164 NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. 



except those of the Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean Sea), south to the 

 Isthmus of Panama. Throughout this whole region it is everywhere nearly 

 the same bird. This variety appears to represent the species in its greatest 

 purity, being a sort of central form from which the others radiate. The most 

 typical examples of the var. sjKcrverius are the specimens in the large series 

 from the elevated regions or yjlateau of jVIexico and Guatemala. In these 

 the rufous of the crown is most extended (in none is it at all restricted), 

 and the ashy portions are of the finest or bluest and lightest tint. 



All specimens, of quite a large series, from the peninsula of Lower Cali- 

 fornia, are considerably smaller than any others, the smallest (1,693 ^ ad. 

 San Jose ; J. Xantus) measuring, wing, 6.50 ; tail, 4.20, and tarsus, 1.30 ; 

 the dwarfed size of these, however, is their only distinguishing feature. 

 Two specimens (50,199, (?, Cape Florida, and 10,345, $, Indian Key) from 

 Florida differ from others in the unusual development of the bill, which 

 toward the end is more suddenly curved, and tlie point considerably length- 

 ened ; these specimens have, also, only a tinge of rufous on the crown, thus 

 showing a proximity to the var. isabellinus. The large bill, however, is no 

 more than would be looked for in specimens from that region. 



Along the Gulf border of the United States, and the Caribbean and North 



"Wing, 7.40; tail, 4.85; tar,sus, 1.30; middle toe, .90. Another specimen (No. 23,545, Monte 

 Verde, July 17, 1861 ; C. Wright) is much the .same, but has distinct spots of black on the abdo- 

 men, and tear-shajied marking of the same on the scapulars. The young female of this species 

 bears a remarkably close resemblance to the young of T. punctatus, Cuv., of Madagascar, agree- 

 ing almost entirely with it in colors, with the exception of those on the tail, the bars on which 

 are black and ash, instead of black and rufous. Whether it be considered a distinct species or 

 not, the T. sparveroides certainly grades into the T. sparverius, in the very near relation of an 

 aberrant condition of the adult phase of the latter, noticed in .specimens from Florida and adjoin- 

 ing portions of the South American and Gulf coast, and the young normal or usual plumage of the 

 former. As is well known, the young $ sparveroides has a reddish and also more or less barred or 

 spotted back, as in the male of all the races of sp)arverius at all ages ; the intermediate or transi- 

 tion dress of the young male showing cloudings of plumbeous in the rufou.s, indicative of the 

 coming uniform plumljcous of perfect maturity. Now, knowing that a wholly plumbeous dorsal 

 region in the adult, and wholly or mostly rufous dorsal region in the young male, are character- 

 istic features of T. sparveroides, we are somewhat surprised to find in adult males of T. sparverius 

 var. isabellinus from Florida, a greater or less mixture of plumbeous feathers in various jiarts of 

 the dorsal region, particularly in the rump and upper tail-coverts. Many specimens from this 

 locality show another approach to the young male of sparvei-oides in the deep, unspotted rufous 

 of the lower parts, sometimes the throat only being wliite. A young male of sparveroides from 

 Cuba, and an adult male of sparveriits said to be from Cuba, are at a cursory glance not distin- 

 guishable ; a close comparison, however, will disclose the fact, that in the former, the badly 

 defined head-markings, nearly obsolete black markings on the wings (including basal space of the 

 secondaries, which is conspicuously and sharply defined in the other specimen), and the blurred 

 character of the bars over inner webs of primaries, remain as characters distinguishing the for- 

 mer. The lateral tail-feather, too, has its outer web deep rufous, while it is white, black- 

 spotted, in the specimen of sparverius. 



List of Speciviens examined. — Nat. Mus., 14 ; Bost. Soc, 3 ; Philad., 1 ; G. N. Lawrence, 4 ; 

 R. Ridgway, 1. Total, 23. 



Measurcmehts. — $. Wing, 6.90-7.10; tail, 4.80-5.10; culmen, .50: tarsus, 1.45-148; 

 middle toe, .90. Specimens, 4. 9. Wing, 7.00-7.50; tail, 5.00-5.15; culmen, .50; tarsus, 

 1.35 - 1.40 ; middle toe, .88 - .90. Specimens, 3. 



