BIKDS OF NORTH AND MIDDLE AMERICA. 



717 



paler and less bluish; anterior portion of forehead and sides of fore- 

 head and crown black, forming a conspicuous U-shaped mark; wings 

 dull slate color with pale gray edgings, these much broader and much 

 paler gray (sometimes whitish) on tertials; upper tail-coverts and tail 

 black, the lateral rectrices extensively white, with blackish shafts, the 

 white occupying the whole of the exposed portion of both webs on 

 the outermost rectrix, extending more nearly to base on outer web 

 than on inner, the second rectrix with terminal half (approximately) 

 white, the third broadly tipped with white; sides of head (including 

 lores, superciliaiy stripe, and auricular region) pale bluish gray or 

 gra3dsh blue, becoming paler below; a white orbital ring; under parts 

 white, the throat, chest, and sides, especially the chest, faintly shaded 

 with pale bluish gray; bill black; iris brown; legs and feet black or 

 dusky; length (skins), 100-112 (107.3); wing, 49-54.5 (52.1); tail, 48-54 

 (50.3); exposed culmen, 9-11 (9.9); tarsus, 16.5-18 (17.2); middle toe, 

 8.5-9 (8.9).« 



Adult female. — Similar to the adult male, but gray of upper parts less 

 bluish (between plumbeous and slate-gray), and without the U-shaped 

 mark on forehead and sides of crown; length (skins), 102-112 (106.1); 

 wing, 50-52 (50.9); tail, 47.5-54 (50); exposed culmen, 9-10.5 (9.7); 

 tarsus, 16-18 (17.2); middle toe, 8.5-9 (8.9).'' 



Young male in first autumn and winter. — Similar to the adult female, 

 but gray of upper parts more bluish. 



Young female in first autumn and winter. — Similar to the adult 

 female, but gray of upper parts duller (light mouse gray). 



Yowiig., first plumage. — Similar to the young female in first autumn 

 and winter, but gray of upper parts paler and more brownish (nearly 

 smoke gray), and texture of plumage much looser. 



Eastern United States; north (breeding) to New Jersey (Bridgeton), 



"Twenty-four specimens. 



b Thirteen specimens. 



Specimens from different geographic areas average, respectively, as follows: 



Locality. 



Middle 

 toe. 



MALES. 



^'ine adult males from Maryland and District ol Columbia. 



One adult male from Florida (April 4) 



Fouradult males from Mississippi and Louisiana (breeding) - 

 Nine adult males from Tennessee to Illinois and Indiana.. 

 One adult male from Texas (San Antonio, June) 



FEMALES. 



Nine adult females from Maryland and District of Columbia. 



Two adult females from Illinois and Tennessee 



One adult female from Louisiana (March 31) 



One adult female from Texas (San Antonio, March 29) 



9 

 9 



8.7 

 8.9 

 8.5 



9 

 8.7 



8.5 



