584 



Mnvm AMKUU'AN BIRDS. 



Jiinco hyemalis, var. aikeni, Ii'idcway. 



WHITE-WINGED SNOWBIRD. 



Sp. Char. Gonorally similar to J. ht/etnalis, but oonsiilerably lar<ror, with more robust 

 bill; two wliito bands on the winjr. ami three, instead of two, outer tail-feathers entirely 

 %vhite. No. (;i,;5t>2 f$,K\ Pjiso Co., Colorado. December 11, 1871, (\ E. Aiken : Head, 

 neck, jn^uhnn, ami entire ujiper |>arts dear ash ; the biu.k with a bluish tin^a' ; the lores, 

 quills, and tail-feathers darker; middle and se<'ondiiry winj^-coverts rather broadly tipped 

 with white, fonninir two conspicuous bands. Low»'r part of the breast, alxloinen, and 

 crissiMii pure white, tlie anterior outline a^rainst the ash of the juj^ulum convex; sides 

 tinged with tish. Three lateral tail-feathers entirely white, the third, however, with a 

 nairow streak of dusky on the terminal third of the outer wel); the ne.xt feather mostly 

 plumbeou>, with the basal fourth of the outer web, and the terminal hall" of the inner, along 

 the shaft, white. Wint:, 3.40 ; tail, 3.20 ; culmen, .50 ; depth of bill at base, .30 ; tarsus, .80. 



Hab. El Paso County, Colorado. 



At first siglit, this h'm\ apfH^ars to be a very distinct species, being larger 

 than any other North American form, and jKissessing in the white bands on 

 the wini,' cliaracters entirely peculiar. Its large size, however, we can at- 

 tribute to its alpine habitat, agreeing in tliis respect, as compared with J. 

 ht/cmalis, witli tlui J. a/tiro/a of Guatemala, whicli we can only consider an 

 alpine or somewliat local form of./, ciiicreus. Tliat the wliite bands on the 

 wing do not constitute a character sutticiently important to be considered of 

 specific value is proved by the fact tliat in many specimens of J. orcf/onus, 

 and occasionally in J. hi/vmalis, there is sometimes quite a distinct tendency 

 to these bands in the form of obscure wliite tifis to the coverts. 



Habits. Ihit litth; is kn(»wn as to the habits of this variety ; probably 

 they do not differ from those of its congeners. It was met with by Mr. 

 C. K Aiken, near Fountain, El Paso County, in Colorado Territory, in the 

 winter of 1871 - 72. They were rare in the early winter, became rather 

 common during the latter part of February and the first of March, and had 

 all disappeared by the first of April. During winter only males were seen, 

 but, in the spring, the females were the most numerous. They were usually 

 seen singly, or in companies of two or three, and not, like the others, in 

 larger flocks. 



Junco oregonus, Sclater. 



OBEOON SKOWBISD. 



Fringilla oregona, Towxsem>, J. A. N. Sc. VII, 1837, 188. — Ib. Narrative, 1839, 345. — 

 AuD. Orn. Biog. V, 1839, 68, pi. eccx(n'iii. StnUhus oregonus. Box. List, 1838. — Ib. 

 Consp. 1850, 475. — Xewbekry, Zool. Cal. & Or. Route ; Rep. P. R. R. VI, iv, 1857, 

 88. Kiphmi oregmm, Arn. Syn. 1839, 107. — Ib. Birds Am. Ill, 1841, 91, pi. clxviii. 



— Cab. Mus, Hein. 1851, 134. Junco oregonus, Sclatkr, Pr. Zobl. Soc. 1857, 7. — 

 Bairi), Hinls N. Am. 1858, 466. — Lord, Pr. R. A. Inst. IV, 120 (British Columbia). 



— Cooi'FR & SucKLEY, 202. — OoiTEs, Pr. Phil. Ac. 1866, 85 (Arizona). — Dall k, 



