174 ALASKA. 



and is given on account of the resemblance of tliis wee bird in 

 size and color to a tobacco-qnid." 



Mr. W. H. Dall found this species to be resident and abun- 

 dant on the rocky cliffs of Amaknak Island, Ounalashka, where, 

 he says, " it is quite familiar and bold. It builds in the crevices 

 of the rocks, but I was not able to find the nest. It has a 

 cheerful and melodious note, and is, to some extent, gregarious, 

 three or four being usually seen together. It was not seen in 

 the Shumagins, though it may occur there." 



144(t. liCucosticte tephrocotis Tar. griseinuclia, (Brdt.) 



Codes. — Gray-eared Finch. " Pahtoshkie." 

 Linaria griseimtcha, Bkandt. " Orn. Eoss., (1842.) " 

 Leticosticte griseinucha, Up. Consp. Av., i, 537, (1850.) — Bp. et 



SCHLEGEL. Monog. Loxiens 5, jj?. xli, (young,) (1850.) — Bd. B. 



N. Amer.,430, (18.58.)— DALi>etBAXX. Trans. Chicago Acad, i, 



282, (1869.)— Coop, B. Cal. i, 161, (1870.)— Ball, Pr. Cala. 



Acad., (Feb., 1873.) 

 Leucosticte te2>hrocoUs var. griseinuclia, CouES. Key, 130, fig. 77, 



(1872.) 

 Leucosticte griseogenys, Gould. P. Z. S., 104, (1843,) and Voy. 



Sulphur,!, 42, pi. xxii, (1844.) 

 Zeucosticie littoralis, Bd. Trans. Chicago Acad.,i, 317, pi. xxviii, 



fig. 1, (1869.)— Coop. B. Cala. i, 163, (1869.)— Ball. Proc. 



Cala. Acad., (Feb., 1873.) 

 Leucosticte tephrocotis var. UUm-alis, Col'ES. Key, 130, (1872.) 



(C/., ibid., 352.) 



Numerous beautiful specimens of the adults of both sexes in 

 high breeding attire, and others illustrating the earliest plu- 

 mage of the young, are in the collection. There are no appre- 

 ciable outward distinctions of sex. The bill at this season is 

 black, the ash and black of the head are pure and well defined, 

 the chocolate brown is rich, and the rosy tends to crimson. 

 The very young birds are dark, sooty gray, overlaid with brown ; 

 a lighter and more rusty shade of the same edges the wing- 

 feathers, and the bill is in part light colored. 



Although this form is much larger than typical tephrocotis., 

 and otherwise different in the pictura of the head, we do not 

 find ourselves enabled to separate it specifically, since numer- 

 ous intermediate specimens attest its intergradation with the 

 former. Nor do we find it necessary to distinguish the slight 

 variety, littoralis, by name ; we refer it to var. r/riseinucha, con- 

 sidering both forms as the single arctic representative of tephro- 

 cotis proper. 



"This agreeable little bird, always cheerful and self-pos- 



