364 FINCHES, SPARROWS, ETC. 



2. Scapulars and wing coverts almost always wholly black. Eastern. 



erythrophthalmus, p. 364, 

 2'. Scapulars and wing coverts marked with white. 



3. White markings inconspicuous oregonus, p. 365. 



3'. White markings conspicuous. 



4. White on outer tail feathers covering more than exposed half 



(beyond coverts) arcticus, p. 364. 



4'. White on outer tail feathers not covering more than exposed half. 

 5. White on outer tail feather covering more than an inch. 



6. Darker; bill and feet relatively smaller. Rocky Mountains 



to Pacific megalonyx, p. 365. 



6'. Lighter colored ; bill and feet relatively larger. San Cle- 

 mente Island, California .... clementae, p. 366. 

 5'. White on outer tail feather reduced to less than an inch. 



atratus, p. 366. 



587. Pipilo erythrophthalmus (Linn.). TOWHEE: CHEWINK. 

 Adult nlale. Black, except for white belly, brown sides, and white 



patch on primaries, white edgings to tertials, and white 

 corners to tail ; iris bright red. Adult female : sim- 

 ilar, but black replaced by brown. Young : similar 

 to adults of same sexes, but streaked, and without 

 dark chest patch. Male: length (skins) 7.36-8.10, 

 wing 3.29-3.72, tail 3.48-3.91, bill .53-.5S. Female: 

 length (skins) 6.80-7.52, wing 3.00-3.30, tail 3.17- 

 3.52, bill .51-.58 ; white on end of outer tail feather 

 Fig. 456. 1.30-1.60. 



Remarks. The absence of white on the scapular and wing coverts dis- 

 tinguishes the eastern towhee from the western forms. 



Distribution. Breeds from southern Canada to the Lower Mississippi 

 Valley, and from the Atlantic to the western parts of Dakota and Ne- 

 braska ; winters from the middle districts southward. 



Nest. On the ground or occasionally in low bushes, bulky, made of 

 leaves, twigs, and vines, and lined with grass stems and rootlets. Eggs : 

 usually 4, white, pinkish white, or brownish, thickly speckled with reddish 

 brown. 



Food. Insects and seeds. 



588. Pipilo maculatus arcticus (Swains.). ARCTIC TOWHEE. 

 Adult male. Head, neck, and chest black ; back black, more or less 



mixed with olive gray ; belly white ; 

 flanks reddish brown ; wings and 

 tail with extensive white markings ; 

 wing bars and white edgings of 



primaries sometimes forming a con- 



spicuous patch, and scapulars heav- 

 ily streaked with white ; white on 

 outer tail feather covering more than half exposed portion beyond coverts 

 (1.30-1.70). Adult female: Black, replaced by dull olive brown; back 

 streaked with black ; throat and chest grayish brown ; white markings 

 obscured. Young : streaked with black over brownish ground above, buffy 

 below ; lighter in female ; markings of wings and tail as in adult, more or 

 less restricted on wings. Male : length (skins) 6.90-8.34, wing 3.33-3.59, 

 tail 3.58-4.10, bill .47-.S5. Female : length (skins) 7.19-8.30, wing 3.10- 

 3.58, tail 3.40-4.10, bill .48-. 55. 



