/ FRINGILLID.E — THE FINCHES. 581 



no trace of uny secoud color on the back, except an exceedingly faint and 

 scarcely apprecialjle wash of dull brownisli over the whole upper parts. 

 The markings of the third tiiil-featlier vary 

 somewhat in specimens. Sometimes the 

 whole tip is margined with brown ; some- 

 times the white extends to the end ; some- 

 times both webs are margined with brown ; 

 sometimes the outer is white entirely ; 

 sometimes the brownish wash on the back 

 is more distinct. 



Some specimens (No. 52,7^2 and 52,701, 

 males) from Sun River, Dakota, appear to 

 be hybrids with orcgoniis. They have the 

 general appeamnce of hyemalis, the back 

 being nearly uniform with the head (with ' .Tuneo oresonus 



a wash of sepia-brown, however), and the head and neck of the same dark 

 plumbeous ; the sides, however, are pinkish, and the plumbeous on the 

 jugulum has its posterior outline convex, as in on-gomts. If, as there is 

 every reason to believe, these specimens are really hybrids, then we have tlie 

 two extreme forms of the genus connected by specimens of such a condi- 

 tion ; thus, hyemalis with orcgomis, orcfjonus with canicqjs (==anncdc)is, 

 Baird), and caniceps with cinercus (= dorsalis, Henry). It may perhaps be 

 considered a serious question whether all (including alticola) are not, in 

 reality, geographical races of one species. However, as there is no possi- 

 bility of ever proving this, it may be best to consider them as representative 

 species, and these specimens of intermediate characters as hybrids. 



Habits. The common familiar Snowbird of the Eastern States is found 

 throughout all North America, east of the Black Hills, from Texas to tlie 

 * Arctic regions. Wherever found, it is at certain seasons a very abundant 

 and an equally familiar bird. 



It nests as far south, in mountainous regions, as Virginia, and thence to 

 New York and the northern parts of the New England States, breeding only 

 in the highlands, but descending more and more into the plains as we pro- 

 ceed north. As it is a very hardy bird, its migrations are irregular and 

 uncertain. In some seasons I have observed but few at irregular intervals ; 

 and in others, in which the spring was cold and backward, I have met with 

 them in every month except July and August. 



Mr. Kennicott found but few birds of this species breeding as far south as 

 Fort Resolution or Slave Lake, and was unable to find any of their nests, 

 though he met w4th a few birds that were evidently breeding there. He 

 found it afterwards nesting in the greatest abundance about latitude G5°. 

 They were very numerous on the Yukon, and Mr. MacFarlane found them 

 breeding plentifully on the Anderson River, at the edge of the barren-ground 

 region. 



