FHINOILLID.E — THE KINXIIES. JU) 



Pipilo maciilatus, var. arcticus, Swainson. 



ABCnC TOWHEE BVNTIKO. 



Ptfiyita {Pipi/n) arcfica, Sw. F. Bor.-Ain. II, 1831, 260. Pqjt/o ardiciis, Ntttall, Man. 

 I, lS:i2, 5SU. — Ib., (2d ed.,) 1840, 6lU. — Bell, Ann. N. Y. Lye. V, 1852, 7. — Baii-.d, 

 Uinls N. Am. lb."i>, 51-t. 



Sp. Char. Upper parts frenerally, with head and neck all roinid to the upper part of 

 the breast, black; the rump usually tinged with ashy. Middlf of breast and of belly 

 white; sides chestnut; under tail-coverts similar, but paler. Entire outer webs of 

 scapulars and of tlorsal feathers immediately above them, and of ends of primary and 

 secondary coverts, to the shaft, with edges of outer webs of three iimermost tertials, and 

 of the second to the fifth primaries, conspicuously white. Whole outer web of the first 

 an<l ends of the first to the fourth tail-feathers, whitr-. the amount diminishing not very 

 rapidly. Outermost ipiill longer than ninth, sometimes than eighth, nearly always 

 exceeding the secondaries ; third quill longest ; fourth scarcely shorter. Length about 

 8 inches ; wing, 4.40 ; tail, 4.10 ; hind toe and claw, .74. Female paler brown instead of 

 black ; the rufous, seen in P. erythrophthabnus, tinged with ashy. 



Hab. High central plains of Upper Missouri, Yellowstone, and Platte ; basin of 

 Missouri Kiver. especially west, including eastern slope of Rocky Mountains ; San 

 Antonio, Texas (Drksser, Ibis, 18G5, 41)2). 



P. ajrtkus is similar in form tu P. crtjthrophtludmiis, which, however, 

 is readily distinguished by the entire absence of white on the scapulars and 

 wing-coverts. The amount of white on the tail decreases mucli less rajudly. 

 The difiereTices between it and P. orcyonm will be found detailed under the 

 head of the latter species. 



One specimen (8,193) from Fort Leavenworth, with a few white spots only 

 on the scapulars, may perhaps be considered a hybrid between arctic its and 

 erythrophthalmus. 



In some specimens the intei'scapulars are edged externally with white. 

 The feathers of throat and sides of head show occasional concealed spots 

 of white alx)Ut the middle. As in erythrophthubaus, the bases of the 

 primaries are white along the outer edge, showing under tlie primary coverts, 

 sometimes, but perhaps not generally, confluent with the white towards the 

 end of the same web. 



The female is of a dull ashy-brown, difficult to describe, but with only a 

 slight tinge of the rufous seen in P. crythrophthalimis, wliich is most dis- 

 tinct on top of head and back. There is an almost inappreciable ashy 

 superciliary stripe. 



The young bird resembles in general appearance that of meyalonyx, but is 

 lighter colored, and with, the dusky streaks on the jugulum much narrower. 

 The brown above is as light as in erythrophthalmus, but without the reddish 

 cast seen in the latter, and not blackish, as in megalonyx. 



Habits. The Saskatchewan or Arctic Ground Finch was first met with by 

 Sir John Kichardson. It was observed by him only on the plains of the 

 Saskatchewan, wdiere he had no doubt of its breeding, as one specimen was 



