192 



102. PIPILO FUSCA (Swaius.), var. MESOLEUCA Buird. That 

 the P. fusca of Svvaiiisou and the P. mesoleuca of Baird are not exactly 

 the same bird is proven by a comparison of Mexican examples with 

 specimens from the Colorado Province of the U. S. (See Coues' Key, 

 p. 152.) 



100. PIPILO ERYTIIROPHTIIALMUS (S\v.), var. MEGALONYX 

 Baird. On p. 117 of his "Ornithological Rcconnoissance," Mr. Allen 

 remarks in relation to the black Pipllos that "in Mexico, P. merja- 

 lonyx is well known to grade through P. macronyx into P. maculatus." 

 This is a great mistake, for though mrgalonyx certainly does run into 

 macidatus, the latter is the southern extreme of difl'ei-entiation in the 

 species, P. macronyx being a widely distinct species, about as nearly 

 related to P. chlorura as to the forms of erytlirophthalmus. 



103, 104 and 105. EREMOPIIILA ALPESTEIS (L.), vars. "COR- 

 NUTA" Wils., OCCIDENTALIS McCall, and CHRYSOL^xMA Wagl. 

 These are three geographical races of one species, which become min- 

 gled in the course of their migrations. Var. cornuia, most like true 

 alpestris of Europe, and indeed hardly distinguishable, breeds in the 

 northern portions of the eastern region from Hudson's Bay to Illinois ; 

 var. occidentalis is a pallid, white-throated form which breeds on the 

 northern plains; var. chrysolcema is a resident southern or subtropical 

 form, of smaller size, longer bill and much deeper colors. All three 

 become mixed in winter. 



lOG. DOLICHONYX ORYZIVORUS, var. ALBINUCIIA Ridgway. 



Cii. Similar to eastern specimens, var. oryzivorus, but the black 

 more intense and uniform, the nuchal patch immaculate creamy-white, 

 or very pale ochraceous; scapulars and lower rump pure white, not 

 tinged with ashy, and upper part of the rump scarcely tinged with 

 ash. Wing, 3-90-4-10; tail, 3-10; culmen, •55--G0; depth of bill, -30- 

 •35; tarsus, 1-10; middle toe, -SS-'OO. 



Eab. Missouri Plains and Rocky Mountains, west to Ruby Valley, 

 Nevada; Salt Lake Valley. 



115. QUISCALUS PURPUREUS, var. iENEUS Ridgway. In his 

 "Key to North American Birds," Dr. Coues is at fault in several 

 respects in his statements regarding the purple gracklesof the United 

 States. Of the present form, Dr. Coues remarks (p. IGl).— 



" Obs. The Qniscahis ceneus, lately described as a new species by- 

 Mr. Ridgway, appears to be based upon a special plumage of Q. pur- 

 pureus ; and since it docs not prove to be confined, as its describer 

 believed, to any particular region, I should judge it not entitled to 

 rank as a geographical variety." Both of these remarks need correc- 

 tion. In the Urst place, my Quiscalus cincus was based upon a form 



