352 



ALECTORIDES. 



Synopsis of the North American Species. 



Com. Char. Above, oUve or asby, witb more or less distinct broaJ longitudinal stripes of 

 darker ; beneatb, n.ncolored anteriorly, variegated witb bars on tbe flanlis and crissuni. Breast 

 more or less reddisb ; Hanks and crissuni witb brown and wbite transverse bars ; a supraloralligbt 

 stripe. Wing-coverts usually more rufescent tban back. 



A. Size large (wing more tban 5 inches). 



a. AxiUars and flanks dusky, with wide white bars (bars about .15 of an inch wide on flanks). 



1 . R. elegans. Back and scapulars ochraceous-olive or yellowish drab, sharply and conspicu- 



uuslv striped with black ; breast deep cinnamon. Wing, 5.90-6.80 ; culmen, 2.10-2.50 ; 



least depth of bill, .22-.35 ; tarsus, 1.90-2.40 ; middle toe, 1.70-2.10. Hah. Fresh- water 



marshes of Eastern North America. 





B. elegans. 



b. Axillars and lining of wing dark brown, narrowly barred with wbite ; flanks dark brown 



distinctly barred with both white and blackisli, the bars of tbe former about .05-.07 of an 

 inch wide. 



2. R. Beldingi. Above, deep olive-brown, distinctly but not sharply striped with brownisli 



black ; breast, etc., rich cinnamon. Wing, 5.70 ; tail, 2.50 ; culmen, 2.15 ; least depth 

 of bill, .30 ; tarsus, 1.92 ; middle toe, 1.80. Hah. Gulf of California (Espiritu Santo 

 I-sland). 



c. AxiUars and flanks l)rowni.sh gray, with narrow white bars (bars about .10 of an inch wide 



on flanks). 



3. R. obsoletus. l^ack and scapulars grayish olive, indistinctly striped witli dusky ; breast 



deep cinnamon. Wing, 0. 40-0. GO ; culmen, 2.25-2.50; least depth of bill, .32-35; 

 tarsus, 2.10-2.25 ; middle toe, 2.00-2.15. Hah. Salt-water marshes of California. 



4. R. longirostris. Back and scapulars brownish gray or ashy, obsoletely striped witli 



bruwii (in (iulf coast specimens distinctly striped with dusky) ; l)reast pale liuft" (in Gulf 

 coast specimens dull cinnamon). Wing, 5.20-6.00; culmen, 2.05-2.50; least depth of 

 bill, .22- 35 ; tarsus. 1.85-2.10; middle toe, 1.75-2.00. Hah. Salt-water mar-shes of 

 Eastern United States, West Indies, and Northeastern South America. 

 B. Size small (wing less tban 4.50 inches). 



5. R. virginianus. Similar to B. elegans, but rather more deeply colored. Hah. North and 



Middle America. 



