110 



NOIITII AMKRK'AN IIIFIDS. 



A young bird 1ms tlio prevailing color reddisli-olivo al)Ovc, spotted with 

 lighter; lioncutli l)r()\viiisli-\vliitt', Htroiikod thickly with lirowii. 



Tho description above given nmy be taken us rei)re.senting iho avernge of 

 the HpecieH in the Northern and ^liddle States. Most s[>eciinen.s from the 

 Mississipjii N'alley diller in having the two white patches on the priinavitis 

 conlluent; but this feature is nut sullicieutly constant to make it worthy of 



ZI35 •J 



2136 



Prpi'/o etylhrophthnlmus. 



more than passing notice, for occasionally western specimens have the white 

 spaces separated, as in the majority of eastern exanij)les, while among the 

 latter there may, now and then, be found individuals scarcely distinguishable 

 from the average of western ones. 



In Florida, liowever, there is a local, resident race, quite different from 

 these two northern styles, which are themselves not enough uidike to be 

 considered separately. This Florida race differs in much smaller size, very 

 restricted white on both wing and tail, and in having a yellowish-white in- 

 stead of blood-red iris. Further remarks on this Fhjrida race will be found 

 under its proper heading (p. 708), as P. c7'i/throphthalmiis, var. alkiii. 



Specimens of eriithrophthaimus, as restricted, from Louisiana, as is the case 

 with most birds from the Lower Mississippi region, exhibit very intense 

 color* comi)ared with those from more nortJiern portions, or even Atlantic 

 coast specimens from the samo latitude. 



Haiuts. The Clround IJobin, Towhee, Chewink, Charee, or Joreet, as it is 

 variou.sly called, lias an extended distribution throughout the eastern United 

 States, from Florida and Georgia on the southeast to the Selkirk Settlements 

 on the northwest, and as far to the west as the edge of the Great Plains, 

 where it is replaced Ity f)ther closely allied races. It breeds almost Avherever 

 found, certainly in Georgia, and, I have no doubt, sparingly iir Florida. 



This bird was not observed in Texas by Mr. Dresser. It has been found 

 in Western Maine, where it is given by Mr. Verrill as a summer visitant, 

 and where it breeds, but is not common. It arrives there the first of May. 

 It is not given by i\Ir. Boardman as occurring in Eastern Elaine. In Massa- 

 chusetts it is a very abundant summer visitant, arriving about the last of 

 April, and leaving about the middle of October. It nests there the last of 



