KI!IN(ilM.II),K TIIK KINCIIKH. 521 



Mr. H. E. Diwaor, in his papor on tlio liinls of SouIIumh 'IVxiis, niiintions 

 tindinij; tiic, ('lii'sfnut-cdiliinii Muniiiij,' in flocks i-iirly in tlio sprin;,', on llio 

 pi'iiiriL's near San Anlunio, but it was not a nunin m liinl tiiori'. 



Dr. Woodlioiiso found this spc^cios (piite rare in tlic Indian Territory, wlioro 

 he wii.s only alilo to socuru n Hiu<<h spocininn. 



Captain IJIakiston mot wilii tiiis species on tiio Sa.skatcliewan I'lains on 

 tlio lutii of May, 1838, — a hiyiier range than lias been noticed iiy any one 

 else. 



13r. llcerninnn, while on a trip to the IJocky Mountains in IS4.S, met witii 

 this species in small flocks and pairs, seatfered over tin; prairies of the I'latte 

 Ikiver, and was so fortunale ns to meet with one of its nests. It was built 

 on the ground, and was made of an interweavin;,' of fine j,'rasses and lined 

 with hair. He describes the e<j[f,'s, which were four in number, as havinf; a 

 white j,'round, with black lines at the larjffu- end, and a few faint blotches of 

 a neutral tint scattered over their whole surface. 



This description does not quite correspond with the e,<,'i,'s collected by Mr. 

 Audulion on the Upj)er Missouri. These have a clay-colored <>round with the 

 slightest possible tinge of green, and are marked with fine dots of purplish- 

 brown, and larger markings, blotches, and short lines of dark brown. They 

 measure .70 by .");> of an inch, anil have a strong resemblance to the eggs of 

 both 7*. 2>tr(i'f< and J', inum ■rui. 



Five eggs of this si)ecies, obtained at Fort Hays, Kansas, .June I, 1871, by 

 Mr. J. A. Allen, measure .7r> of an inch in length by .08 in breadth. They 

 are small in proportion to the bird, and are somewhat jjointed at one end. 

 Their ground is a gray or grayish-white shade of stone-color, and this is 

 somewhat sparingly marked with blotches of dark brown, almost black, and 

 lighter markings of innplish-brown. The nest was placed on the ground, and 

 was comix)sed altt)gether of fine stems of grasses. 



Flectrophanes omatus, var. melanomus, lUmu. 



BLACK-SHOULDERED LONGSPUR. 



ricctnphancs melanomus, liAUU), Birds N. Am. 1858, 436, pi. l.xxiv, I'. 2. — JIkkkmanx, 

 .\, 0, 13. 



8p. Ciiah. Bill yellowisli, diirk limwu .iloiif;; tlio onlnioii. ifnU: Crown, a .short .stripe 

 behind the eye, ivnrl a short crescent liehiiid the ear-eoverts, entire Ijreast a.s far back a.s 

 the tiiighs, and the les-ser winjr-eoverts. bliiek. The black on the breast margined with 

 dark cinnamon. Sides of head, chin, throat, and region behind the black of tlie belly, 

 white. A broad iialf-colliir of dark cinnamon-brown on the liaek of the neck. Tail- 

 feathers mostly white ; the innermost tipped with dark brown ; the white ending in an 

 acute angle. Length, 'kIJO; wing, 3.40; tail, 2.<i(). (No. G,2!)0.) 



Hab. Eastern slope of the Ro(;ky Mountains, Mexico, on the table-lands, north to 

 Tipper Mis,souri. Orizaba (Sci.atku, 1800, 251); San Antonio, Texas, spring (Duksskh, 

 Ibis, ISO"), 480); Fort Whip|)le, Arizona (Cocks, 1'. A. X. S. ISOti, 81); Vera Cruz, 

 plateau, breeding (Sit.miciiuast, 1, iwl). 

 0« 



