20. 
21. 
252 SYSTEMATIC SYNOPSIS. — PASSERES — OSCINES. 
and blackish instead of brown; ends of the rectrices scarcely or not lighter than the rest of these 
feathers ; bill almost entirely dark-colored. Besides these points of coloration, there is a decided 
difference in the shape of the bill. In H. rufus, the bill is quite straight, and only just about 
an inch long; the gonys is straight, and makes an angle with the slightly concave lower 
outline of the mandibular rami. In H. longirostris, the bill is rather over an inch long, and 
somewhat curved; the outline of the gonys is a little concave, making with the ramus one con- 
tinuous curve from base to tip of the bill. Size of H. rufus. Texas and Mexico. 
H. curviros'tris. (Lat. cwrvus, curved, and rostris; how-billed.) CURVE-BILLED THRASHER. 
& 9: Above, uniform ashy-gray (exactly the color of a mocking-bird), the wings and tail 
darker and purer brown. Below, dull whitish, tinged with ochraceous, especially on the 
flanks and crissum, and marked 
» with rounded spots of the color of 
the back, most numerous and blend- 
ed on the breast. Throat quite 
white, immaculate, without maxil- 
lary stripes; lower belly and cris- 
sum mostly free from spots. No 
decided markings on the side of the 
head. Ends of greater and median 
Fic. 122, — Bow-billed Thrasher, nat. size; bill a little too Wing-coverts white, forming two de- 
thick. (Ad. nat. del. E. C.) cided cross-bars; tail-feathers dis- 
tinctly tipped with white. Bill black, over an inch Jong, curved, stout; feet dark brown. 
Length of ¢ about 11.00; wing 4.25-4.50; tail 4.50-5.00; bill 1.12; tarsus 1.25; middle toe 
and claw 1.33. Q averaging rather smaller. Mexico, reaching the U. 8. border of Texas. 
H.c. pal’meri. (To Edw. Palmer. Fig. 122.) Bow-sinLep THRASHER. Above, grayish- 
brown, nearly uniform ; wing-coverts and quills with slight whitish edging, the edge of the 
wing itself white; tail-feathers with slight whitish tips; below, a paler shade of the color of 
the upper parts, the throat quite whitish, the crissum slightly rufescent, the breast and belly 
with obscure dark gray spots on the grayish-white ground; no obvious maxillary streaks, 
but vague speckling on the cheeks; bill black; feet blackish-brown. Length 10.75; bill 
1.12; wing 4.25; tail 5.00; tarsus 1.25; middle toe and claw 1.30. @ smaller; wing 3.75; 
tail 4.50; tarsus 1.20; middle toe and claw 1.12; bill barely 1.00. Although the differences 
from the typical form are not easy to express, they are readily appreciable on comparison of 
specimens. The upper parts are quite similar; but the under parts, instead of being whitish, 
with decided spotting of the color of the back, are grayish, tinged with rusty, especially 
behind, and the spotting is nebulous. The white on the ends.of the wing-coverts and tail- 
feathers is reduced to a minimum or en- 
tirely suppressed. The bill is slenderer 
and apparently more curved. Arizona, 
common, in desert regions. Nest in cac- 
tus, mezquite and other bushes; eggs 
usually 3, 1.10 x 0.80, pale greenish-blue 
profusely dotted with reddish-brown. 
H. bendi/rii. (To Capt. Chas. Bendire, 
U.S. A. Fig. 123.) Arizona THRASHER. 
Be: Bill shorter than head, compara- Fig. 123. — Arizona Thrasher, nat. size. (Ad. nat. del. E. C.) 
tively stout at base, very acute at tip, the culmen quite convex, the gonys just appreciably 
concave. Tarsus a little longer than the middle toe and claw. 3d.and 4th primaries about 
equal and longest, 5th and 6th successively slightly shorter, 2d equal to 7th, lst equal to penul- 
timate secondary in the closed wing. Entire upper parts, including upper surfaces of wings 
