6 



NORTH A^IERICAN BIRDS. 



T. fuscescens; the spots on jugulum and breast are also narrower, as well 

 as hardly darker in color than the back; and the tail is longer than in 

 Eocky Mountain swainsoni, in which latter it is longer than in Eastern 

 examples. The remaining species — mustelinus, fv^cescens, and aliciw — 

 extend no farther west than the Eocky Mountains ; the first and last 

 only toward their eastern base, while the second breeds abundantly as far 

 as the eastern limit of the Great Basin. 



The T. fuscescens, from the Eocky ^Mountains, is considerably darker in 

 color n\)o\e, while the specks on the throat and jugular are sparser or more 

 obsolete than in Eastern birds. 



In T. mustelinus, the only two "Western specimens in the collection 

 (Mount Carroll, Ills., and Fort PieiTe) have the rump of a clearer grayish 

 than specimens from the Atlantic Coast ; in all other respects, however, 

 they appear to be identical. Some Mexican specimens, being in winter 

 plumage, have the breast more buffy than Northern (spring or summer) 

 examples, and the rufous of the head, etc. is somewhat brighter. 



In (dicice, no difference is observed between Eastern and "Western birds; 

 the reason is, probably, that the breeding-ground of aU is in one pro\ance, 

 though their migrations may extend over two. There is, however, a marked 

 difference between the spring and autumn plumage; the clear grayish of 

 the former being replaced, in the latter, by a snuffy brown, or se]jia tint, 

 — this especially noticeable on wings and tail. 



The following synopsis is intended to show the characters of the different 

 species and varieties. 



1. Spots beneath rounded, covering breast and sides. 



A. Rufous brown above, becoming much brighter toward the bill, and more 

 olivaceous on the tail. Beneath white; whole breast with rounded spots. Nest 

 on tree ; eggs pale blue. 



1. T. mustelinus. Beneath nearly pure white, with rounded black- 

 ish spots over the whole breast, sides, and upper part of abdomen ; 

 wing, 4.25 ; tail, 3.05 ; culmen, .80 ; tarsus, 1.26. Hub. Eastern Prov- 

 ince United States, south to Guatemala and Honduras. Cuba and 

 Bermuda of West Indies. 



2. Spots beneath triangidar, on breast only, 



B. Entirely uniform in color above, — olivaceous, varying to reddish or 

 greenish with the species. Beneath whitish, with a wash of brownish across 

 the breast and along sides. Spots triangular, and confined to the breast. Nest 

 on trees or bushes : eggs blue spotted with brownish ; except in T. fuscescens, 

 which nests on the ground, and lays plain blue eggs. 



a. No conspicuous Jight orbital ring. 



2. T. fuscescens. Yellowish-rufous or olive-fulvous above ; a .strong 

 wash of pale fulvous across the throat and jugulum, where are very 

 indistinct cuneate spots of same shade as the back. "VVing, 4.10 ; tail, 

 3.00; culmen, .70; tarsus, 1.15. Hab. Eastern Province of North 

 America. North to Nova Scotia and Fort Garry. West to Great Salt 

 Lake. South (in winter) to Panama and Brazil. CuVia. 



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