SP. CHAR. General appearance somewhat that of _Æ. linarius_, but no
red on the crown, and the sides and rump tinged with sulphur-yellow;
no black gular spot. ♀ _ad._ Ground-color above light umber, becoming
sulphur-yellow on the rump, each feather, even on the crown, with a
distinct medial streak of dusky. Beneath white, tinged with
fulvous-yellow anteriorly and along the sides; sides and crissum
streaked with dusky. Wings and tail dusky; the former with two pale
fulvous bands; the secondaries, primaries, and tail-feathers narrowly
skirted with whitish sulphur-yellow. A dusky loral spot, and a rather
distinct lighter superciliary stripe. Wing, 3.00; tail, 2.50; tarsus,
.50; middle toe, .30. Wing-formula, 1, 2, 3, etc.
HAB. Massachusetts.
As the present article on _Ægiothus_ is going to press, we have
received, through the kindness of Dr. Brewer, a specimen of what
appears to be a third species of _Ægiothus_, allied to the _Æ.
flavirostris_ of Europe, obtained in Waltham, Mass., by Mr. William
Brewster, of Cambridge. This bird was killed in a flock of _Æ.
linarius_, of which five were also shot at the same discharge. None of
the others, nor indeed of any of ninety specimens prepared by Mr.
Brewster during the winter, were at all like the present one, which is
entirely different from anything we have ever seen from North America.
The relationship of this bird appears to be nearest to the _Æ.
flavirostris_ of Europe, with the ♀ of which it agrees in many
respects, as distinguished from _linarius_ and _canescens_. The
European bird, however, lacks the sulphur-yellow tinge (which gives it
somewhat the appearance of _Chrysomitris pinus_), has the throat and
jugulum strongly reddish-buff, instead of dingy yellowish-white, and
is much browner above; besides which the tail is longer and less
deeply forked, with narrower feathers.
HABITS. Nothing distinctive was observed by Mr. Brewster in regard to
the habits of the specimen killed by him.