f!30 



XDHTll AMKKICAX BIRDS. 



crissimi, Imt all the fcatlici-s alwiiys with ilu.sky shafts, and iiiciiv; or less i-IoikIimI wiili pray 

 centrally, even lliniiuli I'adinj,' into wliilisli to the I'lipcs. This is particnlaiiy u])[)roi;ialil(' in 

 the lonj,'i.'r ci-issal fi-alhers. The fdiri's of llu' dark d'alhcrs of throat anil JM,y:iihMii arc 

 usnally paler, iiiiiiartinj; somewhat of a hiMiilated appearanee, their centres sometimes 

 consiileralily ilarker, eausiiij; an appearance of obsolete spots. There is a londency to n 

 pravish collar on sides of neck, and generally traecaMe to the najic; this, in one specinicn 

 (5.4'.IL') from Calilornia, liciii^' hoary ^'ray, the forehead sinnlar. 



Th(! yonii}; male of the st^cond year is similar to the female, with the steel-lilni' a|)peai'- 

 inp in patches. 



Total lenirth (of 1.. ')((!). ".oil; win;.', (i.lKl; tail, ;!.l(l : dilfcrenco l)ctwcen inner and outer 

 feather, ."'); dilfefence hetween lirsl and ninth (piills, 'J.SS; Icnj^'tii of hill from forehead, 

 .">.") ; from nostril, .;i4 ; aioiif,' pape, .'.H : width of papc, .71; taisns, .01 : middle toe ami 

 claw, .80 ; claw alone, .'2ij ; hind toe and claw, M ; claw alone, .27. 



Had. The whole of tlu! L'liited States and the Provinces; Saskatchewan; Ci\\-i>' St. 

 Lucas and Northern Mcxi(,'o (winter); Orizaba (Si'MTcnii,\ST) ; I!cinni<Ia. Accidental in 

 Kii;,dand. South American and West Indian liirds apparently bcloiii: to other races. 



AFany WesttM-n tulult males tiro oonsitkn'alily loss violacentis than any East- 

 ern ono ; hilt tiicrc is so iniicli variation in this rcsjicct ainnnif spcciiucns from 

 one locality, that this dillerenco in lustre does not st-L-m of much im- 

 portance. 



An adult female (Xo. ()1,3G1,G. A. lioardman) from Lake Harney, Florida, 

 is so uidike all other siieciinens in the collection as to almost wtirrant our 

 considcriiij,' it as representing a distinct local '.■•ice. It dillers from females 

 and young males of all tlic other races (except cki/ans, from which it differs 

 in other striking particulars) in the following resjiects : Above, the lustrous 

 sttel-lilue is uninterrupted, the forehead and nape iK.'ing uniform with the 

 otiier portions ; beneath, dark smoky-gray, inclining to whitish on the nuddle 

 of the abdomen ; the jugulum and crissum have a laint gloss of steel-blue, 



the feathers of the latter bordcretl 

 with grayish-Avhite. The chief dilTer- 

 cnce I'roiu chijaHs is in lacking the 

 conspiciU)US grayish-white border to 

 the featiiers of the whole lower part, 

 the surfat'c being uniform instead of 

 conspicuously sipiamated. AVing, o.GO ; 

 tail, 3.0tl ; fork of tiiil, .80 dee)). 



llAmrs. Tiie I'lirjile Martin is em- 

 ]>hatically a bird connnon to the whoh^ 

 of Xorth America. It breeds from 

 Florida to high northern latitudes, 

 and from the Atliintic to the Pacific. 

 It is very abundant in Florida, as it 

 is in various other ])arts of the country 

 fartl-er north, and the large flocks of migrating birds of tliis sjiecies which 

 pass through Eiislern Alassaciiusetts the last of Septend)er iittest its equal 

 abundance north of the latter State. It occurs in 15ermuda, is resident in the 



Proi^ttf subis. 



