292 BIRDS OP ILLINOIS. 



As in the case of Passerella, this genus has a single eastern rep- 

 resentative, with several western congeneric, if not conspecific, 

 forms. Pipilo, however, reaches its maximum development in Mex- 

 ico, where are special species not found elsewhere. One of these 

 Mexican species (P. maculatus, SWAINS.) passes by gradual transi- 

 tion into P. arcticus, SWAINS., on the eastern slope of the Eocky 

 Mountains, and P. megalonyx, BAIRD, on the western side of the same 

 range. The latter gradually blends into P. oregonus, BELL, in the 

 northern coast range of California, and the excessively humid, 

 densely wooded Pacific water-shed to the northward. An approach 

 to an intergradation between P. arcticus and the eastern P. erythroph- 

 thalmus was first noted by Professor Baird, in "Birds of North 

 America," p. 513, where mention is made of a specimen from Fort 

 Leavenworth, Kansas, which had "a few white spots on the scapu- 

 lars only, the wing-coverts without them, exhibiting an approach to 

 P. arcticus." On this basis the conspecific relation of the two forms 

 has been argued by at least one author ; but the circumstance that 

 two examples of similar character (one of them even more dis- 

 tinctly spotted than the Fort Leavenworth specimen) have been 

 obtained in the vicinity of Washington, D. C., shows how slow we 

 should be to base so important a conclusion upon a fact of this 

 character, however suggestive it may be. Many mistakes of the 

 kind have been made by thus assuming intergradation without 

 sufficient evidence to support the assumption. 



Pipilo erythrophthalmus (Linn.) 

 TOWHEE. 



Popular synonyms. Jaree; Chewink; Towink; Ground Robin; Turkey Sparrow. 

 FringillaerythrophthaJma'LiyN. S. N. ed. 12. i, 1766, 318. Nurr. Man. i, 1832,515. AUD. 



Orn. Biog. i, 1832, 150; v, 1839, 511, pi. 29. 



Emberiza erythrophthalma GMEL. S. N. i, 1788, 874. WILS. Am. Orn. vi, 1812, 90. pi. 53. 

 Pipilo erythrophthalma VIEILL. Gal. Ois. i, 1824, 109, pi. 80. AUD. Synop. 1839, 124; B. 

 Am. lii, 1841, 167, pi. 195. BAIRD, B. N. Am. 1858,512; Cat. N. Am. B. 1859, No. 391. 

 COUES, Key. 1872, 151; Check List, 1873, No. 204; 2d ed. 1882, No. 301; B. N. W. 1874,173. 

 B. B. & R. Hist. N. Am. B. ii, 1874,106. 109, pi. 31, flgs. 2, 3. RIDGW. Nom. N. Am. B. 

 1881. No. 237. 



HAB. Eastern United States and British Provinces, west to Minnesota, eastern Kan- 

 sas, and eastern Texas, resident south of 40. (In Florida replaced by P. erythrophthalmus 

 alleni, & smaller race, with white of wings and tail more restricted, and eyes yellowish 

 or white instead of bright red.) 



"Sp. CHAR. Upper parts generally, head and neck all round, and upper part of the 

 breast, glossy black, abruptly defined against the pure white which extends to the anus, 

 but is bounded on the sides and under the wings by light chestnut, which is sometimes 



