588 NOin'II AMKIUCAN BIUDS. 



Tliu type skin of Jmiw (larmlui of Dr. Henry (see foot-note to synoptical 

 till lie, p. 580) (litters mainly in having tlie wliole upper mandible entirely 

 black, as in ./. cineimx ; and, as in tiiu latter, the jugulum is j)ale ash, fading 

 gradually into the white of the abdomen, instead of deep ash abruptly ile- 

 fined. It is \ery probalily, as suggested by Mr. Ridgway, a liybrid witii 

 J. cinercKs. 



Hauits. This species was first discovered and described by Dr. Wood- 

 house from .specuniens obtained by him among the San Francis(M) Mountains 

 in Arizona. When procured, it was I'eeding in conijiany with the Junco ore- 

 ijonu^ and various species of Farm. Its hal)its appeared to be very similar 

 to those of the western Snowbird, as well as to those of the common ./. 

 hycmalis. 



Dr. Coues states tliat he found tliis bird a not very common winter resi- 

 dent at Fort Whipple, wliere its times of arrival and departure, as well as its 

 general liabits, were identical witli tiiose of J. oreiiuiim, with wiiich it very 

 freely associated. From tliis we may naturally infer that in New Mexico 

 and Arizona it appears only as a winter visitant, and that in sunnner it goes 

 elsewliere to breed. Its summer resorts, as well as our knowledge of its 

 breeding-liabits, nest, and eggs, remain to be determined, or are only imper- 

 fectly known. It evidently retires to the highlands and to mountain regions 

 to breed, and probably has a nmch more e.xtended iiabitat tlian tluit of 

 wliicli we now have any knowledge. Ui)on this problem Mr. Kidgway's 

 observations have already slied some valualile and suggestive light. He 

 met with this bird only an)ong tlie pine woods of the Wahsatch Mountains, 

 wliere, however, it was a very common bird, and where it was also breeding. 

 Its manners and notes wore scarcely ditt'erent from those of J. oregoiivs. It 

 is, however, a shyer bird than the latter, and its song, which is only a simple 

 trill, is rather louder than that of either the hijemalvi or the orecionm. 



Dr. (,'oues writes me that both "the (Jray-head and the Oregon Snowbirds 

 are conunon sjiecies about Fort Whijiple in winter, arriving about the middle 

 of October, and remaining in numbers until early in April, when tiiey thin 

 oif, although some may usually be observed during the month, and even a 

 part of the ne.xt. Orci/Diiiia far outnumbers catiireps. So far as I couM 

 see, their lial)its are precisely the same as those of the eastern Snowbinl. 

 During snow-storms they used to come i'amiliarly about oiir quarters, and I 

 once captured several of both species, enticing them into a tent in which 

 some barley had been strewn, and having the llap fixed so that it could be 

 pulled down with a string in a moment. They always associated together, 

 and once, on tiring into a Hock, I pickc^d up a number of each kind, and one 

 Junco hyemalvi. The latter can only be considered a straggler in this region, 

 although I secureil three sjiecimens one winter." 



This species was v j rare in Colorado, according to Mr. Aiken, in the 

 winter ot l(S71-72, but became common in March, and a few remained up 

 to the .Sd of May. Xo females of this species were observed by him. 



