358 U. S. P. E. R. EXP. AND SURVEYS— ZOOLOGY — GENERAL REPORT. 
broadly with black. Inner tail feathers like the back ; the others with a broad black bar near the end ; the tips cinnamon ; the 
outer on each side alternately banded with this color and black. A dull white line above and behind the eye. Length, 5.70 ; 
wing, 2.82 ; tail, 2.40 ; (7159.) 
Hub. — High central plains through the Rocky mountains to the Coast and Cascade ranges, (but not on the Pacific coast?) 
The name obsoletus applies well to this species, the feathers all having a faded appearance 
very difficult to define. Very few specimens in collections possess distinctly the markings 
mentioned above, especially the small whitish spots of the upper parts, the brown of the back 
having generally a more reddish appearance, the dark bars and lines more indistinct. In one 
specimen (1857) from Fort Union there is no reddish on the abdomen and under tail coverts, 
which are nearly white ; the bands on the latter too are much less distinct. This agrees better 
with Say's description, but appears to be of the same species. 
In young or immature specimens, which are much oftener seen in collections than adults, 
there are neither light spots nor dusky lines above, the color being uniform brownish, passing 
into pale dull cinnamon on the rump. The breast too is unspotted. The bill does not attain 
its full length until maturity. 
This species has some resemblance in form to the C. mexicanus ; the bill, however, is 
considerable shorter, being only equal to the head. The wings are rather longer and perhaps 
more pointed, and reach nearly to the middle of the tail. The claws are considerably smaller. 
There is also some similarity in the color, but the reddish is paler in obsoletus, and the inner 
tail feathers are brown like the fore part of the back, with crowded bars ; the basal half of all 
except the exterior, similar, instead of all being uniform reddish brown, with six or eight 
narrow black bars. The comparative diagnoses of the two species, without reference to their 
generic distinctions, will be as follows : 
C. mexicanus. — Bill considerably longer than the head ; claws very large. Throat pure 
unspotted white ; posterior part of body all round dark reddish brown ; tail feathers nearly 
similar, all with equidistant bars of black. 
S. obsoletus. — Bill as long as the head. Claws moderate. Throat with dusky streaks. 
Posterior parts of body pale cinnamon. Middle tail feathers much like the back. 
List of specimens. 
Catal. 
No. 
Sex and 
age. 
Locality. 
When col- 
lected. 
Whence obtained. 
Orig. 
No. 
Collected by— 
Length. 
Stretch 
Wing. 
Remarks. 
1857 
1917 
5277 
5279 
5278 
8832 
8831 
8780 
£781 
8779 
5645 
7158 
7162 
3967 
7160 
7157 
7159 
8 
o 
8 
July 8,1843 
July 18,1843 
Aug. 15,1856 
July —,1855 
Aug. 4, 1856 
J. J. Audubon . 
Running Water, Neb... 
Lieut. Warren 
Dr. Hayden.... 
5.37 
9.25 
2.50 
dn i 1 
9 
Sept. 19, 1857 
Aug. 18, 
do 
do. 
5.75 
5.50 
8.50 
8.50 
2.75 
2.50 
Forks of Tlatte river. .. 
Aug. 13,1857 
Wm. M. Magraw. .. 
do 
153 
154 
152 
153 
9 
9 
8 
July 25,1856 
Dec. —,1854 
May —,1852 
Dr. Kennedy . . 
5.12 
5.12 
5.50 
8.00 
8.87 
8.75 
3.00 
2.75 
2.75 
Fjyes chocolate brown. 
238 
68 
Eyes dark brown ; feet 
Camp 113, Bill Williams' 
Fork. 
Feb. 5,1854 
Lieut. Whipple.... 
Lieut. Williamson. 
8 
8 
Dr. Heermann.. 
