Brewster on Birds from Arizona and New Mexico. 67 



endorsed by such ornithologists as Ridgway, Henshaw, and others 

 who have since had occasion to notice the bird. But although I 

 dislike to differ from such an array of authority I cannot for a 

 moment believe that lecontei should be associated with redivivus. 



Even if we admit (as I am however bv no means prepared to 

 do) that the radical color-differences which exist between them 

 are explainable by climatic modification, there still remain certain 

 structural characters which cannot be similarly disposed of. 



In the first place, the bill of lecontei is very much shorter, 

 slenderer, and narrower than that of redtvivus. The inferior 

 convexity of the lower mandible is evenly i-ounded, whereas in 

 redtvivus it is laterally compressed, forming a quite sharp ridge 

 or angle which is apparent to the eve as well as upon gentlv pas- 

 sing the finger along the bill below. A corresponding difference 

 is also somewhat similarly shown by the upper mandibles ; that 

 of lecontei having a nearly perfect convexity beyond its basal third. 

 while in redtvivus the greater width of the bill gives the sides of 

 the maxilla a decided slope or inclination, the lateral outlines of 

 which are actually concave to the very tip. 



Furthermore, in lecontei the cutting edges of the maxilla are 

 decidedlv recurved or rounded to within a short distance of the 

 tip. and when the bill is closed the edges of the opposite man- 

 dibles nearly meet, those of the upper only slightly overlapping ; 

 but in redivivus these edges are not recurved beyond their basal 

 fifth, being, on the contrary, nearly as sharp as a knife-blade, 

 while they decidedlv overlap the lower mandible. 



Leconte's Thrasher otherwise differs in having the tail very 

 much shorter and more rounded ; the soles of the feet smoother ; 

 and the rictal bristles much more abbreviated and fewer in num- 

 ber. 



On the whole I regard the affinities of this Thrasher as closer 

 to H. curvirostris palmeri than to any other known form. 



Despite the fact that -palmer i is obsoletely spotted below, their 

 coloring is much more nearly alike than is that of lecontei and 

 redivivus. And in form and proportions, as well as in the gen- 

 eral shape and character of the bill, they are strikingly similar. 

 Indeed, were it not for the fact that the habitats of the two over- 

 lap it might be difficult to argue their specific distinctness. But 

 the occurrence of lecontei at Phoenix, in actual company with 

 palmer ■/. as observed Iw Air. Stephens, effectually precludes any 



