12C) NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. 



extends down to the ujjper part of the breast, bh»ndin<^ with the colors of 

 the breast and helly, instead of being narrower, more sliarply defined, and 

 restricted to the cliin and throat; it is palest anteriorly, tlie chin and lore 

 being almost white. The isolated larger spot on the breast is more con- 

 spicuous ; tlie breast and l>elly are quite pure white, shaded with obsolete 

 brownish blotches, instead of being uniform grayish-brown, with only an 

 ai>proach to wliitish in tlie very middle. The edges of the wing and tail 

 feathers are a good deal lighter, the outer web of tlie first primary being 

 sharply edged witli pure white, instead of obscure grayish-l»rown. The size 

 generally is rather smaller, the wings more pointed. 



Compare<l with 7^ fuarus, we find the tail decidedly longer ; the wing 

 nr)re jKunted ; the first ([uill about etjual to the eighth, instead of shorter 

 than the secondaries. The colors generally are paler ; the cap of head bright 

 distinct rufous in strong contrast with the other plunuige, instead of being 

 only very obscurely tinged with that color. The white of belly is purer, and 

 extends farther forward, displacing the ashy tinge almost to the buff of the 

 throat. 



If we consider all the biown Pipi/os as modifications of one primitive 

 species, it will be well to consider the Arizonau and New Mexican bird as 

 the central figure around which the others are groupetl. The common char- 

 acter will then be varied in the California race, rri-s.sv^/M", by the absence of 

 decided rufous on crown, a darker shade of color, and an extension of the 

 gray of sides over the whole under parts, almost entirely displacing the 

 white. The wing is more rounded, and the general dimensions larger south- 

 ward on the central plains of Mexico ; the general tints are almost precisely 

 as in the California bird, except that the white of l^elly is very evident ; but 

 the chestnut cap and extended whiteness of belly, together with the pointed 

 wing of mesoh'ucus, are wanting. In P. alhiyula of Cape St. Lucas we have 

 the general characters of mrso/eueus, with paler colors, more restricted spots 

 encircling throat, and a tendency to white in its lower part. In this it 

 approaches alhkolUs (»f Southwestern Mexico. 



Habits. This little-known form was first obtained by Dr. Kennerly, nat- 

 uralist to the Pacific Kailroad Expedition on the .*^>r)th parallel, under Lieu- 

 tenant \Vhii)|)le. He met with it at r>ill Williams Fork, in Arizona, February 

 5, 1854. It was described by Professor Baird the following June. Dr. Ken- 

 nerlv furnished at the time no information in regard to its habits. 



Dr. Heermann, in his Ileport on the birds observed in Lieutenant Parke's 

 expedition, mentions having met with this species in the vicinity of Tucson. 

 Its habits, so far as he could judge of them from his opportunities, appeared 

 very similar to those of Pipilo aherti. 



Lieutenant Couch met with this species at Ssmta Catalina, Mexico, in 

 April, 1853, but furnishes no information in reference to its manners. Mr. 

 J. H. Clark, who obtained a specimen near the Copper Mines of the Mim- 

 bres, states that they were met with in al»undance in the deep valleys or 



