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114 NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. 



terminal spot, but usually leaves a brown streak near the end never seen in 

 ardicus, which also has the whole outer web white except at the base. 

 Trom oregonus the species differs in the much greater amount of white on 

 the wings and the less rounded character of the spots. Oregonus, too, has 

 the whole outer web of external tail-feather black, and the terminal white 

 spot of the inner web less than an inch in length. We have never seen in 

 oregonus any concealed white spotting on the sides of the head. 



The greatest difference between this race and the two others lies in the 

 stout tarsi and enormously large claws, as described, both the lateral extend- 

 ing greatly beyond the base of the middle one, the liinder toe and claw 

 nearly as long as the tarsus. The only North American passerine birds 

 having any approacli to this length of claw are those of the genus Passerclla. 



This great development of the claws is especially apparent in specimens 

 from the Southern Sierra Nevada, the maximum being attained in the Fort 

 Tejon examples ; those from as far north as Carson City, Nev., however, 

 are scarcely smaller. In most Eocky Mountain Pipilos, the claws are but 

 little longer than in arcticus. 



In this race the female is not noticeably different from the male, being of 

 a merely less intense black, — not brown, — and conspicuously different as in 

 arcticus and oregonus ; there is, however, some variation among individuals 

 in this respect, but none are ever so light as the average in the other races. 



The young bird is dusky-brown above, with »a slight rusty tinge, and 

 obsolete streaks of blackish. White markings as in adult, but tinged with 

 rusty. Throat and breast rusty -white, broadly streaked with dusky ; sides 

 only tinged with rufous. 



Habits. According to Mr. Eidgway"s observations, the P. megalonyx 

 replaces in the Eocky Mountain region and in the greater portion of the 

 Great Basin the P. arcticus of the Plains, from their eastern slope eastward 

 to the Missouri Eiver, and the P. oregonus of the Northern Sierra Nevada 

 and Pacific coast. It is most nearly related to the latter. He became 

 familiar with tlie habits of this species near Salt Lake City, having already 

 made like observations of the oregomis at Carson. A short acquaintance 

 with the former, after a long familiarity with the latter, enabled him to note 

 a decided difference in the notes of the two birds, yet in their external 

 appearance they were hardly distinguishable, and he was at first surprised 

 to find the same bird apparently uttering entirely different notes, the call- 

 note of P. megalonyx being very similar to that of the common Catbird. 

 The song of this species, he adds, has considerable resemblance in style to 

 that of the eastern P. erytliroinlitliahnus, and though lacking its musical 

 character, is yet far superior to that of P. oregonus. This bird is also much 

 less shy than the western one, and is, in fact, quite as unsuspicious as the 

 eastern bird. 



Nests, with eggs, were found on the ground, among the scrul)-oaks of the 

 hillsides, from about the 20th of May until the middle of June. 



