126 NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. 



extends down to the upper part of the breast, blending with the colors of 

 the breast and belly, instead of being narrower, more sharply defined, and 

 restricted to the chin and throat ; it is palest anteriorly, the chin and lore 

 being almost white. The isolated larger spot on the breast is more con- 

 spicuous ; the breast and belly are quite pure white, shaded with obsolete 

 brownish blotches, instead of being uniform grayish-brown, with only an 

 approach to whitish in the very middle. The edges of the wing and tail 

 feathers are a good deal lighter, the outer web of the first primary being 

 sharply edged with pure white, instead of obscure grayish-brown. The size 

 generally is rather smaller, the wings more pointed. 



Compared with P. fuscus, we find the tail decidedly longer ; the wing 

 more pointed ; the first quill about equal to the eighth, instead of shorter 

 than the secondaries. The colors generally are paler ; tlie cap of head bright 

 distinct rufous in strong contrast with the other plumage, instead of being 

 only very obscurely tinged with that color. The white of belly is purer, and 

 extends farther forward, displacing the ashy tinge almost to the buff of the 

 throat. 



If we consider all the brown Pi^nlos as modifications of one primitive 

 species, it will be well to consider the Arizonan and New Mexican bird as 

 the central figure around which the others are grouped. The connnon char- 

 acter will then be varied in the California race, crissalis, by the absence of 

 decided rufous on crown, a darker shade of color, and an extension of the 

 gray of sides over the whole under parts, almost entirely displacing the 

 white. The wing is more rounded, and the 2;eneral dimensions larger south- 

 ward on the central plains of Mexico ; the general tints are almost precisely 

 as in the California bird, except that the white of belly is very evident ; but 

 the chestnut cap and extended whiteness of belly, together with the pointed 

 wing of mesoleucits, are wanting. In P. alhigula of Cape St. Lucas we have 

 the general characters of mcsoleucus, with paler colors, more restricted spots 

 encircling throat, and a tendency to white in its lower part. In this it 

 approaches albicoUis of Southwestern Mexico. 



Habits. This little-known form was first obtained by Dr. Kennerly, nat- 

 uralist to the Pacific Railroad Expedition on the 35th parallel, under Lieu- 

 tenant Whipple. He met with it at Bill Williams Fork, in Arizona, February 

 5, 1854. It was described by Professor Baird the following June. Dr. Ken- 

 nerly furnished at the time no information in regard to its habits. 



Dr. Heermann, in his Eeport on the birds observed in Lieutenant Parke's 

 expedition, mentions having met with this species in the vicinity of Tucson. 

 Its habits, so far as he could judge of them from his opportunities, appeared 

 very similar to those of Pipilo ahcrti. 



Lieutenant Couch met witli this species at Santa Catalina, Mexico, in 

 April, 1853, but furnishes no information in reference to its manners. Mr. 

 J. H. Clark, who obtained a specimen near the Copper Mines of the Mim- 

 bres, states that they were met with in abundance in the deep valleys or 



