422 NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. 



Genus JUNCO Wagler. (Page 385, pi. CIX., fig. 3.) 



Species. 



Common Characters. — Adult : Plumage chiefly plain grayish, entirely without 

 streaks, and usually without distinct markings on wings ; bellj^, under tail-coverts, 

 and outer tail-feathers white. Young : Profusely streaked, both above and below, 

 the ground-color of the lower parts everywhere dull whitish ; outer tail-feathers 

 white, as in the adult. Nest usually on ground, rather bulky, composed of dried 

 grass-stems, etc., lined with softer materials. Eggs 3-5, whitish, usually more or 

 less speckled with reddish brown. 



a}. Sides ash-gray, like chest, or, if inclining to pinkish, this color not abruptly 

 defined against, or contrasted with, gray or dusky of chest. 

 ¥. Back gray, like chest ; bill, in life, pale flesh-color, purplish horn-color, or 

 pinkish white, with dusky tip ; iris dark brown, or claret-color. 

 c\ Wing usually with two distinct white bands ; larger (length about 6.00- 

 7.00, the wing averaging more than 3.25). 



Uniform plumbeous-gray, the head not dai-ker ; bill, in life, livid 

 pinkish, with dusky tip. Male : Wing 3.15-3.65 (3.44), tail 3.00- 

 3.39 (3.20), culmen .52-.54 (.53), tarsus .85-.90 (.86). Female : 

 Wing 3.23-3.48 (3.30), tail 3.10-3.28 (3.15), culmen .52-.54 (.53), 

 tarsus .80-88 (.84). Hab. Eocky Mountains, in Colorado and 

 Wyoming, straggling east, in winter, to middle Kansas. 



566. J. aikeni Eidgw. White-winged Junco. 

 c'^. Wing usually without trace of white bands ; smaller (length about 5.50- 

 6.25, the wing averaging less than 3.20). 

 d}. Plumage slate-gray, the head perceptibly darker, approaching 

 blackish slate (often nearl}^ black anteriorly) in the male, the 

 female (especially younger birds) often strongly tinged with 

 brownish, the sides washed with light pinkish brown ; bill, in 

 life, delicate light flesh-color, or pinkish white. Ilale : Wing 

 3.00-3.25 (3.09), tail 2.68-2.90 (2.82), culmen .46-.51 (.49), tar- 

 sus .80-.86 (.83). Feynale : Wing 2.87-3.10 (2.95), tail 2.60-2.98 

 (2.74), culmen .47.-.50 (.49), tarsus .80-.85 (.83). Eggs .76 X 

 .58, colored like those of Spizella pusilla. Hab. Northern North 

 America, breeding from northern Maine to Alaska (except Pa- 

 cific coast district, or south and east of the peninsula); in win- 

 ter, whole of eastern United States, and sparingly westward to 

 Pacific coast... 567. J. hyemalis (Linn.). Slate-colored Junco. 

 cP. Plumage much as in J. aikeni, but softer and more decidedly plum- 

 beous, the wing-bands always (?) obsolete ; bill, in life, livid or 

 puri^lish horn-color. Male : Wing 3.03-3.25 (3.17), tail 2.81-3.07 

 (2.97), culmen .50-.51 (.51), tarsus .88-.90 (.89). Female: Wing 



