588 NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. 



Tlie type skin of Jvnru dorsa/is of Dr. Henry (see foot-note to synoptical 

 table, p. 580) differs mainly in having tlie whole upper mandible entirely 

 black, as in J. cinercus ; and, as in the latter, the jugulum is pale ash, fading 

 gradually into tlie white of tlie abdomen, insteatl of deep ash abruptly de- 

 fined. It is \ery {irobably, as suggested by Mr. Ridgway, a hybrid with 

 J. cincrciis. 



Habits. This species was first discovered and described by Ih-. "\^^ood- 

 house from specimens obtained by him among the San Francisco Mountains 

 in Arizona. When procured, it was feeding in comjiaiiy with the Jiinco ore- 

 (jomis and various species of Parus. Its habits appeared to be very similar 

 to those of the western Snowbird, as well as to tliose of the common J. 

 hyemalis. 



Dr. Coues states that he found this bird a not very common winter resi- 

 dent at Fort Whipple, wliere its times of arrival and departure, as well as its 

 general liabits, were identical with tliose of ./. orcyonus, witli which it very 

 freely associated. From this we may naturally infer tliat in New Alexico 

 and Arizona it appears only as a winter visitant, and that in summer it goes 

 elsewhere to breed. Its summer resorts, as well as our knowledge of its 

 breeding-habits, nest, and eggs, remain to be determined, or are only imper- 

 fectly known. It evidently retires to the highlands and to mountain regions 

 to breed, and probably has a much more extended liabitat than that of 

 whicli we now have any knowledge. Upon this problem Mr. Kidgway's 

 observations have already shed some valuable and suggestive light. He 

 met with this bird only among the pine woods of the Wahsatch Mountains, 

 where, however, it was a very common bird, and where it was also breeding. 

 Its manners and notes were scarcely different from those of J. oregonvx. It 

 is, liowever, a shyer bird tlian tlie latter, and its song, wliich is only a simple 

 trill, is rather louder than that of either the hyemalia or the orefpnus. 



Dr. Coues writes me that botli "the Gray-Iiead and the Oregon Snowbirds 

 are connnon species about Fort Whi])ple in winter, arriving about the middle 

 of October, and remaining in inimbers until early in April, when they thin 

 off, althougli some may usually be observed during the month, and even a 

 part of the next. Om/onns far outnumbers caniceps. So far as I could 

 see, their habits are precisely the same as those of the eastern Snowbird. 

 Durnig snow-storms they used to come familiarly about our quarters, and I 

 once captured several of both .species, enticing them into a tent in which 

 some barley had been strewn, and having tlie flap fixed so that it could be 

 pulled down with a string in a moment. They always associated together, 

 and once, on firing into a flock, I picked uj) a number of each kind, and one 

 Junco hyemalis. The latter can only be considered a straggler in this region, 

 although I secured three specimens one winter." 



This species was very rare in Colorado, according to Mr. Aiken, in the 

 winter of 1871-72, but became common in March, and a few remained up 

 to the od of May. Xo females of this species were observed by him. 



