422 i\OIiTII AMERICAN BIRDS. 



Genus JUNCO Wagler. (Page 385, pi. CIX., fig. 3.) 



Species. 



Common Characters. — Adult : Plumage chiefly plain graj-isb. cntirelj- •witliout 

 streaks, and usually without distinct markings on wings; belly, under tail-coverts, 

 and outer tail-feathers white. Young : Proluselj- streaked, both above and below, 

 the ground-color of the lower parts everywhere dull whitish; outer tail-feathers 

 white, as in the adult. Nest usually on ground, rather bulkj-, composed of dried 

 grass-stems, etc., lined with softer materials. iV/tfS 3-5, whitish, usually more or 

 less sjjeckled with reddish brown. 



a'. Sides ash-gray, like chest, or, if inclining to pinkish, this color not abruptly 

 defined against, or contrasted with, gray or dusky of chest. 

 i>'. Back graj', like chest ; bill, in life, pale flesh-color, purplish horn-color, or 

 pinkish white, with dusky tip ; iris dark brown, or claret-color, 

 c'. Wing usually with two distinct white bands; larger (length about C.OO- 

 7.00, the wing averaging more than 3.25). 



Uniform plumbeous-graj', the head not darker ; bill, in life, livid 

 pinkish, with dusky tip. Male: Wing 3.15-3.65 (3.44), tail 3.00- 

 3.39 (3.20), culmen .52-.54 (.53), tarsus .85-.90 (.80). Female: 

 Wing 3.23-3.48 (3.30), tail 3.10-3.28 (3.15), culmen .52-.54 (.53), 

 tarsus .80-.88 (.84). JIab. Rocky Mountains, in Colorado and 

 Wyoming, straggling cast, in winter, to middle Kansas. 



5G6. J. aikeni rtinow. White-winged Junco. 

 c'. Wing usually without ti'ace of white bands ; smaller (length aliout 5.50- 

 6.25, the wing averaging less than 3.20). 

 cP. Plumage slate-gray, the head perceptiblj' darker, a]iproaching 

 blackish slate (often nearly black anteriorly) in the male, the 

 female (especially j'ounger birds) often strongly tinged with 

 brownish, the sides washed with light ]iinkish brown ; bill, in 

 life, delicate light flesh-color, or pinkish white. Male : Wmg 

 3.00-3.25 (3.09)^, tail 2.68-2.90 (2.82), culmen .46-.51 (.49), tar- 

 sus .80-.86 (.83). Female: Wing 2.87-3.10 (2.95), tail 2.60-2.98 

 (2.74), culmen .47.-.50 (.49), tarsus .80-.85 (.83). F<jgs .76 X 

 .58, colored like those of Spizella ptisHla. JIab. Northern North 

 America, breeding from northern Maine to Alaska (except Pa- 

 cific coast district, or south and east of the peninsula) ; in win- 

 ter, whole of eastern ITnited States, and sparingly west ward to 

 Pacific coast... 567. J. hyemalis (Linn.). Slate-colored Junco. 

 (P. Plumage much as in J. ailieni, but softer and more decidedly jihim- 

 bcous, the wing-bands alwaj-s (?) obsolete; bill, in life, livid oi- 

 puri)lish horn-color. Male : "Wing 3.03-3.25 (3.17), tail 2.81-3.07 

 (2.97), culmen .50-.51 (.51), tarsus .88-.90 (.89). Female: Wing 



