210 



BULLETIN 50, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 



(?) [OWo/».s'] minor Gmelin, Syst. Nat., i, 1788, 394 (based on Petit Troupaile noir 



Buffon, Hist. Nat. des Ois., iii, 221). 

 FririgilUt authigita Nuttall, Man. Urn. U. 8. and Can., i, 1832, 484 {— young). 

 Icterus emberizoides "Bosc." Daudin, Traite Orn., ii, 1800, 350 (= Oriolus fitscus 



Gmelin). 

 l^Moloihrus pecoris] a. Subsp. ti/pica Sclater, Cat. Birds Brit. Mus., xi, 1886, 334, 



in list of specimens. 



MOLOTHRUS ATER OBSCURUS (Gmelin). 

 DWARF COWBIRD. 



Similar to M\ a. ater in coloration, but decidedl}' smaller. 

 Adult m«Ze.— Length (skin.s), 152.tt-180.3 (163.6); wing, 96-104.1 

 (100.3); tail, 61.7-72.9 (68.8); culmen, from base, 15.7-17.8 (16.3); 

 depth of bill at base, 8.4-10.2 (9.1); tarsus, 22.9-25.4 (24.1); middle 

 toe, 16.3-18.3 (17.5).^ 



Adult /tfwa^e.— Length (skins), 142.2-160 (152.4); wing, 85.6-94 

 (90.7); tail, 57.7-66.5 (62.2); culmen, from base, 14-15.7 (16); depth 

 of bill at base, 9.1-10.9 (9.9); tarsus, 22.4-23.6 (22.9); middle toe, 

 15.2-16.8 (16).- 



Greater part of Mexico, including Lower California, and contiguous 

 portion of United States; north to southern Texas (Cameron, Lam- 

 pasas, Harris, Tom Green, and Concho counties) and Arizona (Fort 

 Whipple, Mogollon Mountains, Tucson, liiversidc, etc.); south to 

 Oaxaca (Cuicatlan, Oaxaca, Tehuantepec City, etc.), Colima (Man- 

 zanilla Bay), Jalisco (Bolanos), etc, 



\Sturnus\ obscurus Gmelin, Syst. Nat., i, pt. 2, 1788, 804 ())ased on Stunms novas- 



hispani X Brisson, Orn., ii, 448). 

 Molothrus obscurus Cassin, Proc. Ac. Nat. Sci. Phila., xviii, 1866, 18 (monogr. ; 

 Mirafiores, Lower California; Colima and Manzanillo, w. Mexico) . — Cooper, 

 Orn. Cal., 1870, 260 (Cape St. Lucas; s. Arizona; n. w. Mexico). — Brewer, 

 Bull. Nutt. Orn. Club, iv, 1879, 123 (Fort Brown, Texas; descr. eggs). 

 IMolotlirus'] obscurus Gray, Hand-list, ii, 1870, 36, no. 6508. 

 [^Molothrus 2)ecoris.'\ Var. obscurus Coues, Key N. Am. Birds, 1872, 155. — Hen- 

 shaw, Zool. Exp. W. 100th Merid., 1875, 312 (Gila R., Arizona). 



^ Sixteen specimens. 

 ^ Fifteen specimens. 

 Specimens from different areas compare in average measurements as follows: 



Locality. 



Middle 

 toe. 



MALES. 



Eight adult males from Arizona 



Two adult males from Lower California 



Six adult males from southern Texas 



FEMALES. 



Nine adult females from Arizona, Lower Califor 



nia, and Sonora 



Five adult females from southern Texas 



17.5 

 17.3 

 17.5 



16.3 

 16 



