488 NURTll AMElilCAN niKDS. 



tlic female again resumed lier place upon it, to protect her eggs from the 

 biting frost. The eggs were four in number, and measured .8u by .51$ of 

 an inch. Tiiey have a greenish-white ground and arc beautifully blotched, 

 marbled, and dotted with various shades of lilac and jiurplish-brown. 



Loxia curvirostra, vnr. mexicana, Strickland. 



MEXICAN CBOSSBILL. 



Loxia mexicana, Srr.li'Kl..\xi), .Fiiidiiii! Coiitrib. Orii. IS.'il, 43. — Si'I.atf.u, P. Z. S. 1859, 

 SO;"). — In. 1804, 174, City of Jlexico. --Salvi.v, Ibis, 1866, 193 (Ouatemalii). 



Si". Char. Colors of amcrimiin, but red I)iMglitc'r, luort' soarlct. Bill very larfic, the 

 lower iiianiliblo nearly or (luite oqual to tlio iipi)or in streiiglli ami knigth. Wing, 4.00; 

 tail, 2.')0 ; bill (tioiii Corelieiiil) .82. 



IIah. Aloiintaiiious region.s of SoiUlieni North Ameiiea, from Guatemala, north into 

 Rocky Mountains of United States; Mexico, Orizaba. 



This bird is quite as well marked as any of the plain-winged " species," 

 differing from curvirostra and nmericana quite as much as they do from each 

 otlier. 



All sjiecimens from Me.xico, as well as from the Central Tlocky Mountains 

 of the United States, are referrible to this form, thougii in winter the amcri- 

 cana may also be found in the latter region, as a migrant from the north. 



Habits. The occurrence of this well-marked race among the mountain- 

 ous districts of Me.xico is a very interesting and suggestive fact in regard to 

 the distribution of birds, demonstrating, as it does, tiie close connection be- 

 tween higii latitudes and high elevations as favoring similar forms. It was 

 first described by Strickland from sj)ecimcns obtained on tlie plateau near 

 the city of Mexico. Anotlier specimen is referred to by Mr. Sclater as 

 having been received from Jalapa, Me.xico ; and Mr. Sumichnist obtivined 

 also a single spiscimen of tliis species at Moyoa])am, in the alpine region of 

 Ori}!al)a, where it is known as tiie Pico cruzado. It was taken at an eleva- 

 tion of about 7,500 feet. Mr. Sinnichrast wiis unable to determine whether 

 this bird was resident, or only a migratory visitant in the winter. I can find 

 no reference to any distinctive peculiarities of habits 



Loxia leucoptera, CrMKUN. 



WHITE-WINOED CB08SBIIX. 



Loxia. Intcoptcra, Om. Syst. Nat. I, 1788, 540. — Aid. Orn. Hiog. IV, 1838, 467, pi. 

 ceelxiv. — In. IHnls Am. Ill, 1841, 190, pi. cci. — Hon. & S(;nr,. Mon. Loxicn.s, 1850, 

 8, pi. ix. — Oot'i.i), H. (it. Hritiiiii, V, 1804 (killed England, Sept. 17). Gitrvirostra 

 Icuciip/erii, Wii.s. Am. Orn. IV, 1811, 48, pi. xxxi, I'. 3. — BAlun, Hird.s N. Am. 1858, 

 427. — Dam, & lUNMsri-,u, Tr, Ch. Ac. I, 18()9, 281 (Ala.ska), — CooPKn, Orn, f'al, I, 

 149, — Sa.mi'ki.s, 293, Cniriro.i/nt hiicop/n-a, Hitr.n.M, Xauniannia, I, 1853, 254, tig, 

 20, Loxia /ilk i rostra. Lath, Index, Orn, 1, 1790, 371, 



