Deane on Albinistic and Melanistic Plumages. 25 



tion of 10 feet ; another, with three eggs, June 21, from an elm, at 

 a height of 18 feet ; the third, with a single egg, June 17, from an 

 ailanthus, only 6 feet from the ground. The eggs were all fresh at 

 these dates. The eggs are so similar to those of acadicus that no 

 one should presume to tell them apart with any show of confidence. 

 It is permitted to us, in the present state of our knowledge, to 

 formularize the distinctions which normally subsist between the 

 four Eastern species of Empidonax, as follows ; and it will be ob- 

 served with satisfaction, that they may be distinguished when site of 

 nests, structure of nests, and character of eggs are together taken 

 into consideration : — 



E. acadicus. Nest in trees, in horizontal fork, thin, saucer-shaped, 

 open-worked ; eggs creamy white, boldly spotted. 



E. irailli. Nest in trees, in upright crotch, thick, deeply cupped, more 

 or less compact-walled ; eggs creamy white, boldly spotted. 



E. minimus. Nest in trees, in upright crotch, deeply cupped, compact- 

 walled ; eggs immaculate white. 



E. Jiaviventris. Nest on ground or near it, deeply cupped, thick and 

 bulky ; eggs white, spotted. 



ADDITIONAL CASES OF ALBINISM AND MELANISM IN 

 NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. 



BY RUTHVEN DEANE. 



Since my last list of albinistic and melanistic plumages occurring 

 among our birds (Bulletin, Vol. IV, pp. 27-30), I have been enabled 

 to swell the number by the addition of thirty-nine species repre- 

 senting the former, and two representing the latter phase of plu- 

 mage.. For the references to a number of species in Naumann's 



building the small, compact nests of soft materials that come to us from Ohio 

 through Dr. J. JI. Wheaton, or from Missouri through Mr. Widmann, such as 

 you describe. It seems to me also noteworthy that E. trailli breeds in the 

 intei-ior so much further south than it does in the Atlantic States, where, 

 though noted as breeding sparingly as far south as Long Island, it rarely nests 

 in New England south of the Canadian Fauna, or south of Central and Northern 

 Maine and corresponding points in Vermont and New Hampshire. (See on 

 this point Purdie, 'The Countrj-,' of May 4, 1878. Compare further, on the 

 general subject, Pearsall and Bailej-, ibid., of April 20, 1878, and Purdie, 

 'Forest and Stream,' of April 25, 1878.) " 



