142 NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. 



the former not affording characters to distinguish it as even a variety. To 

 alpestris may also be referred the form known as " occidental is, McCall," those 

 specimens from the interior regions which are destitute of any yellow tinge 

 on the throat. Were this feature a constant one in specimens from the 

 region which it characterizes, it would be, of course, right to retain the name 

 in the form of alpestris var. occidetitalis. As it is, however, quite a large 

 percentage of the specimens from every locality where occidentalis is found 

 have more or less yellow throats, but it is possible that this mixture of the two 

 may be the result of irregular migrations, those yellow-throated individuals 

 beins stragglers from their breeding habitat, — more to the eastward and 

 northward. In its white instead of straw-yellow throat, and more lilaceous 

 than vinaceous upper parts, this form bears a close resemblance to a race of 

 the deserts of Western (and Central ?) Asia, — the " hei " ^ ; the latter, 

 however, has these features more exaggerated than in the one of the central 

 plains of North America. Breeding throughout the table-lands of Mexico, 

 and in the Western Province of the United States, north to about the 40th 

 parallel, is a more strongly marked race, maintaining also more constancy 

 in its peculiar features ; this race is the U. chrysoloema, Wagl., of which 

 name rufa, Aud., and minor, Giraud, are synonymes. This race, which we 

 propose to call E. cd^ocstris var. clirysoloima, differs from both the northern 

 styles in smaller size and longer bill, and in coloration is the opposite ex- 

 treme from occidentalis, having the vinaceous tints deeper and browner, 

 instead of paler and less brown, than in cornutct (i. e. typical alpestris). 

 The black markings are also more extended, in proportion to the other colors, 

 reducing the white on the forehead to a very narrow band, instead of a broad 

 spot equalling, or exceeding, the black in width. Specimens from Bogota 

 — about the southern limit of the genus on this continent — are, perhaps, 

 referrible to clirysolccma, or at least not very different from it, though described 

 by Sclater as distinct, under the name ptcrccjrinus? 



In fewer words, the variations, with the region, are about as follows. 

 Starting with ISTorth America, north of the United States, we begin with a style 

 absolutely undistinguishable from that of Europe ; this, to which the name 

 cornuta belongs, visits the Eastern States only in winter, but breeds over the 

 prairie region of Wisconsin, Illinois, and westward. West of the Eocky 

 Mountains, especially south of about 40°, specimens referrible to this style 

 are most numerous in winter, and in a large series a great percentage of the 

 specimens entirely lack any yellow on the throat, while the pinkish-brown 

 tints are lighter and less reddish ; this style represents, in these peculiar fea- 

 tures, the " var. hei " of Western Asia (Astrachan), and has been distinguished 

 by the name occidentalis, McCall, though it is doubtful whether McCall's 

 description is of a specimen of this style or of one of chrysolcema, being 



^ The name in manuscript on the label of a sjM'cinicu in the Schliiter collection, from Astrachan. 

 ^ Otocorys percgrina, Sclater, P. Z. S. 1855, 110, pi. cii. Eremophila per. ScL. Cat. Am. 

 Birds, 1862, 127. 



