176 PIPILO CHLORURUS, GREEN-TAILED FINCH. 



It would uot, however, be at all sui'prising if complete intergradation betweeu erytliropli- 

 thalnius aud arcticus were j)roveu by specimeus from the Lower Missouri, gaining first 

 a spot or two, and then gradually assuming the fully speckled state. lu that event, I 

 should not hesitate to combine the whole in one series, beginning with the black un- 

 spotted erythrophthalmus, yv'ith clear brown female, and ending with the olive-shaded, 

 spotted mciculafits and its nearly similar female. 



Dr. HaijdeH has shown exactly where the two forms meet along the Missouri, at about 

 43*^. In Northern Dakota var. aretieiis occurs east to about 102° longitude, and my 

 Red River specimeus of enjihrophthahnus show an approach toward it. 



Exceptiug the curiously differeut call-uote, the western forms are all 

 precisely like the eastern iu habits and manners. The large-clawed 

 form is very abundant in New Mexico, Arizona, and California. The 

 sexes of this race are not obviously distiuguishable by any outward 

 mark — in fact, on cutting open a supposed male on one occasion, I found 

 an egg inside. Mr. Trippe sends me the following items : 



" The Arctic Towhee appears in the vicinity of Idaho Springs about 

 the middle of May, and iu the course of a week or two becomes rather 

 common, though never very abundant. It becomes rare above 8,500 

 feet, and above 9,000 disappears altogether, being most numerous from 

 7,500 feet down to the plains. In habits and appearance, it is quite 

 similar to the Eastern Towhee, but is much shyer and is easily fright- 

 ened, when it hides in the bushes until all appearance of danger has 

 passed by. Sometimes, though rarely, I have heard it utter the 

 "' chewink" of P. erythrophthalmus, or a note almost exactly like it, though 

 a little lower and more wiry; but its, usual call is quite different. It 

 does not sing near as frequently as the latter bird, but when it does, 

 acts in the same manner, mounting to the lower limb of a tree and 

 chanting its simple ditty at short intervals for half an hour or more. 

 This song is almost the same as the Eastern Towhees ; and it has, also, 

 the same fine drawn, wiry note. It disappears in September." 



Note. — The Pipilo fusciis, Sw. {mcfsolciicus, Bd. ; cf. CouES, Key, 152), has been taken 

 near Canon City, Colorado, by Mr. C. E. Aiken, and may extend to the head-waters of 

 the Platte. A pair were killed iu winter. 



PIPILO CHLORUPtUS, (Towns.) Bd. 



Green-tailed Finch; Blanding's Finch. 



Fringilla cMorura, Towxs. — Aud., Oru. Biog. v, 1839, 336. 



Zonoiricli'ui cldorura, GASUi., Journ. Phila. Acad, i, 1847, 51, ph 9. 



Emhernaqrn chJonira, Bp., Consp., i, 1850, 483. — Heerm., P. R. R. Rep. x, 1859, part vi, 



4C).— ScL., Cat. 18()2, 117. 

 Pipilo dilontrus, Bo., B. N. A. 1858, 519. — Heerm., 7. c. part v, 15. — Hayd., Rep. 1862, 



1G9.— CouES, Pr. Phila. Acad. 1866, 90.— Coop., B. Cal. i, 1870, 248.— Stev., 



U. S. Geol. Surv. Ter. 1870, 465.— Merr., ibid. 1872, 684.— Allen, Bull. M. C. Z. 



iii, 1872, 178.— CouES, Key, 1872, 153.— B. B. & R., N. A. B. ii, 1874, 131, pi. 31, f. 4. 

 FrivgiUa hlaudinqiana, Gamb., Pr. Phila. Acad, i, 1843, 260. 

 Zonotricliia blandiiujiana, Woodh., Sitgr. Rep. 1853, 85. 

 Emhernaqra hlandingiana, Cass., 111. 1853, 70, pi. 12. 

 Pipilo rufipilcus, Lafres., R. Z. xi, 1848, 176.— Bp., Consp. i, 1850, 487. 

 Kicneria n(fi2)ilciis, Bp., Comp. Rend, xl, 1855, 356. 



fl«&.— Southern Rocky Mountain region. North to Laramie. Across from Texas to 

 Southern California. Winters on the southern United States border (Colorado Valley 

 aud San Diego, Cooper), 



lAat of spedmens. 



Lieutenant Warren, a Expedition. — 9270-77-78, Laramie Peak. 



Later Expeditions. — 606GO-62, Little Sandy Creek, Uintah Mountains, and Green 

 River, Wyoming; 62232-94, Couaut Creek, and T6ton Basin, Idaho. 



In continuing to ref(!r this species to the genus Pipilo, I follow custom ; but I am 

 unable to appreciate any obvious differences from Zonotrichia. 



