April 1904] BIRDS OP THE HUACHUCA MOUNTAINS, ARIZONA. 4! 



Junco caniceps (Woodhouse). Gray-headed Junco. 



A winter resident, very abundant in the oak regions, and to a lesser 

 extent in the higher parts of the mountains, remaining until about the end 

 of April. In February and the early part of March it was outnumbered 

 bv thurberi, but as that species decreased in numbers caniceps became 

 more in evidence, though probably not really increasing in numbers. Up 

 to the middle of April the Gray-headed Junco was still fairly abundant, 

 though in smaller flocks than before, and often found at a considerably 

 higher altitude than that frequented earlier in the season. I took sev- 

 eral specimens as high as 9000 feet, and they may have been more numer- 

 ous than I supposed, for those secured were usually in company with the 

 Arizona Junco (/. p. palliatus) and it is not easy to distinguish between 

 the two species in life. I took specimens on various occasions toward 

 the end of April, and have one shot as late as May 2 (1896). A small 

 percentage of specimens of both sexes have more or less chestnut on the 

 crown, of the same color as the back, usually in the shape of a few dis- 

 connected spots but occasionally covering nearly the whole of the crown. 

 There is also considerable variation in the color of the tertials, which, 

 usually edged with pale gray or having the whole outer web of that color, 

 are in about a third of the specimens collected, broadly edged with pale 

 brown. 



Four specimens were secured which are probably hybrids between 

 caniceps and mearnsi (/. annectens of Professor Baird, and /. ridgwayi 

 of Dr. Mearns). These were all taken in March, 1903, two males the 

 7th and I2th, and two females on the i^th and I4th. respectively. Three 

 of these, a male and two females, resemble each other very closely, and 

 ?i"e oracticalb' like average examples of caniceps but with more or less 

 pink on the sides and flanks. The fourth specimen, a male taken March 

 12, is quite different from these and has apparently just undergone a com- 

 plete moult, for there are pin feathers scattered over the body, three of 

 t^e rectrices have not vet attained their full lensrth, and over the entire 

 plumage there is a gloss and bloom only present in newly acquired 

 plumage. The head and throat are darker than is the case in either 

 caniceps or mearnsi, there is considerable pink on the sides and flanks, 

 pr.d the lower parts from the breast to the anal region are dirty buff, the 

 only pure white feathers being the under tail coverts. The interscapular 

 region is dark chestnut obscured throughout by a dusky wash; the 

 greater wing coverts are reddish brown, and the outer web of the tertials 

 is broadly margined with the same. 



All four of tb^se birds in general appearance resemble caniceps 

 much more closelv than thev do mearnsi. 



Junco phaenotus palliatus Riclqrway. Arizona Junco. 



An abundant resident, and one with which, apparently, the seasons 

 make but little difference, for not only does it refrain from going further 

 south at the advent of cold weather, but I could discern little evidence 

 of any vertical migration either. During February and March I found 

 the non-resident species of j uncos together in large flocks throughout 

 the oak reeion, but I never once took a specimen of palliatus in any of 

 these mixed gatherings. Even in the coldest weather I never saw one 

 below 5500 feet, and they were most abundant above 7500 feet; usually in 

 small bunches of six or eisrht, occasionally witht a stray caniceps includ- 

 eH in the flock, but usually by themselves. They are at all times, winter 

 and summer, most abundant along the divide of the mountains, from 

 8500 to 10,000 feet, altitude, and the only appreciable difference in their 



