TANAGRID^ — THE TAXAGERS. 441 



Female. Above ashy-greenish-olivaceous, brightest on forehead ; edges of wing- 

 feathers, upper taiUcoverts, and tail more ashy on the back; beneath nearly uniform 

 olivaceous-yellow, purer medially ; lores ashy ; a superciliary stripe of olivaceous-yellow_ 

 Young male similar to the female, but forehead and crown ohvaceous-orange, brightest 

 anteriorly ; superciliary stripe bright orange, whole throat, abdomen, and breast medially 

 rich yellow, most intense, and tinged with orange-chrome on throat. 



Hab. Mountain regions of Mexico and southern Rocky Mountains of United States. 

 Oaxaca (Oct., Scl.\ter) ; Xalapa (ScL.) ; Guatemala (Sclater) ; Vera Cruz (not to alpine 

 regions, Sumiourast). 



This species difi'ers from all the others in the great restriction of the red ; 

 this being confined principally to the head above, and median lower surface, 

 the lateral and upper parts being quite different reddish-ashy. The sJiade of 

 red is also pecidiar among the North American species, being very fine and 

 light, of a red-lead cast, and most intense anteriorly. 



Habits. A single female specimen in full plumage of this beautiful bird 

 was obtained by Dr. Woodhouse in the San Francisco ilountaius of New 

 Mexico. It was an adult female, and so far is the only one known to have 

 been found within tlie limits of tlie United States. It is not rare in the 

 highlands of Mexico, whence it probably extends into the mountainous f)or- 

 tions of the United States. 



Specimens have also been procured from Guatemala, and Mr. Boucard met 

 with it at Choapam, a mountainous district in the State of Oaxaca, Mexico. 



Nothing is known of its habits. 



Pyranga sestiva, \ar. aestiva Vieill. ^^ ^ 



SUMMER BEDBIED. / ^ 



Musdcapa rubra, Linn. Syst. Nat. I, 176(5, 326. Tanagra a^liva, Gmelin, I, 1788, 889. — 

 Wilson, I, 1810, 95, pi. vi, f. 3. — AuD. Om. Biog. I, 1831, 232; V, 1839, 518, 

 pi. xliv. Pyranga ccstiva, Vieill. Nouv. Diet. XXVIII, 1819, 291. — Bon. List, 

 1838.— Ib. Conspectus, 18.50. — AuD. Syn. 1839, 136. — Ib. Birds Am. Ill, 1841, 

 222, pi. ccviii. — ScL.^TER, Pr. Zoiil. Soc. 1855, 156. — Ib. 1856, 123. — Baiud, Birds 

 N. Am. 1858, 301. — Heermann, P. K. R. X, p. 17. — Ridgway, Pr. A. N. S. 

 1869, 130. — Maynakd, Birds E. Mass. 1870, 109. Phtcnisoma asliva, Sw. Birds, II, 

 1837, 284. Phcenieosoma cestiva, Cabanis, Mus. Hein. 1851, 25. 1 Loxia virginica, 

 Gmelin, I, 1788, 849. (Male changing. ) .? Tanagra mississippiensis, Gmelin, I, 1788, 

 889. Pyranga mississippieiisis. Max. Cab. Jour. VI, 1858, 272. Taimgra varicgala. 

 Lath. Ind. Orn. I, 1790, 422. (Male changing.) Tangarc du Mississippi, Buffon, 

 01s. V, 63, pi. enl. 741. 



Sp. Char. Bill nearly as long as the head, without any median tooth. Tail nearly 

 even, or slightly rounded. Male. Vermilion-red ; a little darker above, and brightest on 

 the head. Quills brown, the outer webs like the back. Shafts only of the tail-feathers 

 brown. Bill light horn-color, more yellowish at the edges. Female. Olive above, yellow 

 beneath, with a tinge of reddish. Length, 7.20; wing, 3.75; tail, 3.00; culmen, .70, 

 tarsus, .68. 



Hab. Eastern Provinpe United States, north to about 40°, though occasionally straying as 

 far as Nova Scotia; west to borders of the plains. In winter, south through the whole of 

 Middle America (except the Pacific cnasf) as far as Eciiadur and Peru. Cuba; Jamaica. 

 oG 



