BIRDS OF NORTH AND MIDDLE AMERICA 137 



equal, extending to slightly beyond penultimate articulation of middle 

 toe; hallux slightly shorter than second phalanx of middle toe; upper 

 surface of toes with a continuous series of transverse scutella, margined 

 along each side by a row of rather small more or less quadrate scales ; 

 edges of toes distinctly fringed or pectinated in winter, but not in 

 summer. 



Plumage and coloration. — Feathers of crown slightly elongated, form- 

 ing a moderate crest when erected ; a nude superciliary space, larger and 

 brightly colored in adult males in summer; no tufts nor air sac on side 

 of neck; plumage in general rather compact, with feathers distinctly out- 

 lined, except on anal region, where soft, downy, and blended. Adult 

 males barred with black and grayish above, the tail plain blackish, some- 

 times tipped with cinnamon-rufous ; throat, cheek, breast, etc., black, 

 the former margined with white spotting, the feathers along sides, etc., 

 and under tail coverts (sometimes upper tail coverts also) broadly tipped 

 with white. Adult females barred above with blackish and rusty or 

 buffy, beneath everywhere barred and spotted with blackish, buffy, 

 and white. 



Range. — Northern coniferous forests of North America (Hudsonian 

 and Canadian Zones). (Two species.) 



KEY TO THE FORMS (aDULTS) OF THE GENUS CANACHITES'"' 



a. Throat and breast black (males). 



b. Rectrices not broadly tipped with pale brownish ; upper tail coverts with 

 broad white tips (se. Alaska to c. Alberta and nw. Wyoming). 



Canachites franklinii (p. 138) 

 bb. Rectrices broadly tipped with pale brownish ; upper tail coverts with no 

 white tips. 

 c. Grayish edges of feathers of lower back, rump, and upper tail coverts 

 usually lightly tinged with olivaceous (coast of s. Alaska). 



Canachites canadensis atratus (p. 150) 



cc. Grayish edges of feathers of lower back, rump, and upper tail coverts 



clear grayish, not tinged with olivaceous (n. North America from c. 



Alaska to Labrador) Canachites canadensis canadensis (p. 143) 



(s. Canada from Manitoba s. to Wisconsin and n. New England). 



Canachites canadensis canace (p. 147) 

 (Gaspe, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick). 



Canachites canadensis torridus (p. 151) 

 aa. Throat and breast tawny to whitish barred with dark brown (females). 



b. Upper tail coverts tipped with white (se. Alaska to c. Alberta and nw. 



Wyoming) Canachites franklinii (p. 138) 



bb. Upper tail coverts not tipped with white. 



c. Above predominantly fuscous and gray, brownish bars pale and largely 

 restricted to hindneck and upper back. (n. North America from c. 

 Alaska to Labrador) Canachites canadensis canadensis (p. 143) 



*^ The races atratus, canace, and torridus are quite poorly defined. Inasmuch as 

 it has been found possible to see their characters in series, they have been main- 

 tained, but no great loss would result if they were all united under canadensis. 



