104 NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. 



except those of the (liilf of IMexico .and Caribbean Sea), south to the 

 Isthmus of Panama. Throughout this whole region it is everywhere nearly 

 the same bird. This variety appears to represent the species in its greatest 

 purity, being a sort of central form from which the others radiate. The most 

 typical examples of the var. sjmrverius are the specimens in the large series 

 from the elevated regions or plateau of ilexico and Ciuatemala. In these 

 the rufous of the crown is most extended (in none is it at all restricted), 

 and the asliy portions are of the finest or bluest and lightest tint. 



-All specimens, of quite a large series, from tlie peninsula of Lower Cali- 

 fornia, are considerably smaller tliau any others, the smallest (1,693 <? ad. 

 San Josd ; J. Xantus) measuring, wing, 6.50 ; tail, 4.20, and tarsus, 1.30 ; 

 the dwarfed size of these, however, is their only distinguishing feature. 

 Two specimens (50,199, $, Cape Florida, and 10,345, $, Indian Key) from 

 Florida differ from others in the unusual development of the bill, which 

 toward the end is more suddenly curved, and tlie point considerabh' length- 

 ened ; these specimens have, also, only a tinge of rufous on the crown, thus 

 showing a proximity to the var. imbcllimis. The large bill, however, is no 

 more than would be looked for in specimens from that region. 



Along the Gulf border of the United States, and the Caribbean and North 



Wing, 7.40; tail, 4.S5; tai-sus, 1.30; middle toe, .90. Another specimen (Xo. 23,545, Monte 

 Verde, July 17, 1861 ; C. Wright) is much the same, but has distinct spots of black on tlie abdo- 

 men, and tear-shaped marking of the same on the scapiJars. The young female of tliis species 

 bears a remarkably close resemblance to the young of T. punctatiis, Cuv., of Madagascar, agree- 

 ing almost entirely with it in colors, with the exception of those on tlic tail, the bars on which 

 are black and ash, instead of black and rufous. ^Vliether it be considered a distinct species or 

 not, the T. sparvcroidcs certaiidy grades into the T. sparvcritis, in the very near rehition of an 

 aberrant condition of the adult phase of the latter, noticed in .specimens from Florida and adjoin- 

 ing portions of the South American and Gulf coast, and tlie young normal or usual plumage of the 

 former. As is well known, the young ^ sparvcroides has a reddish and also more or less barred or 

 spotted back, as in the male of all the races of sparvcrius at all ages ; the intermediate or transi- 

 tion dress of the young male showing cloudings of plumbeous in the rufous, indicative of the 

 coming uniform plumbeous of perfect maturity. Now, knowing that a wholly ]>lunibeous doi°sal 

 region in the adult, and wholly or mostly rufous dorsal region in the young male, are character- 

 istic featuix's of T. xpurveroi'lcs, we are somewhat surprised to find in adult males of T. s]>arvcrivs 

 var. isahc.lHnm from Florida, a greater or less mi.\ture of plumbeous feathers in various parts of 

 the dorsal region, particularly in the ramp and upper tail-coverts. Many specimens from this 

 locality show another approach to the young male of sjmrvcroides in the deep, un.spotted rufous 

 of the lower parts, sometimes the throat only being white. A young male of sparvcroides from 

 Cuba, and an adult male of sparvcrius said to be from Cuba, are at a cursory glance not distin- 

 gui-shable ; a close comparison, however, will disclose the fact, that in the former, the badly 

 defined head-markings, nearly obsolete black markings on the wings (including basal space of the 

 secondaries, which is conspicuously and sharply defined in the other specimen), and the blurred 

 character of the bars over inner webs of primaries, remain as characters distinguishing the for- 

 mer. The lateral tail-feather, too, has its outer web deep rufous, while it is white, black- 

 spotted, in the specimen of xparvcrius. 



List of Specimens examined. — Nat. Mus., 14 ; Bost. Soc, 3 ; Philad., 1 ; G. N. Lawrence, 4 ; 

 K. Ridgway, 1. Total, 23. 



Mcasiircmenls. — ^. Wing, 0.00-7.10; tail, 4.80-5.10; culmen, .50: tarsus, 1.45-148; 

 middle toe, .90. Specimens, 4. J. Wing, 7.00-7.50; tail, 5.00-5.15; cuhneii, .50: tarsus, 

 1.35 - 1.40 ; middle toe, .88 - .90. Specimens. 3. 



