442 



NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. 



i3ieo 



SifS^i-l- 



SORG'* 



In the accompanyinj,' out wc •/wv, outliiio of the bill of the two varieties 

 of Pi/ninyii as/ini us < oinjuired witli a near ally, /'. naira, of South Amer- 

 ica. (I. ".,190, P. fist i VII ; ;U,:U4, J'. as/lri( var. Coojicri ; M,W-i, I', siiim.) 

 This species is one of wide distribution; its habitat in the United States 



including the " Eastern Province," north 

 to Xf)va Scotia, and west toward tlie 

 liocky Mountains, along the streams 

 watering the jihiins, through Texas, into 

 Eastc^rn Mexico, Central America, ami 

 the northern ]iart of South America, as 

 well as some of the West India islands. 



In the dillerent regions of its haliitat 

 the species undergoes consiilerable vari- 

 ations as regards shades of (iolor and 

 proportions. Specimens from Tiixas and 

 Eastern ^lexico exhibit a decided ten- 

 dency to longer bills and more slender 

 forms than those of the Eastern United 

 States ; the tails longer, and colors rather purer. In Central America and 

 New Granada the species acquires the greatest perfection in the intensity 

 and purity of the red tints, all specimens being in this respect noticeably 

 dillerent from tho.se of any other region.^ 



Specimens in tlir collection of the Smitlisouian Institution, from Peru 

 (39,S4'J <?, .•59,84!) c?,a!id :!!>,S.'.0 9, head-waters Ihiallaga liiver), are undis- 

 tingnisliable from those killed in the eastern United States. 



The young male exhibits a variegated ])lumage, the re<l ap]iearing in 

 patches upon the other (-(dors of the female; in its changing plumage, the 

 red generally predominates on the head, and often individuals may be seen 

 with none anywhere else. In this condition there a]i])ears to be a great re- 

 send)huico to the /'. rr////iron/i/iii/ii (see .synoptical table), judging from the 

 descrii)tion, but whic^h appears to be considi'i'altly smaller, and perhaps has 

 the red of the head more continuous and sharply defined. 



The young male in first summer resemiihis the female, but has the yellow 

 tints deeper, the lower tail-coverts a]i])roaehing orange. 



Haiuts. The Summer liedbird is found chiefly in the Southern States, as 

 far north as Southern Xi-w -Fersey and Illinois. Mr. Audubon .speaks of their 

 occurring in Mas.sachusetts, but ]\Ir. Lawrence has never known of their hav- 

 ing been found farther north than the Magnolia Swanii)s near Atlantic City, 

 N. J. One or two recent instances of the capture of these birds in Massa- 

 chusetts, as also in New Urunswick and Nova Scotia, have occurred, but 

 these must be regarded as purely accidental. 



' Of tills lif<;Iily roloiiil foiTii, the iivi'iagc Icii^'th of five RiMM'iiiiciis i.s 7..").5 ; in twolvo the 

 avciii^c is, wiiifi, ;!.07 : t'lil, 2.80 ; (Mlnii'ii, .(17. The Mil appi'ius tr) lie .stlirhtly iluiki'i- tliau in 

 Xoiili AiniM'ioiin c.xnniiili's. 



