r 





a54 



ALKCTOIIIDES. 



pointed oiu in tlu' uliovi- Kynoi^is tlic vitv r(iiis|iicuiius, sliarply-di'tint'il, ami liroad Muck stripes 

 alpiivc, uiHin an (iiJiivy-ljriiwn or vullci\visli-()livait.otis j;ii)un(l-iiili)r, ciiniliinL'il witli the linnaiiinii 

 liii'ast and dark Hanks, licinj,' tliu pnmiint'nt distinulivi' IVatmvs. Tlu; ciiiet' variation in coloi- 

 I'onsists in the dcyivu of asliint'ss on tiie side of the lieud (some exanii>les l)einj,' distinctly asliy, a> 

 in most specimens of Vu lnuyirMtriii cnpititiin), iiiul in the precise »luule of the {^round-color of tli>' 

 upper parts (which, however, is never asjiy). 



The only extraliniital Npeciniens we have seen ari' one from the City of Mexico, in the collec- 

 tion of Mr. tieor),'e N. Lawrence, and one from the Valley of Mexico in the National Museinn. 

 These aie so dilTerent in many respects from the common North American hird as to lie enlillcl 

 to at least sul)->[iccilic separation. Ctimpared with true </<';(((/(«, the di>tinctive chamcters of the 

 Mexican nice are as follows : — 



(I. elegans. Flanks and sides dusky hrownish, widely and disiint ly harred with pure while. 

 Wiiij;, .">.!»( m;.,S(»; culniei:, i'. Ii*-i'..")(» ; least depth of hill, .:i7-.:i.'i ; tai-sus, ■2.-2{)-iAO ; mid.lle In,.. 

 1.8()-:i. 10. //nil. Fresh-water marslii. of Ka.stern North America. 



li. tenuirostris. Flanks and sides reddish umlier, narrowly and indistinctly harred wiili 

 reddish while and dilute cinnamon ; hreasi and neck more deejily and unil'orndy cinnamon lliaii 

 iu iliyiiim. Winu, .">.!»(•; cidinen, :i.(i(»-:i.l(t ; least depth of hill, .i'^ ; tarsus, l.W»-I.!»0 ; middle 

 toe, 1.7(). f/itl). Mexico (Ma/atlan and Cily of Mexico). 



The accompanying,' li;,'ui-e of the liill of tuiiilroMris is taken from the type wpecimen in Mi. 



Luwn-nce's C(dlection. 



RiiUiis rh'ijiinn ti'iiiiirnsfrin. 



Till' ilistinetion iM'twccii the in'csciit .s]M'cii's ami tlic ludrc connnoii Clappcv Hail 

 t'litiivly t'sciipcd tin- iiotii-c nf Wilsnn iuid Niittall. iiltlum,t,'li the fornicr luii.st umpies- 

 tioiiiilily liavi' inct with tlif r/i'i/mis in the Dflawari' uiarsht's — in his ilrscriptioii oi the 

 rrr/t!finis apparently cDnfoumlino: the manners (d' tlif two species. The (listinctness of 

 i/ri/inis as a siiceies and suuic id' its peculiarities were lirst inaile kiinwn to the pulilic 

 Ity Mr. .Vuilnlion. his attt'iitioii liuviiij,' Ween called to the snhject hy I'r. •hdiii Uaeh- 

 inan. .\lth(in.i,di .Vudnlton sjieaks (d' liavino; met with a sinj^le indiviiliial of tiiis 

 species in Keiitnid^y. he sccius to have rri^ai'dcd it as an cxidnsividy sontiu'rn species 

 juid as hi'liif,' cnnlinctl to the fresli-wattT marshes of tiic Simtlicrn States, and not lo 

 have been awiire how cuniniun it is in the low laiitls of all the Northwestern States, 

 ranijinu <'ven as far as Nortliein W'isciuisin and .Minnesota. lOveii now lunch remains 

 to lie learned as to its ooneral aWiindaiwe in Ihesi' States, the dates of its appearance 

 and departure. 



Mr. Uri'sser foiiml it pretty common in S(Mitlieni Texas, on the I'.razos and Colo- 

 rado rivers, and also occasionally on (lalveston Island. 



(iiraiid did not nu'ct with any speeiniens id' this Itail in the luarshos of T.om;,' 

 Island. Itnt nientiiuis tin- timlini,' a sinj^le specimen, taken at Willianisluirj,', now in 

 the cal)inet of ,dr. Lawrem-e; ami he rt'<.^ai'ded it as liein,!.; e.vtrenndy rare in that 

 re<,'ion. .Mr. .1. II. Itatty. however, informs me tli.it iu' has loinnl strai,'i,ders (d' tiiis 

 spi'cies in all parts of honf; Island, as wtdl as in the meadows of New frcrsoy betwei u 

 Jersey City and Newark, where it breeds, lie liu.s al.so taken a siiif^le hik'( imen ne;ir 

 West liaven, Coim. 



