HYPOTHETICAL LIST. TfiS 



p. 296, Ridgway records this specimen with an interrogation mark, and 

 apparently it is the only record east of the Rocky Mountains. 



Black-headed Grosbeak. Zamelodia melanocephala (Swains). (596) 



The main difference between this and the Rose-breasted Grosbeak is 

 that the male has most of the under parts and the rump brownish yellow 

 ("cinnamon ochraceous") instead of rose-pink and white as in our common 

 bird. 



This species was included in Dr. Males' Hst of Michigan birds (1860) 

 on the authority of Fox, who is said to have taken it at Grosse Isle, Wayne 

 county. On account of this record it was included by Gibbs in his list 

 (1879) and has been frequently mentioned by other writers. It seems 

 perfectly possible that Fox mistook the male Rose-breasted Grosbeak in 

 fall plumage for this western species, whose normal range is from the 

 Pacific coast to middle Kansas, and which otherwise has never been recorded 

 east of South Dakota and Nebraska. This is the more likel}^ from the fact 

 that until very recently (1899) the fact was not generally known that the 

 fall plumage of our male Rose-breasted Grosbeak was entirely unlike its 

 breeding dress. 



Blue Grosbeak. Guiraca caerulea caenilea (Linn.). (597) 



A strikingly beautiful bird, the size of a Scarlet Tanager, but the male 

 a rich dark blue with two distinct chestnut wing-bands. 



Neither of the two Michigan records is satisfactory. ''Archer" (G. A. 

 Stockwell) states that it is a rare visitant to the most southern part of 

 Michigan but gives no instance (Forest and Stream, VIII, p. 281). There 

 is (or was) in the collection of Dr. J. B. Steere, at Ann Arlaor, the- skin of 

 a male Blue Grosbeak said to have been killed by Albert E. Jenkins, at 

 Ann Arbor, and A. B. Covert on the margin of his copy of Coues Key has 

 noted opposite this species "male, Ann Arbor May 24, 1884." Mr. Covert, 

 however, himself states that there is much doubt about this specimen, 

 and it seems extremely probable that it came from the south. The species 

 is a southern one and has not been recorded in this part of the country 

 north of southern Indiana and southern Illinois, except for several more 

 or less doubtful Wisconsin cases. 



Varied Bunting. Passerina versicolor versicolor (Bonap.). (600) 



Synonym. — Western Nonpariel. 



A single specimen of this bird was killed at Locke, Ingham county, 

 Mich., May 18, 1874, by Dr. H. A. Atkins and was identified by Robt. 

 Ridgway to whom it was sent at the request of S. F. Baird. It was a male 

 in full plumage (Orn. & Ool. IX, 1884, p. 81). 



The normal habitat of this species is given as vallej^ of lower Rio Grande 

 in Texas southward to Guatemala. Its presence in Michigan can hardly 

 be explained except on the ground that it was an escaped cage-bird, yet 

 there seemed to be nothing about the specimen to indicate this strongly. 

 Mr. A. B. Covert, however, who examined the specimen states that he 

 thought it to be such. The specimen was for a time in the collection of 

 J. M. B. Sill in Detroit, and probably afterwards went to the collection of 

 the Detroit Scientific Association, but it caiiTiot now be located. Ap- 

 95 



