THE OOLOGIST. 



177 



than the species, or even genera, which 

 I had not before met with. 



Not all the varieties in southern birds 

 can be mentioned in this article; they 

 all differ in about the same way — 

 smaller and darker seems to be the rule, 

 broken however in one or two cases as 

 with the size of the Florida Wren F. L. 

 miamehhis, a variety of the Great Caro- 

 lina bird, ludovicianus, which is, if any- 

 thing slightly larger, measuring about 

 6 in. in length, 7.73 in extent, and wing 

 from 2 43 to 2.70; the bill is also notice 

 ably larger. As with the latter part of 

 the above rule, though, miamensis is 

 darker and richer in its color. The 

 eggs seem to average about the same 

 as those of the stock species, a set of 

 five measuring .73-. 73 by 52-. 56. 



The Southern Hairy Woodpecker is 

 found commonly throughout the pine 

 flat-woods, but does not seem to differ 

 much from our birds except in siz ; 

 8,00 to 8.75 in length by 14.75 extent. 

 Perhaps if there is any difference in 

 color this southern form is a little 

 ■darker, especially noticed below. 



The Blue Jay and Crow, as repre- 

 sentatives of Corvidae, differ in about 

 the same way, smaller, and the Jay 

 lacking some of the white of our birds 

 on the wing and tail, and having a 

 smaller crest, as noticed by Coues in 

 his popular ''Key." A specimen taken 

 in northern Florida, where they were 

 not at all common and rather hard to 

 get with small shot, measured 10 95 x 

 15.40x4.80. Bill 1.15. The Towhee 

 Bunting of Florida P. I alleni differ iu 

 the same way as the Blue Jay together 

 with the white iris. 



One of the most striking of the varie- 

 ties to a Wisconsin collector, is the case 

 ■of the Bob- white C. v . jloridanus. which 

 •altho gh perhaps not differing so very 

 much from the quail of the other south- 

 ern states, is a very differentbird iu col- 

 or and size from the average Wisconsin 

 specimen. The first thing noticed, 

 after the smaller size, is the richness 



and darkness of the coloring, the breast 

 in most specimens, looking almost black- 

 ish at a little distance and the black 

 sometimes almost entirely replacing 

 the brownish breast band. The black 

 bars of the belly also seem to begin 

 nearer tne collar and continue in a sort 

 of blurr to the lower breast, before 

 showing a distinct and continued white 

 space-mark. Individual specimens, 

 however, differ very much in the mark- 

 ings of the under parts. 



The bill in all specimens taken, ex- 

 cept perhaps one or two, was entirely 

 jet-black, and the white superciliary 

 line was usually divided at the crown 

 by the black of the head, which extend, 

 ed in most specimens all over the back 

 of the head, and neck, giving all the 

 white markings a very sharp and dis- 

 tinct look. The whole back is also a 

 decided darker and richer chestnut and 

 black, the secondaries and their coverts 

 showing very broad black bars, Alto- 

 gether the quail of the south are much 

 prettier birds than our own beautiful, 

 but rapidly disappearing Bob-whites of 

 the north. Measuiements of males ran 

 from 9.10 to 9.40 in. in length by about 

 14.50 to 14.55 extent, and wing from 

 4.27 to 4.50. 



Among Ra'ptores probably the most 

 distinct variations occur among the owls. 

 Of common northern owls the Barred 

 and Screech are both represented by 

 equally good geographical races. The 

 Barred Owl of Florida is a much darker 

 bird, especially on the back and head, 

 and perhaps on the breast, when com- 

 pared side by side than our own inhab- 

 itant of the hollow tree. His toes are 

 not so heavily feathered, iu fact some 

 specimens show barely a sign of a 

 bristle on them. He seems to be of the 

 same size as the northern resident. 

 The little Screech owl, however is de- 

 cidedly smaller measuring from 8.25 to 

 8.75 by 20.25 to 21.50 by 5.50 to 5.75, 

 thus averaging much smaller than asio. 

 The smallest specimens are those of 



