516 CHARACTERS OF VIREO PLUMBEUS 



CH. SP. <? 9 Plumbeus, infra albus, lateribus virentiplumbeo 

 lavatis ; alts cauddque fuscis, albo limbatis, illis necnon albo 

 Mfasciatis ; loris fuscis ; orbitis albis. 



$ $ , adult : With the form of V. solitarius ; rather larger, and nearly all 

 of the olivacous of that species replaced by plumbeous. Entire upper parts, 

 including crown and sides of neck and head, uniform plumbeous or bluish- 

 ash, gaining a faint olive shade on the rump. Below pure white, with a 

 slight ashy-olive shade on the side. Lores dusky. A white line from nos- 

 trils to and around the eye. Two cross-bars on the wings, and edges of most 

 of the quills pure white. Tail similarly edged with white. Bill blackish- 

 plumbeous, very robust; feet plumbeous. Length, 5-6; extent, 9f-10; 

 wing, SiV^iV > tail, 2 ; bill, ; tarsus, ; middle toe and claw, the same ; 

 spurious quill exposed f of an inch, or about a third of the length of the 

 second quill. 



In freshly moulted specimens, the pure white edgings of the wings and 

 tail are very broad and conspicuous, as are also the markings on the sides 

 of the head. In some cases, the upper parts are more tinged with olive than 

 as above described, showing an approach to solitarius, up to which the 

 species grades very closely. In discussing its relationships with that form, 

 the larger size of V. plunibeus should be taken into consideration, as well as 

 the fact that typical solitarius, showing no approach to plumleus, is found in 

 the same region. 



IN tbe mountainous parts of Arizona, where this bird was 

 discovered, it is an abundant inhabitant of the pine- belt 

 during the summer, apparently replacing the Solitary Vireo at 

 that period of the year. I observed its arrival at Fort Whipple 

 about the middle of April, and found it at frequent intervals 

 until October, when it disappeared from that elevated locality. 

 During the breeding season it is the characteristic species of 

 its family in the higher and northerly portions of the Territory, 

 as the Least Vireo is at the same season in lower portions of the 

 Colorado and Gila Valleys. These early observations respect- 

 ing the bird have been followed up by other naturalists, through 

 whose exertions we have become better acquainted with this 

 interesting species. It has been traced northward to Laramie 

 Peak by Dr. E. B. Hitz, and south to the plains of Colima by 

 Xantus. Mr. C. E. Aiken has found it in Colorado and New 

 Mexico, while both Eidgway and Henshaw have met with it in 

 Utah. Its range is thus clearly seen to include the whole of 

 the Middle Province, or Southern Eocky Mountain region, 

 where it is for the most part isolated from its relatives during 

 the breeding season, though associated with various birds of its 

 own kind, especially the Solitary and the Least Vireos, during 

 its migrations. Its habits have not yet been very attentively 



