This “species” may fairly be considered as one extreme of the series of which _P. crissalis_ is the other; and differs from the rest merely in a greater amount of white, and the absence of rufous tinge on top of head. The fulvous of throat is concentrated in a band across its middle portion, leaving chin and lower throat white; this, however, is foreshadowed in the paler chin of _mesoleucus_, and the whitish lower throat of _albigula_. The uniformity of coloring above is nearly equalled by that of _P. crissalis_. The whitish band across the middle wing-coverts is the most positive character. Pipilo fuscus, var. crissalis, VIGORS. BROWN TOWHEE; CAÑON FINCH. _Pipilo fusca_, CASSIN, Illust. I, IV, 1853, 124, pl. xvii (the figure seems to be of the California species, the description more like _mesoleucus_).—NEWBERRY, Zoöl. Cal. & Or. Route, Rep. P. R. R. VI, IV, 1857, 89. _Kieneria fusca_, BONAP. Comptes Rendus, XL, 1855, 356. _Fringilla crissalis_, VIGORS, Zoöl. Blossom, 1839, 19. _Oriturus wrangeli_, BRANDT, Bonap. Comp. Rend. 43, 1856, 413. _Pipilo fuscus_, BAIRD, Birds N. Am. 1858, 517.—HEERM. X, _S_, 51 (nest).—COOPER, Orn. Cal. 1, 245. [Illustration: _Pipilo fuscus_, var. _crissalis_.] SP. CHAR. Above dark olive-brown, the crown with a very slight tinge of scarcely appreciable dark rufous. Under parts with the color somewhat similar, but of a lighter shade, and washed with grayish; middle of the belly only whitish; the under tail-coverts pale rufous, shading into lighter about the vent and sides of lower belly; chin and throat well-defined pale rufous, margined all round by brown spots, a few of them scattered within the margin. Eyelids and sides of head, anterior to the eye, rufous like the throat. One or two feathers on the lower part of the breast with a concealed brown blotch. Outer primary not edged with white. Fifth quill longest; first shorter than ninth, or even than secondaries. Bill pale brown, darker above; legs light. Length, 8.50 inches; wing, 4.00; tail, 4.60. HAB. Coast region of California. The bill is sinuated, as in _P. aberti_, differing from that of _P. erythrophthalmus_. This race is very similar to the original _P. fuscus_ of Mexico, the original description of Swainson answering almost exactly. It is, however, considerably larger; the proportions of wing are similar; and there is no decided indication of whitish in the middle of the body beneath, such as is always distinctly appreciable in _fuscus_, and still more in _mesoleucus_. A young bird differs but little from the adult except in having obsolete dusky streaks below; the upper parts are uniform. HABITS. The Brown, or Cañon Finch of California is found nearly throughout the State of California. Mr. Xantus obtained it at Fort Tejon, and Mr. Ridgway observed it among the chaparrals on the foothills of the western slope of the Sierras.