188T.J PROCEEDINGS OF UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 677 



191. Spizella pusilla (Wils. )• Field Spiirrow. 



This was a very coiuniou winter bird at San Antonio, Leon Spring's, 

 and Beeville, but I did not see any at Corpus Cbristi, where, however, 

 it was observed by Hancock. None of the specimens taken by me are 

 referable to IS. pusiUa arcnacea, although I fully expected to meet with 

 this new race. Brown found the Field Sparrow common at Boerne, 

 and Dresser noticed a few near San Antonio. 



Genus JUNCO Wagler. 



192. Junco hyemalis (Linn.). Slate-colored Juuco. 



This Junco could hardly be called a common bird at San Antonio. I 

 saw it on perhaps a dozen ditferent occasions, but seldom were there 

 more than three or four to be seen at a time. It was generally along the 

 hedge rows and in the pastures near the San Antonio River, with otlier 

 Sparrows. The species was last noted at Leon Sj) rings, when female was 

 shot March 10, out of a party of four or five. It was not seen at Corpus 

 Christi or Beeville. Brown reports it as a common winter resident at 

 Boerne. " Found occasionally at San Antonio. — A. L. H." (Dresser). 



193. Junco hyemalis oregonus (Towns.). Oregon Juuco. 



Not seen by me. Of its occurrence at Boerne, Brown says : '^ Un- 

 common. In addition to the specimens typical of the two Juncos here 

 given, I acquired a series of very puzzling examples intermediate be- 

 tween the two. Such connecting links between the accepted species 

 are perhaps best accounted for under Mr. Eidgway's theory of hy- 

 bridization, until it can be decisively shown that they are an effect of 

 climatic causes." I also obtained several of these " very puzzling ex- 

 amples," plainly indicating intergradation between hyemalis and ore- 

 gonus, oregonus and shvfeldti, or hyemalis and slmfeldti, but I do not 

 think it necessary to invoke the already overburdened " hybridization 

 theory " to explain results that are to be so easily accounted for by the 

 ordinary laws of evolution, as it is a well known fact that this genus is 

 one of exceeding plasticity. 



194. Junco hyemalis shufeldti Coale. Sliufeldt's Juco. 



No. 2G92 of the writer's collection, shot at San Antonio on December 

 30, is the only specimen of this new race that was obtained. It is a 

 young female, and was shot from a flock containing many more of the 

 same kind, and also representatives of J. hyemalis. This specimen was 

 compared with the large number of Juncos in the U. S. National Mu- 

 seum, and appears to be quite typical of shufeldti. 



Genus AMPHISPIZA CouES. 



195. Amphispiza bilineata (Cass.). Black-tliroated Sparrow. 



This Sparrow was one of the commonest mesquite birds in the vicinity 

 of San Antonio. I use the word "mesquite" advisedly, for with one 

 exception I never saw a single individual anywhere else. The luxuriant 



