140 PEUC^A CASSINI, CASSIN'S PINE FINCH. 



Lieufoiatit Warrenh Erjiedithn.— 4817, Bald Island ; 8750, Lonp Fork of tlie Platte. 

 Late7- Expeditions. — Var. fallax: 60640-5, 61032-51, 61119, various Wyomiu"- locali- 

 ties ; 61673, Utah ; 62303-6, Idaho. 

 Not obtained by Captain Raynolds' Expedition. 



Dr. Hayden's Missouri region s])ecimens represent the typical form, 

 but one at least approximates to the pale western race (var. fallax). 

 This author remarks that it is not abundant in the Northwest, aud the 

 same is the case in most of the unsettled localities of the West, attbrd- 

 iug a parallel with the scarcity of the Eobin under the same circum- 

 stances. Allen found it abundant only at Ogden, Utah. I did not iind 

 it in Northern Dakota. 



PEUC^A CASSmi, (Woodh.) Bd. 

 Cassiu's Pine Finch, 



ZonotricMa cassini, WoODn., Pr. Phila. Acad, vi, 1852, 60 (Texas). 



PassercuJus camni, Woodh., Sitgr. Rep. 1853, 85, pi. 4. 



Feucwa cassini, Bd., B. N. A. 1858, 485 (Texas. In part. The Sonora specimen there 

 included is P. a'stivalis var. arizonw. See RiDGW., Am. Nat. vii, 1873, 616). — 

 Heekm., P. R. R. Rep. x, 1859, Parke's Route, Birds, 12, pi. 4, fig. 2 (Texas).— 

 SCL., Cat. A. B. 1862, 115 (Mexico; compared with type). — Duess., Ibis, 1865, 

 (Texas, eggs). — Sumich., Mem. Bost. Soc. i, 1869, 551 (Orizaba, resident;. — 

 Coop., B. Cal. i, 1870, 219 (California).— Ridgw., Am. Nat. vii, 187.3, 617 (in 

 text).— Snow, B. Kans. 1873, 7.— CouES, Check-list, App. No. 170 his.—B. B. & 

 R., N. A. B. ii, 1874, 42, pi. 28, fig. 5. 



Ammodromus cassini, Gn. — Giebel, Nomeuc. Av. i, 328. 



Feucwa a'stivalis var. cassini, Allen, Bull. M. C. Z. iii, 1872, 137 (Middle Kansas). (Not 

 of CouES, Key, 1872, 140, which was intended for what has since been called 

 var. arizonw. See Coues, Check-list, App. No. 170"^). 



Hab. — Texas to California, aud southward into Mexico. North to Kansas. 



The type of "ZonotricMa cassini" may be a young bird, but other specimens in the 

 Smithsonian appear adult, and most probably warrant Mr. RidgAvay's separation of 

 the species from (cstivaHs, although at one time I was of the contrary opinion. It must 

 not be confounded with the pale race of wstivalis (var. arizonw) which occurs in the 

 same region. It was this pale race which I wrongly called var. cassini in the Key ; the 

 mistake is corrected in the Check-list, upon examination of ample material with Mr. 

 Ridgway. 



This species is brought into the present connection upon its occur- 

 rence in Kansas, where it was found by Mr. Allen to be "rather com- 

 mon along the streams, where its low but peculiarly sweet song is heard 

 at morniug and evening, beginning with the first approach of dawn and 

 continuing at evening considerably after nightfall. It is very retiring, 

 and it was only after several attemps that I discovered the author of 

 the sweet notes that at these still hours added greatly to the pleasure 

 of camping on the plains." Dr. Heermann notices it as follows: " My 

 attention having been attracted by the sound of a new note while at 

 Comanche Springs, Texas, I found, after some observation, that it pro- 

 ceeded from this bird. Kising with a tremulous motion of its wings 

 some twenty feet or more, it descends again in the same manner to 

 within a few yards of the spot whence it started, accompanying its 

 entire flight with a lengthened and i)leasing song. The country there- 

 about is very barren, being covered with low stunted bushes, into 

 which the bird takes refuge on being alarmed, gliding rapidlj' through 

 the grass and shrubbery, adroitly and efiectually evading its pursuer. 

 1 observed them during four or five days of our travel, wheu tbey dis- 

 appeared. They were probably migrating at the time, though their 

 continued and oft-repeated song gave notice they were about preparing 

 for the duties of incubation." 



