Vol. 31, pp. 161-164 December 30, 1918 



PROCEEDINGS 



OF THE 



BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON 



THREE NEW SUBSPECIES OF PASSERELLA I LI AC A. 



BY H. S. SWARTH. 



(Contribution from the Museum of Vertebrate Zoology of the University of California.) 



The writer has been recently engaged in a study of the fox 

 sparrows (Passerella iliaca and subspecies) with special reference 

 to the manner of occurrence of the several forms in California. 

 In the course of this work evidence was soon forthcoming demon- 

 strating the existence of certain distinguishable local races, 

 as yet unnamed, the terms megarhyncha and schistacea proving 

 each to cover composites of several forms. As the proposed 

 general account of the group will not be ready for publication 

 for some time to come, it is desirable that designations be 

 affixed to these subspecies in advance of the appearance of the 

 longer paper. 



One of the first fruits of the study was comprised in a better 

 understanding of the race which Mailliard (Condor XX, 1918, 

 p. 138) has named Passerella iliaca brevicauda, material gath- 

 ered together from various sources by the present writer proving 

 fortunately to include specimens which supplied Mr. Mailliard 

 with the final evidence needed to demonstrate the distinctness 

 of this subspecies. In the present paper three additional races 

 are named, all from California. The total number of recogniz- 

 able subspecies of Passerella iliaca is now sixteen, and all of 

 these occur at some season within this State. 



Passerella iliaca mariposae, new sulispecies. 



YOSEMTTE FOX SPARROW 



Type.— Adult male; no. 25693, Mus. Vert. Zool.; ridge at 7000 feet, 

 near Chinquapin, Yosemite Park, California; June 10, 1915; collected 

 by J. Grinnell; original number 3284. 



40— Proc. \MOh. Soc. Wash., Vol. 31, 1918. U61) 



