262 ZOOLOGY— BIRDS. 



were evideutly stragglers, the main body having passed on oarMer. None 

 apparently remain to breed, but all pass farther north. 



Numerous flocks met with in Southern Utah about the first of October, 

 frequenting the neighborhood of small streams. At this time, the preceding 

 species appeared to have departed farther south, as only one specimen was 

 secured ; leucophrys appearing to be replaced by intermedia, which probably 

 winters in the neighborhood of Saint George. 



This discrepancy between the migrations of these two fonus I have 

 noticed each season, and it would appear that the bulk of lcucoph)-ys breeds 

 somewhat farther south than the region inhabited in the summer by var. 

 intermedia ; this bird making its appearance in the fall rather later than 

 leucophrys and preceding that species in the northern migration in spring. 

 Notwithstanding the close relationship existing between these two sparrows, 

 and the apparent slightness of.tlie characteristics which distinguish them, I 

 cannot but tliink that they may yet be found to be separate species, and 

 not merely varieties the one of the other. Certainly, the Gambel's Finch 

 (var. intermedia) can scarcely be held to be merely the ivestern form of 

 leucophrys, since the latter bird in its typical state is known to breed in 

 abundance as far west as the Wahsatch Mountains (Ridgway, Henshaw), 

 and has even been found in spring as far west as the Pacific coast (Cape 

 Saint Lucas), as above referred to, while it seems to me highly probable that 

 the var. intermedia breeds much farther to the eastward tlian it has yet been 

 recorded, and that thus the summer habitats of the two overlap. Through- 

 out its entire range, leucophrys everywhere retains its peculiarities ; the species 

 when taken at its westernmost limit showing no difi"erences other than indi- 

 vidual from the specimens taken in the East, while from gamheli they are 

 always readily distinguishable. I am not aware that the Gambel's Finch 

 (var. intermedia) has been found farther East in the breeding-season than 

 the Sierra Nevada, (Ridgway), yet the lateness of its stay in spring (May 

 11, Denver) seems to preclude the possibility of a journey very far to the 

 northward to find a summer home, and I confidently expect that the two 

 forms will yet be found breeding in the same districts, and retaining each 

 its own distinct traits and cliaracteristics. In fall, it spreads over New Mexico 

 and Arizona generally, and piohiildv winters In tlie snutlicni |nirtiiin.s. 



