488 BULLETIN 50, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 



KEY TO THE SUBSPECIES OP TELMATODYTES. 



a. Tail-coverts usually « not distinctly, if at all, baiTed with darker. 



h. Darker and duller in color, the brown of ujiper parts less rufescent, the flanks, 

 etc., pale broccoli brown, wood brown, or Isabella color; smaller, except 

 bill (adult male averaging, wing 50.6, tail 41.4, exposed culmen 14.7; adult 

 female, wing 47.7, tail 38.7, exjjosed culmen 14.1). (Northeastern United 



States. ) Telmatodytes palustris palustris (p. 489) 



hb. Paler and brighter in color, the brown of upper jaarts more rufescent, the 

 flanks, etc., deep cinnamon-buff or cinnamon; larger, except bill (adult 

 male averaging, wing 52.3, tail 43.6, exposed culmen 14.4; adult female, wing 

 49.6, tail 40.2, exposed culmen 13.8). (Great plains and prairie districts of 

 interior Uniteil States and British Provinces; in winter, south over greater 

 part of Mexico and along Gulf coast to western Florida, (iccasiorially to South 



Carolina, etc.) Telmatodytes palustris iliacus (p. 492) 



aa. Tail-coverts usually distinctly barred with darker. 



. h. Larger (wing averaging more than 50 in male, 49 or more in female; tail averag- 

 ing more than 44 in male, more than 42 in female) ; coloration paler, 

 c. Larger (adult male averaging, wing 54, tail 46.4, exposed culmen 14.2; adult 

 female, wing 52, tail 49.8, exj^osed culmen, 13.5); coloration paler. (Rocky 



Mountain plateau district. ) Telmatodytes palustris plesius (p. 494) 



cc. Smaller (adult male averaging, wing 50.7, tail 44.4, exposed culmen 13.4; 

 adult female, wing 49, tail 42.7, exposed culmen 13); coloration darker. 

 (Pacific coast district, California to British Columbia; Lower California and 



Sonora in winter. ) Telmatodytes palustris paludicola (p. 496) 



hh. Smaller (wing averaging less than 49 in male, less than 45 in female; tail aver- 

 aging less than 40 in male, less than 38 in female) ; coloration darker or grayer, 

 c. General color above decidedly brown; interscapular region extensively black; 

 sides and flanks deep brown; slightly larger (adult male averaging, wing 

 more than 47, tail more than 39; adult female, wing more than 44, tail 

 more than 36). 

 d. Darker, with pileum extensively black, sometimes entirely so; brown of 

 scapulars, etc., darker; sides and flanks (sometimes chest also) usually 

 more or less speckled with dusky; slightly larger (adult male averaging, 

 ' wing 48.2, tail 39; adult female, wing 44.7, tail 37.8). (South Atlantic 

 States, south to western Florida in winter.) 



Telmatodytes palustris marianae (p. 497) 

 dd. Paler, with pileum mostly brown; brown of scapulars, etc., ligliter and 

 duller; under parts without specks; slightly smaller (adult male aver- 

 aging, wing 47.4, tail 40.4; adult female, wing 44.7, tail 36.5). (Coast 



of Louisiana and Texas. ) Telmatodytes palustris thryophilus (p. 498) 



cc. General color above grayish brown or olive, with the j^ileum mostly grayish 

 brown or olive and the interscai^ular region largely (sometimes almost 

 entirely) olive; sides and flanks light grayish brown or olive; slightly 

 smaller (adult male averaging, wing 46.7, tail 38; adult female averaging, 

 wing 43.5, tail 34.2). (Coastof South Carolina and Georgia and southward 

 to Anastasia Island, Florida.) Telmatodytes palustris griseus (p. 499) 



« In a very great majority of specimens. 



