CENTRONYX BAIRDIIj BAIRD's BUNTING. 125 



Army, in Western Texas, this species has been noticed in varions parts 

 of New Mexico, by Drs. A. L. Heermaun and T. C. Henry, and by other 

 naturalists further north, as above quoted. It has been usually observed 

 in company with F. ornatus, and its United States range appears to be 

 much the same, although, as yet, we have no accounts of its occurrence 

 in the British Possessions or in Mexico. I am informed, by letter from 

 Mr. T. Martin Trippe, that vast numbers were seen in winter in the 

 Arkansas Valley, and throughout Eastern Colorado. 



"Maccown's Bunting," writes Mr. Allen to me, "was abundant in the 

 vicinity of Cheyenne in August, and the occurrence of partially-Hedged 

 young seemed to indicate that it had bred in the immediate vicinity. I 

 also observed it near Laramie City during the same months, and found 

 it common, in winter, in the northwestern counties of Kansas. In hab- 

 its, notes, and general appearance, it is scarcely distinguishable, at a 

 little distance, from the Chestnut-collared Bunting." 



A nest of Maccown's Bunting taken on Heart Eiver, Dakota, July 7, 

 1873, by Mr. Allen, was built on the ground, and is constructed of 

 decomposing woody fibre and grasses, with a lining of finer grasses. 

 In its i)reseut state of preservation it is too much distorted to permit 

 description of its shape. It contained four eggs, closely resembling the 

 lighter-colored varieties of the P. ornatus, but without the purplish-gray 

 clouding of the latter. The ground is dull white; the markings are 

 obscure and rather sparse mottling, with some heavier, sharp, scratchy 

 ones, both brown, of different intensity. A specimen measures 0.80 by 

 O.GO. 



CENTRONYX BAIRDII, (And.) Bd. 



Baird's Sparrow* 



Enibenza hairdii, AUD., B. Am. vii, 1843, 359, pi. 500. 



CoUirn\cHh(S hairdii, Br., Consp. Av. i, 1850, 481. 



Centronyx hairdii, Bi>., B. N. A. 1858, 441.— Coues, Key, 1872, 135 (not of Mayn., Nat. 



Guide, 113, the supposed "Centronyx" from Massachusetts proving to be a 



Paiiftrcidus. See Mayx., Am. Nat. vi, 1872, 037 ; Allen, ibid. 631 ; Bkew., ibid. 



vi, 1872, 307 ; Coues, Key, 3.^>2).— B. B. & R., N. A. B. i, 1874, 531, pi. 25, tig. 3.— 



Hensh., Am. Nat. viii, 1874, p. — (Arizona). 

 Passercuhis hairdii, Coues, Am. Nat. vi, 1873, 697. 

 Ammodromm hairdii, Giebel, Nomenc. Av. i, 328. 

 Centroniix ochroccjihahis, Aiken, Am. Nat. vii, 1873, 237 (El Paso, Colorado. Autumnal 



plumage. See Scott, ibid. 564 ; Coues, ibid. 694). 



Hab. — Central Plains. North to the British Provinces. South to New Mexico and 

 Arizona. East nearly to the Red River of the North. West to the Rocky Mountains. 

 Not procured by any of the Expeditious. 



Upon insufficient examination of the type, a faded specimen in worn plumage, pre- 

 served in the Smithsonian, I ventured the hasty and, as it proved, unfounded surmise 

 that tliis was not a valid species, having an idea that some obscure plumage of a 

 young I'lcetrophancn was in <iuestion. The following descriptions are drawn up from 

 about .seven tij-Jive specimens I collected in Dakota last year. 



Adult, in breeding plumaije. — With a general resemblance to rasscrculus savanna. 

 Inner secondaries less elongated, only rarely equaling the primaries in the closed 

 wings. First four (|uills about equal, and longest, lliud toe and claw about e(|ualing 

 the middle toe and elaw, its claw about e(|ualiiig tin; digit. (Nt> evident or constant 

 dift'erenee from I'a.s.serculHn in i>roi(ort ions of the toes.) Tail .shorter than the wing, 

 lightly double-rounded (central and outer i)air of feathers both a little shorter than 

 the intermediate ones). Top of head streaked with l)laek and rich brownish-yellow, 

 or butt", the fornun- predominating laterally, the latter chielly as a median stripe, but 

 also sutfusing the nape and sides of head iii greater or less degree. Back varied with 

 brownish-black and gray, together with a little bay, the two latter colors (brining the 

 edgings of the interscapulars and scapulars. K'uiii]) variegated with gray and ehestiiut- 

 brown, diiVerent in shade from that of the back. I'lider p.-irts dull while, usuiilly with 

 a faint ochrey tinge on the breast, but often without; a circlet of small, sharp, sparse, 



