588 NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. 



The type skin of Jicnco dorscdis of Dr. Henry (see foot-uote to synoptical 

 table, p. 580) differs mainly in having the whole upper mandible entirely 

 black, as in J. cinerens ; and, as in the latter, the jugulum is pale ash, fading 

 gradually into the white of the abdomen, instead of deep ash abrui)tly de- 

 fined. It is very probably, as suggested by Mr. Ridgway, a hybrid with 

 J. cinereus. 



Habits. This species was first discovered and described by Dr. Wood- 

 house from specimens obtained by him among the San Francisco Mountains 

 in Arizona. Wlien procured, it was feeding in company with the Jmico ore- 

 gonus and various species of Pariis. Its habits appeared to be very similar 

 to those of the western Snowbird, as well as to those of the common J. 

 hyemalis. 



Dr. Coues states that he found this bird a not very common winter resi- 

 dent at Fort Whipple, where its times of arrival and departure, as well as its 

 general habits, were identical witli tliose of J. orcgonus, with which it very 

 freely associated. From this we may naturally infer that in New Mexico 

 and Arizona it appears only as a winter visitant, and that in summer it goes 

 elsewhere to breed. Its summer resorts, as well as our knowledge of its 

 breeding-habits, nest, and eggs, remain to be determined, or are only imper- 

 fectly known. It evidently retires to the highlands and to mountain regions 

 to breed, and prol)ably has a much more extended habitat than tliat of 

 which we now have any knowledge. Upon this problem Mr. liidgway's 

 observations have already shed some valuable and suggestive light. He 

 met with this bird only among the pine woods of the Wahsatch IVIoun tains, 

 where, however, it was a very common bird, and where it was also breeding. 

 Its manners and notes were scarcely different from those of J. orcgonus. It 

 is, however, a shyer bird than the latter, and its song, which is only a simple 

 trill, is rather louder than that of either the hyemalis or the oregonus. 



Dr. Coues writes me that both " the Gray-liead and the Oregon Snowbirds 

 are common species about Fort Whipple in winter, arriving about the middle 

 of October, and remaining in numbers until early in April, wlien they thin 

 off, although some may usually lie observed during the month, and even a 

 part of the next. Oregonus far outnumlners caniceps. So far as I could 

 see, their habits are precisely the same as those of the eastern Snowbird. 

 Durnig snow-storms they used to come familiarly about our quarters, and I 

 once captured several of both species, enticing them into a tent in which 

 some barley had been strewn, and having the flap fixed so that it could be 

 pulled down with a string in a moment. They always associated together, 

 and once, on firing into a flock, I picked up a number of each kind, and one 

 Junco hyemalis. The latter can only be considered a straggler in this region, 

 although I secured three specimens one winter." 



This species was very rare in Colorado, according to Mr. Aiken, in the 

 winter of 1871-72, but became common in iMarch, and a few remained up 

 to the 3d of May. Xo females of this species were observed by him. 



