Vo
)'
8
*VI
] Nelson, New Birds from Mexico. 2 C
characters are not entirely constant, typical specimens may be
without difficulty discriminated. There seems to be no material
difference in size between any of the forms of Hylocichla ustulata.
Breeding specimens from Fort Klamath, Oregon, are not typi-
cal a'dica, but are nearer this form than to ustulata. Birds from
the northern part of the Californian coast, at least as far south as
Nicasio, are intermediate and rather difficult satisfactorily to
place, but they seem to be, on the whole, nearer ustulata than
to cedica.
Specimens of Hylocichla u. cedica from the following localities
have been examined, breeding records being designated by an
asterisk
:
California.— Santa Barbara* ; SantaCruz*; Panamint Mts. ; San Fran-
cisco; Sacramento; Milpitas ; Marysville * ; Tuolumne County*; San
Jose; Tehama; Laguna Station, San Diego Count}'; Mountain Spring,
San Diego County; Summit of Coast Range, Mex. Bound. Line, San
Diego County; Jacumba, Mex. Bound. Line.
Oregon.— Fort Klamath*.
Lower California.— Gardiners Laguna, Salton River, Mex. Bound.
Line.
Arizona.— Fort Huachuca.
Mexico.— Chicharras, Chiapas.
The writer is indebted to Mr. Ridgway and to Dr. C. Hart
Merriam for the use of material in the collections of the National
Museum and Biological Survey, respectively.
DESCRIPTIONS OF NEW BIRDS FROM MEXICO.
BY E. W. NELSON.
The birds described below are from the collection of the Bio-
logical Survey, U. S. Department of Agriculture.
I am indebted to Mr. Robert Ridgway, Curator, and Dr. C. W.
Richmond, Assistant Curator, of Birds, U. S. National Museum,
for various courtesies while preparing the present paper.
All measurements are in millimeters.
26 Nelson, New Birds from Mexico. [j a
u
n
k
Colinus virginianus maculatus, subsp. nov.
Spotted-bellied Bob-White.
Type,No. 158471, $ ad., U. S. National Mus., Biol. Survey Coll. Alta
Mira, Tamaulipas, Mexico. Collected May 16, 189S, by E. W. Nelson and
E. A. Goldman.
Distribution.— From Tancanhuitz, San Luis Potosi, north to Victoria
and Jaumave Valley, Tamaulipas, Mexico.
Subspecijic characters. — Similar to C. v. texanus from which it differs
in darker and grayer colors of dorsal surface and chestnut and spotted
lower surface.
Color of Male.— Chin, throat and broad stripe from lores back over
eye to nape white. Crown and nape black, with gray and brown edges
to feathers on back of crown and nape. A well denned band of black
extends from bill back below eyes and across neck, bordering white
throat area. Feathers on back and sides of neck black, edged near tips
with white and dull rufous. Feathers of shoulders dull rufous heavily
marked with irregular black and gray cross bars and edgings. Rest of
back and tertials blackish with gray and brown mottling and indistinct
barring. Wing-coverts dull rufous with black bars and gray edges.
Lower neck and fore part of breast usually plain dull rufous, rest of
lower parts, including lower tail-coverts, of the same color heavily marked
on borders of feathers, with black and white spots on sides of feathers
near tips.
Dimensions of type.— Wing, 106; tail, 60 ; culmen, 13; tarsus, 31.
Remarks.— Compared with C. texanus the. female is decidedly-
darker and grayer above with a better defined pectoral band
of black, dull rufous and white markings just below buffy
throat patch. The series at hand shows conclusively that C. v.
texanus grades through the present bird directly into O. graysoni,
thus reducing the latter to a subspecies of O. virginianus.
Callipepla gambeli fulvipectus, subsp. nov.
Buff-breasted Partridge.
Type, No. 164093, cT ad., U. S. Nat. Mus., Biol. Survey Coll. Camoa,
Rio Mayo, Sonora, Mexico. Collected Nov. 7, 189S, by E. A. Goldman.
Distribution. — Southwestern Sonora, Mexico.
Subspecijic characters. — Differs mainly from typical C. gambeli'in its
generally darker or more intense colors and larger bill.
Color. — Crown patch rich burnt umber; neck olive washed; breast
V0l
.s 9^
VI
] Nelson, New Birds from Mexico. . 2 7
patch dark buffy; abdomen dark buffy and feathers on posterior part of
flanks and under tail-coverts, bordered with same.
Dimensions of type. — Wing, no; tail, 96 ; culmen, 11; tarsus, 30.
Remarks. — Dr. A. K. Fisher has traced Gambel's route and
finds that the type of Callipepla ga'mbeli, which is recorded as
having been taken November 18, "some distance West [error for
East] of California," must have been secured in southern Nevada
or immediately adjacent part of eastern California. My compari-
sons, establishing the form described above, have been with
specimens from the region of the type locality. Birds from
southern Arizona also are typical gambeli.
Aphelocoma sieberi colimae, subsp. nov.
Colima Jay.
Type, No. 156052, $ ad., U. S. Nat. Mus, Biol. Survey Coll. From
Jacala, Jalisco, Mexico. Collected March 6, 1897 by E. W. Nelson and
E. A. Goldman.
Distribution.— Pine and oak forests from the Sierra Nevada de Colima
north to the Santiago River in Jalisco, western Mexico.
Subspecijic characters.— Similar to A. sieberi but smaller, with a lighter
shade of blue on dorsal surface, graver back and paler lower surface on
which there is a dingy brownish wash as in A. couchi.
Color.— Top and sides of head and neck, with upper surface of wings,
rump and tail, azure blue ; chin and throat dingy grayish white with fine
black shaft streaks and shading into dingy gray on breast and thence to
dingy whitish on abdomen; under tail-coverts dingy whitish with faint
gloss of blue.
Dimensions of type. — Wing, 173 ; tail, 156 ; culmen, 25 ; tarsus, 43.
Aphelocoma sieberi potosina, subsp. nov.
San Luis Potosi Jay.
Type, No. 144642, $ ad., U. S. Nat. Mus., Biol. Survey Coll. Mountains
near Jesus Maria, San Luis Potosi, Mexico. Collected by E. W. Nelson,
Sept. 3, 1S92.
Distribution.— Scrubby pine and oak forest on arid mountains of the
tableland in northern Queretaro, Guanajuato, San Luis Potosi, eastern
Zacatecas, Coahuila and southern border of Nuevo Leon, Mexico.
Subspecifc characters. — Similar to A- seiberi but smaller, with larger
28 Nelson, New Birds from Mexico. \j™.
bill, paler or lighter shade of blue on dorsal surface and grayer on throat
and breast.
Color. — Top and sides of head, neck and rump azure blue; upper
surface of wings and tail a duller shade of same, back azure blue washed
with ashy. Lower surface from chin to crissum dull ashy thinly washed
with blue and shading into white of entire crissum.
Dimensions of type. — Wing, 170; tail, 148; culmen, 29; tarsus, 46.
Remarks.— In western-central Zacatecas this form is found
intergrading with A. gracilis Miller, and the latter therefore
becomes a race of A. seiberi. Compared with A. couchi the
form described above is larger, more bluish on middle of back,
and the lower surface is grayer.
Pachyrhamphus major uropygialis, subsp. nov.
Sinaloa Pachyrhamphus. 1
Type, No. 157150, $ ad., U. S. Nat. Mus., Biol. Survey Coll. Plomosas,
Sinaloa, Mexico. Collected July 14, 1897 by E. \V. Nelson and E. A.
Goldman.
Distribution.—Western slope of Sierra Madre in Sinaloa and Tepic,
Mexico.
Subspecific characters. — Similar to Pachyramphus major from which
it may be distinguished by the distinctly paler rump (lateral upper tail-
coverts are nearly white); the paler lower surface of body and larger size.
Dimensions of type.— Wing, 86; tail, 65; culmen, 15; tarsus, 22.
Average of 3 ad. c?s of P. major (topotypes from Jalapa, Vera Cruz,
Mexico): Wing, 81 ; tail, 62.7 ; culmen, 15; tarsus, 21.
Melospiza adusta, sp. nov.
Michoacan Song Sparrow.
Type, No. 144046, $ ad., U. S. Nat. Mus., Biol. Survey Coll. Patzcuaro,-
Michoacan, Mexico. Collected July 27, 1892 by E. W. Nelson and E. A.
Goldman.
Distribution. — Known only from vicinity of Patzcuaro, Michoacan,
Mexico.
Subspecific characters.— Similar to but a little smaller than Melospiza
1 I am indebted to Dr. J. A. Allen, Curator of Mammals and Birds in the
Am. Mus. Nat. Hist., New York, for the loan of five topotypes of P. major,
collected by Mr. F. M. Chapman at Jalapa, Vera Cruz, Mex.
V
°i899
VI
] Nelson, New Birds from Mexico. 29
mexicana from which it differs also in being decidedly lighter and
more rusty rufous on borders of feathers on entire dorsal surface,
including wings. On sides of head the dark markings are suffused with
rusty brown and the white markings have a slight wash of pale buffy.
Dimensions of type.— Wing, 67; tail, 64; culmen, it; tarsus, 23.
Remarks.— The young in first plumage are readily distin-
guished from those of mexicana by being more rufous above,
more buffy below and by the restriction of black shaft markings
below, mainly to breast and sides of neck, leaving the rest of under
surface almost unmarked buffy whitish. This form is based on
two adults and one young of the year.
Melospiza goldmani, sp. nov.
Goldman's Song Sparrow.
Type, No. 159182, $ ad., U. S. Nat. Mus., Biol. Survey Coll. El Salto,
Durango, Mexico. Collected July 17, 189S by E. W. Nelson and E. A.
Goldman.
Distribution.— Sierra Madre Mts., western Durango, Mexico.
Specific characters. — This species is considerably larger and grayer
than either M. mexicana or M. adusta.
Color.— Feathers on top of head and nape dull vandyke brown with
narrow shaft lines of black, and dull grayish edges on crown; feathers
on shoulders and fore part of back brighter vandyke brown with narrow
black shaft streaks and grayish edges ; rump and upper tail-coverts dingy
vandyke brown, slightly more rufous on coverts. Wing-coverts like mid-
dle of back without gray edges to feathers ; rufous on secondary coverts
brighter than on back; quills clove brown edged with dull vandyke
brown; tail clove brown washed externally with dull rufous brown.
Superciliary stripe ashy white; postocular and malar stripes, and streaks
on ashy whitish cheeks and ear coverts, dark rufous brown. Throat and
middle of abdomen whitish; sides of breast and sides of neck with small
shaft spots of blackish, washed with dark rufous brown. Feathers on
flanks dingy rufous brown edged with dull grayish brown.
Dimensions of type.— Wing, 75 ; tail, 77; culmen, 12 ; tarsus, 23.
Remarks.— The young are paler or grayer on dorsal surface
than M. mexicana and much lighter and less heavily streaked
below. This form is based on 2 adults and one young compared
with a series of over 20 specimens of M. mexicana.
?0 Nelson, New Birds from Mexico. \_}An.
Spizella socialis mexicana, subsp. nov.
Mexican Chipping Sparrow.
Type, No. 143975, 8 ad., U. S. Nat. Mus., Biol. Survey Coll. From San
Cristobal, Chiapas, Mexico. Collected Sept. 24, 1S95, bv E. W. Nelson
and E. A. Goldman.
Distribution. —-Highlands of southern Mexico from Sierra Madre of
Jalisco and Cofre de Perote, Vera Cruz, Mexico, south through Chiapas to
border of Guatemala.
Subspecific characters.— Differs from 5. socialis in generally larger size
and darker and more rufous color on back.
Color of tvpe (in winter plumage).— Crown dark, almost chestnut,
rufous overlaid with black shaft lines and dull buffj brown edge to
feathers near tips ; back heavily streaked with black, chestnut brown and
dull buff v brown ; rump plumbeous ashy indistinctly streaked with dif-
fused blackish shaft lines; ear coverts dingy brown; chin dingy whitish;
throat, neck and breast dark ashy; crissum white; flanks ashy thinly
washed with brown.
Dimensions of type. — Wing, 72 ; tail, 59 ; culmen, 10; tarsus, 17.
Re?narks.— Mr. Ridgway has examined the type of Spizella
pinetorum and refers to that form a specimen from Honduras
which is decidedly darker colored and smaller than the form
described above. S. pinetorum appears to be a race of S. socialis
ranging through the parts of Guatemala lying east of the central
highlands and thence into similar country in Honduras. From
S. s. arizona the form described above may be distinguished by
its much darker colors, slightly smaller size and larger bill.
Vireo noveboracensis micrus, subsp. nov.
Small White-eyed Vireo.
Type, No. 158930, $ ad., U. S. National Mus., Biol. Survey Coll. Vic-
toria, Tamaulipas, Mexico. Collected May 23, 1898 by E. W. Nelson
and E. A. Goldman.
Distribution. — Lowlands of Tamaulipas, Mexico.
Subspecific characters. — Similar to V. noveboracensis but smaller and
duller colored with a paler wash of yellow on flanks.
Dimensions of type. — Wing, 58; tail, 50; culmen, 10; tarsus, 20.
XVI
"i Oberholser, The Blue Honey-C reefers. ^11899
Geothlypis flaviceps, sp. nov.
Yellow-headed Warbler.
Type, No. 158741, $ ad., U. S. National Mus., Biological Survey Coll..
From Alta Mira, Tamaulipas, Mexico. Collected April 20, 1898 by
E. W. Nelson and E. A. Goldman.
Distribution. — Tule marshes along coast lagoons near Tampico in
southern Tamaulipas and northern Vera Cruz, Mexico.
Description of type. — Color: A broad black mask from bill to line
back of orbits on crown and thence down over cheeks and ear coverts
to sides of neck ; rest of top and sides of head and nape distinctly yellow,
slightly washed with olive green posteriorly. Back, including upper
surface of wings and tail olive green. Entire lower surface almost uni-
form gamboge yellow, only a little duller on flanks.
Dimensions of type. — Wing, 60; tail, 56; culmen, 15 ; tarsus, 21.
Remarks. — This species is closely related to Mr. Ridgway's.
G. flavovelatus, also described from Alta Mira, but may be distin-
guished at once from that species by its larger bill, greater
extent of yellow on top of head and deeper yellow under surface.
The type of G. flavovelatus was taken in December and was
probably a migrant from farther north while my specimens were
taken in April and May and were undoubtedly resident birds.
Dimensions of G. flavovelatus: Wing, 53; tail, 54; culmen, 12;
tarsus, 21.
A SYNOPSIS OF THE BLUE HONEY-CREEPERS OF
TROPICAL AMERICA.
BY HARRY C. OBERHOLSER.
This very homogeneous group of Coerebidae has by some
authors been called Ccereba, by some Caereba, by others Arbelo-
r/iina, but unfortunately none of these names is properly appli-
cable to the genus. As Mr. Ridgway has already shown ! the
1 Manual of N. Amer. Birds, 1887, 590.