1874.] 55 [Allen. 



FRINGILLIDiE. 



33. Loxia americana Bon. Ked Crossbill. 



Quite frequent from the mouth of the Big Horn to Pompey's Pillar, 

 and also on the Musselshell, in the vicinity of the pine covered bluffs, 

 and ravines. 



34. Chrysomitris tristis Bon. Yellow Bird. Goldfinch. 



Observed at frequent intervals from the Missouri to the Yellow- 

 stone. Quite common along the better timbered portions of the 

 larger creeks and rivers, particularly along the Musselshell and Yel- 

 lowstone Rivers. 



35- Plectrophanes ornatus Towns. Chestnut-collared 

 Bunting. 



Abundant from Fort Rice, on the Missouri River, to the Yellow- 

 stone. Rarely observed beyond the Yellowstone, only two or three 

 individuals being seen during our whole march up the Yellowstone 

 and across to the Musselshell and back. Seen about June 1st as far 

 eastward as the James River. They are generally most abundant in 

 the moister prairies, and in the vicinity of the streams. Everywhere 

 between the Missouri and the Yellowstone one of the most abundant 

 species of the plains. 



The twelve sets of eggs collected present a very considerable 

 amount of variation in form, size and color. The ground color is 

 usually a clear grayish white, in one set varying to reddish. The . 

 markings are usually fine streaks and blotches of purplish brown or 

 black, sometimes very few, at other times covering the greater part 

 of the surface. In size and form they vary from .74 X -56 of an 

 inch to .85 X -60. 



In plumage the males of this species vary greatly. Generally the 

 black of the lower parts is greatly obscured by the ashy edgings of 

 the feathers, but in others these parts are pure intense black, while 

 in still others they are more or less strongly tinged with bright rufous. 

 One specimen (Orig. No. 60; S. I. No. 65, 116)^ has the feathers of 

 the breast and middle of the abdomen broadly edged with bright 

 rufous, representing typically the P. melanomus, which, as I have 

 already shown, 1 and as is now generally admitted, 2 is merely a high 

 state of plumage of P. ornatus. In the less brightly colored males the 

 lesser wing coverts are brown; but as the general colors become 



iBull. Mus. Comp. Zool., in, 136. 



2 Coues, Key to N. Amer. Birds ; Baird, Brewer and Ridgway, Hist. Birds North 

 Amer. 



