400 BULLETIN 50, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 



The necessity of removing the type of this genus from Pipilo, with 

 which it has usually been associated by American authors, has long 

 been recognized by European ornithologists. Bonapai'te placed it in 

 Khmi-ria. (==2[di>z<>ni')\ Messrs. Salvin and Godman have referred it 

 to Eiiiher»agra (i. e., Arremonops), while Dr. Sharpe has put it in 

 Aflapi'tffi. Neither Salvin and Godman nor Sharpe give any reasons 

 for their action, though evidently it was a certain resemblance (by no 

 means a close one) in coloration between Frbuj'dla cMorvni and the 

 species of Airemoricps and AtJapetes which induced them to do so. 

 If structural characters are of any value, however, F. chlorur a is far 

 more out of place in either of these two genera than in Pipilo, while 

 even in coloration, as above stated, it is not so distant from the latter 

 as might be supposed.' 



OREOSPIZA CHLORURA (Townsend). 

 okeen-taheb towhee. 



Admit male. — Crown and occiput plain rufous or cinnamon-rufous; 

 forehead and sides of head deep gray, or olive-gray, the former mar- 

 gined on each side by a white supraloral spot; a short white malar 

 streak, bordered below \)j a dusky submalar streak; hindneck, back, 

 scapulars, rump, and upper tail-coverts olive-grayish, more or less 

 tinged with yellowish olive-green; wings and tail mainly yellowish 

 olive-green, the greater wing-coverts and tertials duller and grayer; 

 edge of wing canary yellow; under wing-coverts and axillars light yel- 

 low, tinged with olive; chin arid throat white, forming a sharply defined 

 patch, with convex posterior outline; chest, sides of neck, and sides of 

 breast gray, becoming gradually paler on breast, the abdomen white; 

 sides and flanks buffy grayish; under tail-coverts light buff or cream- 

 buff; maxilla blackish; mandible paler (pale plumbeous or bluish white 

 in life); iris cinnamon or vinaceous; legs brownish, the toes darker; 

 length (skins), 157.73-179.07 (171.20);" wing, 76.45-83.31 (80.01); tail, 

 79.50-87.12 (83.82); exposed culmen, 12.19-12.95 (12.70); depth of bill 

 at base, 8.13-8.64 (8.38); tarsus, 22.61-25.40 (24.13); middle toe, 15.75- 

 17.02 (16.26).' 



Acktlt female. — Similar in coloration to the adult male and frequently 

 indistinguishable, but usually with the colors very slightlj'^ duller, the 

 rufous pileum rather more contracted and lighter in color; size smaller; 

 length (skins), 165.61-180.34 (173.23);' wing, 71.12-78.74 (75.95); tail, 

 74.42-84.58 (80.52); exposed culmen, 11.43-12.95 (12.45); depth of bill 

 at base, 8.13-8.64 (8.88); tarsus, 21.84-24.64 (23.62); middle toe, 14.99- 

 16.51 (15.75).' 



Young. — Pileum, hindneck, back, and scapulars light olive or grayish 



' See Ridgway, Auk, Vii, 1890, pp. 193, 194. '' Eleven specimens. 

 ^ Before skinning, 190.50-200.66. < Eight specimens. 



