NOTES ON NORTH CAROLINA BIRDS — WETMORE 525 



rial indicating that they range more widely than anticipated. The 

 birds here come in contact with the true red-eyed towhee, P. e. 

 erythrophthal/mits, and show intergradation in some individuals 

 through variation in the light color of the eyes and in larger size, 

 as well as in the extent of the white tip on the outer rectrix, which 

 is much restricted in typical alleni. 



The name to be applied to these light-eyed birds may be subject 

 to some question, but to me it appears better, for the present at least, 

 to call them alleni^ on the basis principally of the light-colored eye. 

 Burleigh ^^ has identified these coastal birds of North Carolina as 

 canaster and has written me that he considers this to be the proper 

 name to be applied to them. P. e. canaster at best is an intergrade 

 toward dUeni as indicated by the reduced white on the outer rectrices. 

 Its principal definite peculiarity is in the paler brown of the sides 

 and flanks. The iris is red like that of erythrophthalmus^ though 

 where canaster reaches alleni in the south we may expect paler-eyed 

 birds. It hardly seems to me desirable to place the coastal birds 

 with light eyes and dark brown flanks and sides with canaster^ as 

 in so doing we use this name for birds with two definite characters 

 of another race. 



It may be added that apparently it is this intermediate white-eyed 

 group here allocated under aJUni that Koelz recently has named 

 rileyi from the coast of Georgia.^" I do not feel, however, that 

 this group of intermediates can be properly segregated under a 

 distinct name without more evidence. 



At Southport this is the breeding form, specimens being taken 

 on May 11 and 18. Three males, with wing measurements of 80.3, 

 82.3, and 85.8 mm., average a little large but have the white tips on 

 the tail small. A female is nearly typical, as the wing measures 

 72.4 mm., and the forepart of the body has a definitely grayish cast. 

 It was somewhat of a surprise to get light-eyed towhees 7 miles 

 southeast of Rockingham in Richmond County, indicating the influ- 

 ence of the southern bird coming in from the south along the valley 

 of the Pee Dee River. These birds are a little large, a male having 

 the wing 85.0 and a female 83.0 mm., but the white on the tail is 

 not extensive and the female is distinctly dark and grayish. Though 

 not typical they are definitely to be placed with alleni. It was also 

 unexpected to find this same intermediate type of bird near Green- 

 ville on November 4 and 9, four males having definitely light eyes 

 though averaging a little large, with the white on the tail more 

 extensive. Wing measurements range from 80.1 to 89.3 mm. Other 



«Auk. m.-^T, p. 45fl. 



MPlptlo alleni rileyi Koelz, Proc. Biol. Soc. Washington, vol. 52, July 22, 1939, p. 121 

 (Brunswick, Ga.). 



