140 



NORTH A.\[EU1UAX 15IRDS., 



although the other characters are somewhat similar. C'alrtnclritis of Cabanis, 

 with tiie same lack of first imiiuiry, has a nmch stouter liill. The spurious 

 liriinary, more depressed hill, and diMerently constituted nostrils and nasal 

 fossto of AhiHila are readily distincti\e. 



Tlio type of this genus is 

 the Alduda (djicMria, Lijui., 

 a well-known cosmopolitan 

 species, though the hirds of 

 the New World have been 

 distinguisJR-l under tlistine- 

 tive names, as coniKht, c/ir//- 

 so/(ciii((, iKirip'ina, etc. The 

 examination and critical com- 

 ])iirison of more than a hun- 

 dred s])(!cimens from all parts 

 of NortJi America, however, has convinced us of the identity witli alficstris 

 of the .several forms mentioned above, though it may be advisable to retain 

 one or more of them as geographical races. 



Erfmojfltiln tiljitsiris 



Species and Varieties. 

 E. alpestris. Adtill. Ahovo pinki.'ili-gray, viiiviii;,' tn iMiiiiiiiiion, the pinkish 

 (Iee])i'.si uii iiajjo ami lesser wing-eovoi-ls ; tail lilaek (exeopt two niiilille foathei's), 

 the outer feather edjicd wilii white. Heneatli wjiite, tiie sides piiikisii oi- ffi'ayisii. 

 A fnintal hand and superciliary stripe, the middle of aurieulars, ehin. and throat 

 varying from white to deep Naples-yuljow ; forepart oferown, and " ear-tufts," a 

 pateh on lores and elioeks, and a hmad .'resr^enl aeross the jiiirulnm, ileep hiaek ; 

 end of aurieulars ashy. Fennile and iuilunnial males, wilh the pattern less 

 shar[ily delined, and the colors more suHiiscmK i'diiiif/. IJrownish-lilack aliove, 

 more or le.ss mi.xed with clay-color, and sprinkliMl wilh whitish dots: wing- 

 feathers all bordered with whitish. Jienealh white. Markings (in head and 

 jugnlum just merely iudieated l)y dusky cloudings. 



Wing (of adult male), 4.20 to 4.()0 ; tail. 2.i)0 to. 1.10; enlmen. .(10 to .tl,"i. 

 Whit(! frontal band, .25 to ..'iO, wide; the lilaek iirefrout.il pateli, .2(i lo ,;!.") 

 wide. The piid<ish above of an .a.<hy-lilae shad,.. 



Thro.it and foreiiead white, with only a very faint linge ofyrllow; 

 pinkish tingi- above more rufous. Fiab. Interior Northern I'laiiw of 



the I'nited .States var. n r <! il c n lit I i s . 



Tliroat and forehead pale straw-yellow, oi' stronglv tinged with it; 



pinkish tinge .above varying from a.shy-lilacous to pnrpli.^^ii-rufou.s. 



Huh. Northern regions of Old iuid New Wor'ds . . \-.u: (( / pes I r I s . 



Wing (adnlt male), 3.80 to 4.10; tail, 2.7;") to 2.00; culnien, .5.! to .02. 



White frontal baud, .l.T to .10 wide; the black prefrontal pateh .;i') to .oO 



wide. Pinkish above ol' a deep cinnamon shade. /fi(l>. De.xert ]ilains of 



South Middle Province of United State.t, and tal)le-lands of Mexico, south 



to Bogota \i\\: c /n- ij s o I ;c III u . 



