188 CHARACTERS OF EREMOPHILA ALPESTRIS 



infraoculari nigra; strigd postfrontali per lateribus pilei ductd 

 nigra; reUquis partihus laterum capitis, strigd frontali et super- 

 ciliari, necnon guld totd, alhis velfiavis; rectricibus mediis dnabus 

 remigihusque intimis dorso subsimilibus ; rectricibus later alibiis 

 omnibus nigris, extimis albido marginatis ; remigihus fuscis, 

 pogonio exteriore primarii extiini albido; rostra phtmbeo-nigricante, 

 ad basin mandibulm palUdiore; pedibiis nigris. 



b. LBUCOL^MA. — Persimilis, sed coloribus dilutioribus; capite 

 vix flavicante; plagis nigris minoribus. 



c. CHRYSOL^MA. — Minor, coloribiis twgetioribus; notao fere 

 einnamomino, capite flavissimo; plagis nigris extensis. 



The typical form. — $ 9, adult, in breeding plumage: Upper parts in geu- 

 eral pinkish-brown, tbis pinkish or vinaceous or lilaceous tint brightest on the 

 nape, lesser wing-coverts, and tail-coverts, the rest of the upper parts being 

 duller and more grayish-brown, boldly variegated with dark-brown streaks ; 

 the middle pair of tail-feathers and several of the inner secondaries rufous- 

 brown, with darker centers. Under parts, from the breast backward, 

 white — the sides, however, strongly washed with the color of the upper parts, 

 and some mottling with the same usually extending across the lower part of 

 the breast. A large, distinct, shield-shaped, black area on the breast. Tail- 

 feathers, except the middle pair, black, the outermost edged with whitish. 

 Wing-quills, except the innermost, plain fuscous, the outer web of the first 

 primary whitish. Lesser wing-coverts usually tipped with grayish-white. 

 Peculiar head-markings as follows : — Top of head like nape ; bar across front 

 of vertex, thence extended along sides of crawn, and produced into a tuft 

 or " horn", black ; front and line over eye, also somewhat produced to form 

 part of the tuft, white or yellowish ; a broad bar, from the nostrils along the 

 lores, theuce curving below the eye and widening as it descends in front of 

 the aurioulars, black ; rest of the sides of the head and whole throat white 

 or sulphury-yellow. Bill plumbeous-blackish, bluish-plumbeous at base 

 below (sometimes there yellowish) ; feet and claws black ; iris brown. 

 Length of ,?,7-7i; extent, 13-14; wing probably always over 4—4 J-4| ; 

 tail, 24-.3; bill, from extreme base of ciilmeu, |-} ; tarsus, i—^; middle toe 

 and claw rather less ; hind claw about i — usually longer than its digit, but 

 very variable. 9 commonly smaller than the male. Length, 6f-7i ; extent, 

 12f-ll5J; wing about 4, &c. 



Aside from the varietal conditions, to be presently noticed, the precise 

 shade of typical alpestris varies greatly, especially of those parts which are 

 tinged to greater or less degree with the peculiar " pinkish-brown," lilaceous 

 or cinniimon, and with the sulphury-yellow about the head. 



^ 9 , adult, in winter : As usually seen in most of the United States in 

 the fall, winter, and early spring, the birds differ from the above in a general 

 more sordid coloration of the upper parts, which may be simply grayish- 

 brown, heavily streaked with dusky, even on the crown, with little or none 

 of the "pinkish" tiatsjust mentioned ; and in the lack or restriction of the 

 black markings of the head and breast, or their being veiled with whitish 

 tips of the individual feathers; nevertheless, the sulphury tinge of the white 

 parts about the head is usually very conspicuous. 



