106 
Brown on Birds at Portland, Me. 
the breast, cheeks, throat, etc., while the whole dorsal surface also often 
has a decidedly more huffy color than the Northern form, alicice, which 
has little or no buff. Intermediate specimens vary between the extremes 
in this case. This buff is most marked in young birds. 
The point in which savanna differs most from princeps is the color of 
the back, princeps being quite pale, and savanna , while often nearly if not 
as pale, is usually comparatively dark. Part of this difference we have 
just accounted for. The plan of coloration of nearly all the dorsal feath- 
ers of savanna and princeps is alike, — a black or very dark centre sur- 
rounded by one or more shades of brown, lightening as we approach the 
edge, which is buff, pale gray, or nearly white. This light edging varies 
greatly in breadth, its increase causing a proportionate decrease of the 
darker centre, thus giving us darker or lighter birds. 
In light examples of princeps this extension of the light edging is car- 
ried still farther, at the expense of the brown color. 
There are double reasons why princeps should be lighter than more 
southern savanna. First, it lives in high latitudes, and secondly, it is fond 
of dry, sandy wastes, never, so far as we know, passing far south, thus 
giving a good opportunity for the same paling influences, that render the 
birds of the plains light, to exert their force. 
The examples of typical savanna approaching in color nearest the 
princeps are those taken late in the fall. 
Finally, I believe that princeps ought not to be retained as a specific 
name, as it does not cover greater variations than may be easily accounted 
for by well-known laws of climatic variation. 
NOTES ON A FEW BIRDS OCCURRING IN THE VICINITY 
OF PORTLAND, ME. 
BY NATHAN CLIFFORD BROWN. 
One of the commonest Sylvicoline summer residents in the town- 
ships adjacent to Portland is Dendroeca maculosa , a bird whose 
southernmost regular breeding-ground has been supposed to be the 
latitude of Umbagog Lake. It breeds in especial abundance about 
the spruce woods of Cape Elizabeth, in that locality outnumbering 
every other Warbler except Dendroeca, virens. Young first make 
their appearance about August 3, and soon abound. 
Dendroeca blackburnice is another Warbler, supposed to have a 
more northern regular distribution during the breeding-season, 
which nests every year in this vicinity. It is far from common, 
