130 Contributions from the Charleston Museum. 



This form breeds in the interior and mountainous parts of 

 the State and as far north as Maine, Ontario, and Manitoba. 



223. Pipilo erythrophthalmus alleni Coues. White-eyed 

 Towhee. 



This bird is also known as the "Bull Finch" on the coast of 

 South Carolina, and is not commonly distinguished from the pre- 

 ceding species. The White-eyed Towhee is a permanent resident, 

 and breeds in the same woods year after year, placing its nest- 

 which is composed of weeds, grass, and occasionally a few dead 

 leaves, almost invariably in low bushes from two to four feet 

 above the ground. In two instances, however, I have found 

 the nest actually upon the ground. Full complements of eggs 

 can usually be obtained between May 10 and 12, but on April 

 14, 1903, I discovered young birds nearly fledged and being fed 

 by their parents. The season of 1903, however, was remarkably 

 early and many birds bred that year from two to three weeks 

 earlier than I have ever known before. Two or three broods are 

 raised each year and the number of eggs is three or four. The 

 last brood is on the wing late in August and almost invariably 

 numbers three, while the first brood usually numbers four. 

 The eggs are white, very thickly speckled with pinkish red, 

 and measure .90X.70. 



This towhee is very much shyer than P. erythrophthalmus, 

 and its notes are in a higher key, while the song is shorter. It 

 never leaves the forest in which it breeds and when erythroph- 

 thalmus is here during the winter and early spring months, alleni, 

 instead of being on friendly terms with it, usually drives it away. 

 It does not require a microscope to identify this towhee when 

 it is in one's hand, or in the field, as the yellowish white eye is a 

 conspicuous character, and always holds good. I have seen the 

 iris pure white, and have yet to see a specimen in adult plumage 

 that I cannot distinguish on sight. 



Mr. Benj. T. Gault, of Glen Ellyn, IlHnois, while paying me 

 a visit in March, 1903, secured a female erythrophthalmus which 

 has nearly three times as much white on the lateral rectrices as 

 several individual females of alleni. A female alleni that I took 

 on March 3, 1904, lacks all traces of the white spot at the base 

 of the primaries, which is a constant character of erythrophthal- 

 mus. Mr. Ridgway in his great work. Birds of North and Mid- 



