394 NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. 



TIlis species might at first sight be taken for a small specimen of V. plum- 

 hcvs, the colors, character of bill, etc., being very similar, except that the white 

 of lores and around eye is much less distinct, the lore without any blackish 

 before the eye, and there is only one faint band on wing, instead ot two con- 

 spicuous ones ; the tail-feathers, too, lack the distinct white edgings. The 

 much more rounded wing, and the first primary half the second or more, 

 will, however, readily distinguish them. The form of the bird is very much 

 that of V. pusUlus, which it resembles considerably also in color. The outer 

 quill is, liowever, longer, the bill deeper and more compressed, the inner lat- 

 eral toe considerably shorter, and the size larger. The colors are purer, with- 

 out the olive of the back or the yellowish of the under parts ; the bill, too, 

 is entirely dark plumbeous, instead of horn-color, whitish beneatli. From 

 V. pallens it is distinguislied by a smaller, darker bOl ; longer tail and wing ; 

 one wing-band, not two ; and purer colors. 



Habits. In regard to the habits of tliis well-marked but very rare species 

 but little is as yet known. It was first described, in 1866, by Dr. Coues, 

 from a single specimen obtained by him near Fort Whipple, Arizona. It 

 was shot ]\ray 4, 1865, and is supposed by Dr. Coues to be a summer resi- 

 dent of Arizona wintering in the Gila and the Lower Colorado Valleys, or in 

 Sonera. 



