Brewster o?i a Collection of Arizona Birds. 1 45 



thicket of weeds and brush. Incubation commenced. Female 

 shot. This species seems to abandon a nest if it is fovmd before 

 an}' eggs are laid." 



205, $ ad., Cienega Station, April 15. Length, 5; extent, 7.10; wing, 

 2.21: tail. 2.25. "Iris dark brown; bill dark above, light below; legs 

 dark." 



235, $ ad.. Tucson, April 19. Length. 5.10; extent, 7.30; wing. 2.23; 

 tail, 2.25. 



262, $ ad.. Tucson. April 22. Length. 6; extent. 7.10; wing. 2.28: 

 tail, 2.34. 



27.V $ ad.. Tucson. April 25. Length, 5: extent. 7; wing, 2.21; 

 tail, 2.25. 



276, $ ad., same locality and date. Length, 4.90; extent, 6.90; wing, 

 2.1S; tail, 2.25. 



282. (J ad., same locality and date. Length. 5: extent. 7.10; wing, 

 2.30; tail, 2.30. 



461, $ ad.. Camp Lowell. May 31. Length, 5; extent. 6.90; wing, 

 2.21 ; tail, 2.25. "'Laying." 



499. 5 ad., Tucson, June 7. Length, 5 ; extent, 6.90. Skin lost. 



5S9, $ ad.. Camp Lowell. June 24. Length, 4.80; extent, 6.80; wing, 

 2.21 ; tail, 2.25. 



49. Vireo vicinior Cones. Gray Vireo. — The only indi- 

 viduals met with were a male and female — apparently a mated 

 pair — which were taken at Tucson, on April 26. ''Thev were 

 in low brush and were ver\' shy." 



286, $ ad., Tucson, .\pril 26. Length, 5-6o; extent, 8.20; wing. 2.63; 

 tail, 2.67 : tarsus, .80. 



287, $ ad., same localit\ and date. Length, 5.60; extent. 8.30; wing, 

 2.58; tail. 2.70; tarsus, .80. ''Iris dark brown; bill plumbeous, darkest 

 above; legs light plumbeous." 



50. Lanius ludovicianus excubitorides (6'xt'.) Cones. 

 Whi rE-RL'.viPED .SnRi:<.E. — "Comm.jn and generally distribu- 

 ted." 



It is unfortunate that so much prominence has been given to the white 

 rump o( excubitorides as a distinguishing character, for I have jet to see a 

 good series of Shrikes from any Western locality, excepting, possibly, Ar- 

 izona, which did not afford a considerable percentage of dark-rumped 

 birds; and conversely, it is h\ no means difficult to find light-rumped 

 specimens ii; the East. The same instability also affects most of the other 

 characters which have been assigned to excubitorides, as is sufficiently 

 shown by the various conflicting rulings of the authorities regarding the 

 precise definition and limits of distribution of this troublesome race. The 

 only differential points which seem to me to hold good with any number 

 of specimens, are the lighter, purer ash of the upper parts as compared 

 with those of hidoviciomts. and the smaller and very much weaker bill. 



