i 9 8 



Scott on the Birds of Arizona. [J u| y 



son. All the individuals that I have seen were feeding on the ripe seed 

 ball of the sycamore. 



[Six specimens in winter plumage are strikingly different from the 

 eastern bird in corresponding plumage. The white edging of the feathers 

 of the wings and tail in the Arizona bird is much broader; the dorsal 

 surface is much lighter, the yellow of the throat is much purer, lacking 

 almost wholly the greenish shade seen in the eastern bird; the white of 

 the belly is purer, with a faint fulvous instead of grayish shade: the sides 

 are washed with a paler shade of fulvous brown, in quite strong contrast, 

 however, with the almost pure, solid white of the abdomen and lower tail- 

 coverts. If summer specimens should show correspondingly paler 

 tints in comparison with eastern examples, as they are almost sure to do, 

 the Arizona form is quite as well entitled to recognition as a subspecies as 

 are several of the pallid forms of Sparrows which have been accorded this 

 rank.— J. A. A.] 



143. Spinus psaltria. Arkansas Goldfinch. — This species, as well 

 as its close ally, Spinus psaltria arizoncc. seems in the Catalina region to 

 be rather nomadic and never very common. The following records from 

 my note book will show the manner of their occurrence : Pepper Sauce 

 Canon, Catalina Mountains, September 16, 18S4. One taken, No. S93, an 

 adult male. The testes in this individual were fully as large as in the 

 height of the breeding season. The birds are rather common. Several 

 seen to-day. Same locality, January 12, 1SS5. Noted; rare. Same 

 localitv, March 19, 1SS5. No. 1916, male; has the testicles as fully de- 

 veloped as in the breeding season. Same locality, April 16, 1SS5. Pair 

 taken (No. 2172, male; No. 2173, female), apparently mated. On^dissec- 

 tion both proved to be adult, though the male is not in full plumage. 

 Probably psaltria. They were about to breed, as the testicles of the male 

 were fully developed anil the eggs of the female were, some of them at least, 

 half formed and would have been laid at an early day. Same locality, 

 February 10, 1SS6. Male in full plumage taken, the first seen in two 

 months. The only one noted; feeding on Cottonwood flowers. Same 

 localitv, July iS, 1SS4. A number of young seen to-day, fully fledged and 

 no longer with parents. No. 567, young male taken. Same locality, 

 May 5. 1SS5, No. 241S, female, young of year. 



I have been unable to find the nest of this species and am puzzled as to 

 its exact breeding habits, especially with regard to time of year, but a care- 

 ful consideration of the above notes leads me to believe that the period of 

 breeding extends over a considerable portion of the year. 



144. Spinus psaltria arizonae. Arizona Goldfinch. — This sub- 

 species is much more uncommon in the Catalinas — the only point where 

 I have-met with it — than the foregoing. Indeed, I find it difficult to dis- 

 tinguish the transition from true psaltria to this form, and again from 

 this form to Spinus psaltria mexicauus. Alone each seems distinct. A 

 series placed together renders it doubtful where to draw the dividing lines. 

 All of the examples that I can refer to this subspecies were taken near my 

 house in the Catalinas, as follows : 



