404 



BULLETIN 50, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 



Adults {sexes alike) in spring and suniiriei'. — Pileum (including upper 

 half of lores and whole postocular region), hindneck, malar region, 

 chin, throat and upper portion of chest uniform black, the last 

 abruptly defined against white of lower chest; sides of head and neck, 

 between the two black areas, white; back, scapulars, and lesser wing- 

 coverts plain gray (between olive-gray and mouse gray), the rump and 

 upper tail-coverts similar l)ut slightly more buffy; wings and tail 

 darker gray with paler gray edgings, these sometimes approaching 

 white on outer webs of tertials; under parts of body dull white, 

 becoming faintly buffy on sides and flanks; bill black; iris brown; legs 

 and feet bluish gra}^ in life (dusky in dried skins). 



Adid.ts in fall and winter. — Similar to the spring and sununer 

 plumage, but gray of upper part more strongly tinged with butt', and 

 sides and flanks more strongly butty. 



Young. — Similar to adults but black of head, especially that of chin 

 and throat, duller and less glossy. 



Adult male. — Length (skins), 1U5-1158 (111.2); wing, .57.5-00.5 

 (61.8); tail, 47-57.5 (51.9); culmen, 7.5-9 (8.4); tarsus, 14.5-10.5 

 (15.8); middle toe, 8.5-10.5 (9.8)." 



Ad^dt female.— hQngt\\ (skins), 90.5-118 (104.2); wing, 54.5-63.5 

 (61.2); tail, 46.5-57.5 (53.3); culmen, 7.5-9 (8.4); tarsus, 13.5-16 

 (15.4); middle toe, 8.5-10 (9.6).'' 



« Thirty-three specimens. 

 ^ Twenty-six specimens. 



Specimens from different geographic areas average in measurements, respectively, 

 as follows: 



Locality. 



MALES. 



Ten adult males from Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, and Ten- 

 nessee 



Ten adult males from Maryland, District Columbia, and 

 Virginia 



Three adult males from North Carolina 



Two adult males from South Carolina 



Two adult males from Georgia 



Pour adult males from northwestern Florida 



Two adult males from Louisiana 



FEMALES. 



Eight adult females from Indiana, Illinois, and Ten- 

 nessee 



Ten adult females from Maryland and District Columbia. 



Three adult females from North Carolina 



One adult female from South Carolina 



Four adult females from northwestern Florida 



Wing. 



64.3 



62.4 

 61.2 

 60.2 

 59.7 



58 

 58 



61.2 

 59.3 

 •58.5 

 58.5 

 55. 9 



Tail. 



52.4 

 .50.7 

 50.5 

 48.5 

 48.4 

 47.7 



53.3 

 49.8 

 48.3 

 48.5 



IS. 1 



Middle 

 toe. 



9.7 

 9.7 

 10 

 9.5 

 8.9 

 9.7 



9.6 

 9.1 

 9.2 

 9.5 

 8.9 



Specimens from the Ohio Valley, besides being larger are appreciably darker than 

 those from the Potomac Valley, in the latter respect very closely matching those 

 from the Gulf States. 



