440 NUUTII AMERICAN BIRDS. 



attL'iitioii, it heiiiu ahnost exactly similar to that of its oastcrn relative 

 (P. nibr(i). Afterwards he eontimially met with it in wooded })orlioiis, 

 whether aiiiomjr the wiUows and cottonwo(jd of the river-vallevs, or the 

 cedars and pinons of the mountains. In May, 1808, among the willows 

 and hutfalo-berry thickets of the Truckee Valley, near Pyramid Lake, it was 

 very abundant, in company with (Irosbeaks and Orioles, feeding up(»n the 

 buds of the grease-wood (OhiuHC),im(\ later in the sunnner among the cedars 

 and nut-}»ines of East Tlumljoldt Mountains, where the peculiar notes of the 

 young arrested his attention, resembling the complaining notes of the IJlue- 

 bird, but louder and UKjre distinct. In Se]»tend>er he noticed them feeding, 

 among tlie thickets bordering the streams, u])on the pulpy iruit of the 

 thorn -ap])le (Cratinjus) that grew plentifully in the thickets. To the east- 

 wart I it was continually met with, in all wooded portions, as far as they 

 explored. 



In manners it is very similar to the P. rubra. The songs of both birds 

 are very nearly alike, being etpially tine, lait that of this species is more sil- 

 very in tone, and uttered more falteringly. Its usual note oi j)! it-it is quite 

 diiferent from the vhip-fi-rti'-trr of the P. rvhrd. 



He met with their nest and eg^rs at Parley's Park, Utah, June 9, 1869. 

 The nest was on the extreme end of a h(»rizontal branch of a pine, in a grove. 

 Hat, and with only a very slight <lei»ression, having a diameter of four and a 

 half inches, with a height of only an inch. It was conn)oscd externally of 

 onlv a few twigs and drv wirv stems, and linetl ahnost entirelv with tine 

 vegetable rootlets. 



The eggs, usually three in number, measure .95 by .(S^ of an inch. In 

 form thev are a rounded-oval. Their uroimd-color is a liufht bhiish-ureen, 

 sparingly s])eckled, chielly at the larger end, with marking of umber, inter- 

 miuLiled with a few dots of lilac. 



Pyranga hepatica, Swains 



Pyranga hcpattoi, Swainsun, I'liil. .M:i,i,'. I, ls-27, 124. — Sclatkii, Pr. Zoi.l. Soc. 1856, 

 124. — lUiRi), Birds N. Am. 1S.')8, 302, pi. x.wi. — Ki.nnkklv, 131. — KiixnvAY, Pr. 

 A. N. S. 1809, 132. — ('<u)i>Kn, <>iii. ("al. I, 187tl, 144. PJnfnicnaomn hrpafici, Car. 

 Mus. Hcin. 18'>1, 25. J'l/raiiga ozura; WouKllousK, Sitgivave's E.xpl. Zuui, 1853, 82 

 (not of otluT iiuthorsK 



Sp. Ciwn. •• L'liirtli. S.oo"; wintr, 4.12: tail 3.3f): cuIhumi. .O'^: tarsus. .St. Sceon.l (niill 

 lonirest. first intcnnediate l»ot\vo(?n fourth and lifrli. Bill somewhat shorter than that of 

 (Bsfiv'i, liiu hroadiT and hijjrlier at the hase, hecominLT t.'ouipressel towird tho end : a di.s- 

 tinct prominent tooth on eomiiiissure; its color |>linnl>eons-liiaek. ])al('r. or more6''//.s7j plum- 

 beous on lower mandible. J/rt/^. Head above brownish-red. purer anteriorly; rest ol" up- 

 per parts and sido brownish-ashy, tinirei' with red<lisl. ; ediics cf primaries, upper taii- 

 coveris and tail, more reddish. Beni'ath. medially, fme liLrlit scarlet, most intense on tho 

 throat, g-rowinjr j?radually paler posteiiorly. Lores; . >rbital region grayish-white ; eye- 

 lid.'? pah'-red , eai'-eoverts ashy-red. 



