IaS RiciiiMONi). Rischoff's Son^r Sfarrotv. lApril 



Measurements of Melospiza f. " rufina " from Cook's Inlet, Alaska. 



No. 81,380, $ adult : wing, 2.97; tail, 2.80; tarsus, .97 ; bill from nostril, 

 .43 inches. 



No. 131,730, $ adult: wing, 3-12; tail, 2.90; tarsu.s, 1.05; bill from 

 nostril, .43 inches. 



Turning now to the eggs of these birds, it appears that previous 

 to the receipt of the Sannak Island specimens, the eggs in the 

 National Museum collection were those of insignis, and so, when 

 the Littlejohn specimens were compared with them the difference 

 in size at once became apparent. Major Bendire has very kindly 

 placed at my disposal the following measurements and descrip- 

 tions of the eggs of both species. 



Eggs of Melospiza cinerea. 



"No. 27,124. Four eggs taken May 26, 1894, measure 1.02 X .70; i.oi X 

 .71 ; .97 X .71 ; 96 X .71 inches. From Chase Littlejohn, Sannak Island. 



"No. 27,416. Four eggs taken May 20, 1S94, measure i.oo X -69; .98 X 

 .70; .97 X .69; .97 X .69 inches. Same collector and locality. Ralph 

 Collection. 



" No. 27,417. Vowx eggs taken May 26, 1894, measure .95 X .67 ; .96 X .66 ; 

 .90 X .66; .91 X .65 inches. Same collector and locality. Ralph Collection. 



" Average about .96 X .68 inches. 



''■ Description. — Eggs elliptical ovate in shape, the shell compact and 

 smooth, without lustre. Ground color from a bright light green to a 

 pale grayish-green, mostly heavily blotched and spotted, especially about 

 the larger end, with ferrugineous and lavender, in some specimens heav^• 

 enough to almost hide the ground color." 



Eggs of Melospiza insignis. 



"No. 19,076. A set of three eggs taken June 10, 1880, by Dr. T. II. Bean 

 at St. Paul, Kadiak, Alaska, measure .89 X .65 ; .87 X .65 ; .88 X .66 inches. 



"No. 19,070. An incomplete set of two eggs taken by Mr. W.J. Fisher, 

 in July, 1883, on Kadiak Island, Alaska, measure .87 X 65 ; .89 X .67 inches. 



"No. 19,074. A set of three eggs from the same collector and place, 

 measure .91 X .68 ; .94 X .68 ; .94 X .66 inches. 



"No. 26,214. A set of five eggs from Kadiak Island, taken by Mr. B.J. 

 Bretherton (from the collection of the Dept. Agriculture), measure .90 X 

 .67 ; .90 X .67 ; .87 X .67 ; .86 X 66 ; .84 X .66 inches. 



" Average about .89 X .66 inches. 



'■'■ Description. — These eggs vary from ovate to short ovate in shape. 

 They are considerably smaller than those of M. cinerea, but are similarly 

 marked, and resemble them otherwise except in size." 



