IIQ NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. 



A yoimg bird has the prevailing color reddish-olive ahove, spotted witli 

 lighter ; beneath brownish-white, streaked tliiclvly with brown. 



The description above given may be taken as representing the avei-age of 

 the species in the Xortliern and ]\Iiddle States. Most specimens from tiie 

 Mississippi ^'alley differ in having the two white patches on the primaries 

 confluent ; but this feature is not sufficiently constant to make it wortliy of 



2135 



Pipilo erythrophthalmiis. 



more than passing notice, for occasionally western specimens have the white 

 spaces separated, as in the majority of eastern examples, while among the 

 latter there may, now and tlien, be found individuals scarcely distinguishable 

 from the average of western ones. 



In Florida, liowever, there is a local, resident race, quite different from 

 these two northern styles, which are themselves not enough unlike to be 

 considered separately. This Florida race differs in much smaller size, very 

 restricted white on both wing and tail, and in having a yellowish-white in- 

 stead of blood-red iris. Further remarks on this Florida race will be found 

 under its proper heading (p. 708), as P. erythrophthahnns, var. allcni. 



Specimens of eri/tJirophtlmlmus, as restricted, from Louisiana, as is the case 

 with most birds from the Lower Mississipjn region, exhibit very intense 

 colors compared with those from more uoi'tliern portions, or even Atlantic 

 coast specimens from the same latitude. 



Habits. The Ground Piobin, Towhee, Chewink, Charee, or Joreet, as it is 

 variously called, has an extended distribution throughout tlie eastern United 

 States, from Florida and Georgia on the southeast to the Selkirk Settlements 

 on the northwest, and as far to the west as the edge of the Great Plains, 

 where it is replaced by other closely allied races. It breeds almost wlierever 

 found, certainly in Georgia, and, I have no doubt, sparingly in Florida. 



Tliis bird was not observed in Texas by Mr. Dresser. It has been found 

 in Western Maine, wliere it is gi\-en by Mr. Verrill as a summer visitant, 

 and where it breeds, but is not common. It arrives there tlie first of May. 

 It is not given by Mr. Boardman as occurring in Eastern Elaine. In Massa- 

 chusetts it is a very abundant summer visitant, arriving about tlie last of 

 April, and leaving about tlie middle of October. It nests there tlie last of 



