APPENDIX. 515 



elevation of from 7,000 to 9,000 feet. They were always about marshy thickets, 

 often close to fields of perpetual snow. They had there raised their young, which 

 were mostly fledged. He found a nest with one egg on the ground. As he found 

 this July 27, he thinks that without doubt it raises two broods in a season even 

 in that subalpine region. The song he found quite different from that of the other 

 Melos])iz(x\ being fainter, more lively and continuous, like that of some Wren or 

 Warbler. 



Melospiza palustris (II, 34). Collected in Southern Utah (Washington), 

 October 23, 1872, by Mr. Henshaw. (Mus. S. I., No. 63,.500.) 



Peuceea aestivalis, var. arizonae (II, 41). First described in Am. Nat. 

 VII, October, 1873, p. 616. 



Peucaea carpalis. An additional species of Peuccea has been discovered in 

 Arizona by that diligent collector. Lieutenant (now Captain) Charles Bendire, 

 U. S. A. , It has been described (Am. Nat. VII, June, 1873, p. 322) by Dr. Coues 

 as Peuccea carjKilis. Its characters are as follows : — 



Peucoea carpalis, Coues. Rufoiis-shovxldered Sparrow. 



Sp. Char. Resembling in general appearance a large Spizella pusilla, but with rufous 

 lesser wing-coverts, and blackish rictal and infra-maxillary streaks. Above grayish earth- 

 brown, each feather with the medial portion dusky, forming conspicuous black streaks on 

 the dorsal region, and dusky centres to the wing-coverts and tertials. Nape and rump 

 plain, and more ashy. Crown and lesser wing-coverts plain rufous, the former divided 

 anterioi-ly with a whitish medial line. Beneath ashy-white, including a well-defined 

 superciliary and maxillary stripe, which have a slight bufFy tinge. Throat nearly pure 

 white, bordered on each side by a conspicuous narrow streak of black ; whitish maxillary 

 stripe bordered above by a dusky rictal streak. Bill reddish, darker on the culmen. Tarsi 

 dilute brown ; toes horn-brown. Wing, 2. .50; tail, 2.75; culmen, .45; tarsus, .80; middle 

 toe, .55. 



Hah. Tucson, Arizona. (No. 62,372. September, 1872, Captain C. Bendire, U. S. A.) 



Another specimen, supposed to be a female, in winter plumage (Tucson, January 

 10, 1873) differs quite appreciably in its markings and colors. The crown is more 

 streaked, every feather being edged laterally with ashy-gray ; the blackish streaks 

 on the back and scapulars are more distinct, and the inner web of the lateral tail- 

 feather is broadly bordered with white terminally. It measures, wing, 2.50 ; tail, 

 2.90; culmen, .45; tarsus, .70. "Length, 5.75; stretch, 7.80." 



Captain Bendire informs me that he found this species rather common in the 

 vicinity of Tucson. It was generally seen in company with Poosjnza hilineata. 

 Its usual call-note resembled the syllables zib-zib-zib. He believed it to be a resi- 

 dent of Arizona throughout the year. It commences nesting early in Jiuie, gen- 

 erally building in the small mesquite bushes, sometimes not over six inches, seldom 

 more than four feet, from the ground. The nests are composed of fine dry grasses 

 and rootlets, and lined with the fine, slender seed-tops of the secatow or rye-grass, 

 and sometimes with a few hairs. The nest is very deep, and is firmly fixed into a 

 fork of the bush in which it is built. The eggs, when fresh, are of a pale green 

 color, and average .73 of an inch in length by .58 in breadth, are unspotted, are 

 generally four, seldom five, in a nest. One nest with four eggs was found Septem- 

 ber II, 1872. 



