450 



NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. 



Sp. Char. Bill vellowish-green, dusky at the base. Anterior half of the body dusky 

 yellowish-olive, shading into yellow to the rump above, and the under tail-coverts below. 

 Outer scapulars, a broad frontal band continued on each side over the eye, axillaries, and 

 middle of under wing-coverts yellow. Feathers along the extreme base of the bill, the 

 crown, tibite, wings, upper tail-coverts, and tail black ; inner greater wing-coverts and 

 tertiaries white. Length, 7.30 ; wing, 4,30 ; tail, 2.75. 



The female differs in having the head of a dull olivaceous-brown, which color also 

 glosses the back. The yellow of the rump and other parts is replaced by a yellowish-ash. 

 The upper tail-coverts are spotted with white. The white of the wing is much restricted. 

 There is an obscure blackish line on each side of the chin. 



Hab. (Var. vespertina.) Pacific coast to Rocky Mountains ; Northern America east to 

 Lake Superior. (Var montana.) Southern Rocky Mountains of United States into 

 Mexico; Orizaba! (Sclater, 1860, 251); Vera Cruz (alpine regions, breeding) Sumichrast, 

 Pr. Bost. Soc. I, 550 ; Guatemala, Salvin. 



The variety with broad frontal band and increased amount of white appears 

 to characterize Northern specimens, while that with narrow frontlet and the 



greatest amount of black is found in 

 Guatemala, jMexico, and the southern 

 Eocky Mountains, and may be called 

 montana. 



In size it is also a little smaller. Speci- 

 mens from Mirador (where breeding) and 

 those from New Mexico are nearly iden- 

 tical in size, proportions, and colors. 



Habits. This remarkable Grosbeak 

 was first described by Mr. William Cooper, 

 from specimens obtained by Mr. School- 

 craft in April, 1828, near the Sault Sainte 

 Marie, in INIichigan. Sir John Eichard- 

 son soon after found it to be a common 

 inhabitant of the maple groves on the 

 plains of the Saskatcliewan, where it is 

 called by the Indians the " Sugar-Bird." He states that it frequents the 

 borders of Lake Superior also, and the eastern declivity of the Eocky Moun- 

 tains, in latitude 56°. 



Captain Blakiston did not find this Grosbeak on the Saskatchewan during 

 the summer, but only noticed it there during the winter. He saw none after 

 the 22d of April, and not again until the middle of November. They were 

 seen in company witli the Pine Grosbeak, feeding on tlie keys of the ash- 

 leaved maple. He adds that it has a sharp clear note in winter, and is an 

 active bird. 



Dr. Cooper, in his Notes on the Zoology of Washington Territory, states 

 that this species is a common resident in its forests, but adds that as it fre- 

 quents the summits of the tallest trees, its habits have been but little 

 observed. In January, 1854, during a snow-storm, a flock descended to some 



Hesperiphona vespertina. 



