126 NORTH AMEIUCAN J3Ii:l)S. 



extends down to the upper p<art of the breast, bU;nding witli the colors of 

 the breast and belly, instead of l)eing narrower, more sharply dc^finel, and 

 restricted to the cliin and tlnoat ; it is palest anteriorly, tlie chin and lore 

 being almost white. Tlie isolated larger spot on the brctist is more con- 

 spicuous ; tiie breast and belly are (piite pure white, shaded with obsolete 

 l)rownisli bh)tches, instead of being uniform grayisli-brown, with only an 

 a[)proach to whitish in tlie very middle. Tlie lidges of tlie wing and tail 

 feathers are a good deal ligliter, tlie outer web of the first primary being 

 sharply edged with pure white, instead of obscure grayish-brown. The size 

 generally is rather smaller, the wings more pointed. 



C()mi)ared with /'. ftisciis, we find the tail decidedly longer ; the wing 

 more ])ointed ; the first (juill about eiiual to the eighth, instead of shorter 

 than the secondaries. The colors generally are i)aler ; the cap of head bright 

 distinct rufous in strong contrast with the other plumage, instead of being 

 only very obscurely tinged with that color. The white of belly is purer, and 

 extends farthei' forward, displacing the ashy tinge almost to the buff of tlie 

 throat. 



If we consider all the brown Pipilos as modifications of one primitive 

 species, it will be well to consider the Arizoiiau and New Mexican bird as 

 the central figure around which the others are grouped. The common char- 

 acter will then be varied in the California race, crisfitt/is, by the absence of 

 decided rufous on crown, a darker shade of color, and an extension of the 

 gray of sides over the whole under parts, aliiio.st entirely displacing the 

 white. The wing is more rounded, and the general dimensions larger south- 

 ward on the central i)lains of Mexico ; the general tints are almost ]irecisely 

 as in the ("alilbrnia bird, except that the white of Itelly is very evident ; but 

 the chestnut cap and extended whiteness of bully, together with the pointed 

 wing of 7)iesolciicus, are wanting. In P. alhi(ji(ln of Cape St. Lucas we have 

 tlie general characters of vii'so/eiinis, with ])aler colors, more restricted sjiots 

 encircling throat, and a teiiilency to white in its lower part, in this it 

 apjiroaclies aUncollis of Southwestern Mexico. 



Habits. This little-known form was first obtained by Dr. Kenuerly, nat- 

 uralist to the I'acilic Ivailroad Expedition on the ;>.">t]i parallel, under Lieu- 

 tenant Wliiitjile. He met with it at Itill Williams Fork, in Arizona, February 

 5, 1854. It was described by Professor Baird the following June. Dr. Ken- 

 nerly furnished at the time no information in regard to its habits. 



Dr. Heermann, in his Keport on the birds oUserved in Lieutenant Parke's 

 expedition, mentions having met with tliis species in the vicinity of Tucson. 

 Its habits, so far as he could judge of them from his opii'irtunitics, ajipeared 

 very similar to those of Pipilo nherli. 



Lieutenant Couch met with this species at Santa Catalina, Mexico, in 

 April, 185."), but furnishes no iiifornifitioii in reference to its manners. Mr. 

 J. H. Clark, who olitaiiied a specimen near the Copper Mines of the Mim- 

 bres, states that they were met with in abundance in the deep valleys or 



