EREMOPHILA ALPESTRIS. 499 



y. chri/solccma. 



Alauda chrysolwma, Waglkb, Isi.s, 1831, 350. 



EremopUla cornuta var. chrysohcma, Baird, B. N. Am., 1858, 403. 



EremopUla alpcstris var. chrysohcma, CouES, Key, 1872, 89 ; (Jlicck List, 1873, No. 

 53a.— B. B. «& E., Hist. N. Am. B., II, 1871, 144.— HENsnAw, 1875, 310.' 



Eremophila alpcstris. c. chrysolwma, Coues, B. N.VV., 1874, 38. 



EremopUla cornuta, Cooper, Orn. Cal., I, 1870, 251 (part). 



Few birds are more widely distributed than this one ; and if the sage- 

 brush deserves the title of "everlasting," from its abundance and uniform 

 distribution, it would be as proper to designate this species as "omnipresent," 

 so far as the more open portions of the western country are concerned. No 

 locality is too barren for it, but, on the contrary, it seems to fancy best the 

 most dry and desert tracts, where it is often the only bird to be seen over 

 miles of country, except an occasional Dove {ZencEclura carolinensis), or a 

 solitary Raven, seen at wide intervals. Neither does altitude appear to 

 affect its distribution, except so far as the character of the ground is modi- 

 fied, since we saw them in July and August on the very summit of the 

 Ruby Mountains, at an altitude of about 11,000 feet, the ground being 

 pebbly, with a stunted and scattered growth of bushes. The small, deep- 

 colored race known as chrysoJama was the usual form found in summer, but 

 in winter most of these seemed to have migrated southward, their place 

 being taken by flocks from iha north, composed of migratory individuals 

 of the races called rt^^xv'iY/v'.s- and hncuJcriua, of which the former predominated. 

 List of specimens. 

 a. (dpestris and /?. leucolcema.^ 



148, S ad.; valley of tbe Humboldt (Camp 17), August 21, 18G7. 7i_12f — 4J— 

 H—'[c—i—-l — H- Bi'l, plumbeous-black, basal half of lower maudible pearl-white; 

 iris, umber; tarsi and toes, pur[)lish-ciiiere()ns. 



232, i ad.; West Humboldt Mountains (Camp 19), October 4, 18G7. 7^^—12^— 

 H—^—i—'i—^^—U^ Tarsi and toes, plumbeous-black. 



' We include the specimens of these two races together for the reason that they 

 are not distinguished in our note-books, while tbe specimens themselves are not acces- 

 sible at the present time. All the examples referable to these two races were collected 

 in autumn or winter, during their migrations southward. Throughout the winter they 

 were found in large flocks, frequenting all open places, and in severe weather daily 

 venturing into the streets and door-yards of the towns. Diu-ing the winter-season the 

 present, or northern-bred, birds nearly replace the summer-resident, var. chrysolwma, 

 though sometimes individuals of the latter may be shot from a large flock. 



