378 NORTH AMEPJCAN BIRDS. 



jrest, third (measured from t-xposfd biist' of first primary). 2.54 ; length of bill from fore- 

 head, ..V), Iroiii nostril, .i> I. ill* niir jrajM', .70 ; tarsus,."."); middle toe and claw, .00, claw 

 alone, .21 ; hind tot; and claw, .oO, claw alone, .23. 



IIai!. Soutiiern IU>cky Mountains; East Humboldt Mountains, Nevada (Kid(;way). 

 In winter to Colima, Mexico. 



While the pattern of eoloratiou is precisely similar to that of Lirnirirro 

 solitanm, the ditlerence in the colors app<.nirs to be occasioned merely by re- 

 moving, a^ it were, the yellow stain, which on the plumbeous ])roduces the 

 olive-green tinge, and exists in a purer tint along the sides, leaving, essentially, 

 only clear plumbeous and pure white ; there is, however, in the most typical 

 specimens, always a faint tinge of green on the rump, and a stain of yellow 

 along the side. Though identical with .'<o/it((rius in most of its proportions, 

 the winjis and tail are considerablv longer than in the average of that form. 



There are many specimens from the liocky ^lountains and westward that 

 are so decidedly intermediate between solif((riii.i and jtldmheas, that, consider- 

 ing also the lack of essential difl'erence in foini and coloration between the 

 two, we do not hesitate to consider them, along with cassini and propinquas 

 (see page 373), as races of a single species, of which each is the representa- 

 tive in a particular region. Thus, V. solit arias breeds in the Eastern Prov- 

 ince of the United States (and possibly in the Western, following the same 

 route lar to the northward that many Eastern birds pursue in straggling 

 westward), and migrates in winter into Middle America as far as Guatemala ; 

 those which breed in the Northwest pass directly southward, thus crossing the 

 regi»)n where cassini and phnnheus breed, which accounts for their being ob- 

 tained together. V. cassini is the representative on the opposite side of the 

 continent ; but the history of its migrations is yet obscure. V. plumheus is 

 the ^liddle Province and Kocky Mountain representative, breeding alone in 

 that region, and in winter migrating southward through Western Mexico as 

 far as Colima. V. inopinquus is another permanent race, but a local one, be- 

 ing resident in the country where found, though mixed in winter with visitors 

 of solitarius from the Xorth. 



Habits. Of tliis very recently discovered race, very little is at present 

 know^n. It was first described by Dr. Coues, who met with it in Arizona, 

 near Fort Whipple. He says it is especially abundant in the northern part 

 of that Territory. It was by far the most common Yireo at Fort Whipple, 

 where it is a summer resident, arriving there about the 15th of April and 

 remaining until October. 



It was found to be common about Laramie Peak, by Dr. R. Hitz, and was 

 also met with in winter on the plains at Colima, Mexico, by Xantus. 



It was seen in the summers of 1868 and 1869, by Mr. Ptidgway, among 

 the cedar and nut-pine woods on the slopes and among the brushwood in the 

 canons of the East Humboldt ^lountains, being most partial to the former 

 situations. There, too, it undoubtedly breeds, as in the latter part of July 

 young birds, unable to fly, were met with by him. He also states that the 



