4S8 NORTH AMERICAN lURDS. 



tlie female aujain resumed her })lace upon it, to protect lier e^'ijs from the 

 hiting frost. The eggs were four in numlxT, and measured .83 by .53 of 

 an inch. Thev have a greenisli-wljitc ground and are beautifully blotched, 

 marbled, and dotted with various shades of lilac and puri)lish-brown. 



Loxia curvirostra, var. mexicana, Strickland. 



MEXICAN CBOSSBILL. 



Loxia mt'xicnna, SmirKLAxn, Janliiu' Contrib. Orn. 18.')1, 4:3. — Silatki:, P. Z, S. 1859, 

 365. — Ib. 18t>4, 174, City of Mi-xico. — S.\Lvix, Ibis, 1866, 193 (Guatemala). 



Sp. Char. Colors of omen'rana. but red brighter, more scarlet. Bill very larire. the 

 lower inandil'le nearly or ({uite equal to the upper in strength and length. Wing, 4.CK); 

 tail. 2.50 ; bill (from forehead) .82. 



IIab. Mountainous regions of" Southern North America, from Guatemala, north into 

 Rocky Mountains of United States; Mexico, Orizaba. 



This bird is ([uite as well marked as any of the plain-winged " species," 

 differing from curvirostra and americana cj^uite as much as they do from each 

 other. 



All specimens from ^lexico, as \vell as from the Central Tiockv Mountains 

 of the United States, are re terrible to this form, though in winter tlie amcri- 

 cana may also be found in the latter region, as a migrant from the north. 



Habits. The occurrence of this well-marked race among the mountain- 

 ous districts of Mexico is a very interesting and sugj^estive fact in rej^ard to 

 the distribution of birds, demonstrating, as it does, the close connection be- 

 tween high latitudes and high elevations as favoring similar forms. It was 

 first described by Strickland from s})ecimens obtained on the plateau near 

 the city of Mexico. Another specimen is referred to by Mr. Sclater as 

 having been received from Jalapa, Mexico ; and Mr. Sumichrast obtained 

 also a single s]H3cimen of this species at Moyoapam, in the alpine region of 

 Orizal)a, where it is known as the Pico cruzado. It was taken at an eleva- 

 tion of about 7,500 feet. Mr. Sumichrast w^as unable to determine whether 

 this bird was resident, or only a migratory visitant in the winter. I can find 

 no reference to any distinctive i)eculiarities of habits 



Loxia leucoptera, TrMEUN. 



WHITE-WnrOEI) CBOSSBILL. 



Loxia Icucoptcra, Gm. Syst. Nat. 1, 1788, 540. — Am. Orn. Biog. IV, 1838, 467, pi. 

 coolxiv. — In. Birds Am. Ill, 1841, 190, pi. eci. — Bos. & Schl. Mon. Loxicns, 1850, 

 8, pi. ix. — TforLD, B. (Jt. Britiun, V, 1864 (killed England, Sept. 17). Curvirostra 

 ■ Icucopterii, Wii.s. Am. Om. IV, 1811, 48, j>l. xxxi, f. 3. — Baird, Birds N. Am. 1858, 

 427. — Dai.l & Banmstku, Tr. Ch. Ac. I, 1861), 281 (Alaska). — Cooi-ek, Orn. Cal. I, 

 149. — Sami'KLs, 293. Cnfrirosfnr frtn'optrnr, BitKUM, Naumannia, I, 1853, 254, tig. 

 20. Loxia /ilk i rostra, Lath. Index, Orn. I, 1790, 371. 



