et tectricibus alarum majoribus lete rufis, alis et cauda nigri- 
cantibus illis extus cinereo limbatis, hujus rectricibus utrinque tribus externis albo decrescente terminatis, 
externa utrinque fere omnino alba, loris et capitis lateribus nigricantibus; subtus pallide griseus; rostri 
maxilla nigricante cornea, mandibula flavicante, pedibus pallide corylinis. Long. tota 5°75, ale 3-1, caude 
2°8, rostri a rictu 0-5, tarsi 0°85. (Descr. exempl. ex Jalapa, Mexico. Mus. nostr.) 
Ay. juv. undique nigricante maculato. 
Hab. Mexico (Mann), Temiscaltepec (Bullock 1), Guanajuato (Dugés®), valley of 
Mexico (White"), Alpine region of Vera Cruz (Swmichrast’), El Jacale (Sailé), 
Jalapa (de Oca®), La Parada (Boucard*®), Popocatepetl (de Saussure). 
Junco cinereus was described by Swainson from Bullock’s specimens in 1827, and 
since then the bird has been met with by most collectors who have worked in the high- 
lands of Mexico. Sumichrast speaks of it as one of the most characteristic species of 
the alpine region, being found in the mountains as high as 11,500 feet above the sea, 
but not descending below 6500 feet. Its common name, he adds, “‘ Echa-lumbre,” sig- 
nifies lightning-bird, because the popular belief is that its eyes are phosphorescent in 
the dark 8. 
Mr. Ridgway, in a recently-published paper 4, divides J. cinereus into three races: 
the present bird, J. c. dorsalis of New Mexico and Arizona, and J. c. pailiatus from 
Mount Graham, Arizona. The latter bird only differs from J. cinereus in the shade of 
the grey of the upper parts of the head and neck and the intensity of the black of the 
lores. In J. c¢. dorsalis the outer surface of the wing is ashy grey instead of rufous, 
In his remarks Mr. Ridgway says that intermediate examples between J. dorsalis and 
J. palliatus occur, but that the connecting links between these forms and the true 
