592 



BULLETIN 50, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 



glaucous, or inclining to that color; middle and greater wing-coverts 

 tipped with pale brownish buff, forming two indistinct narrow bands; 

 under parts dull whitish medially, pak^ brownish laterallv and across 

 chest. 



Achilt male. — Length (skins), 115.57-138.08 (125.73); wing, 63.25- 

 71.12 (66.80); tail, 50.04-57.40 (53.34); exposed culmen, 9.40-11.18 

 (10.16); depth of bill at base, 7.11-8.13 (7.37); tarsus, 10.51-18.80 

 (17.78); middle toe, 11.68-13.46 (12.19).^ 



Adult female.-— Length (skins), 112.78-136.65(125.48); wing, 60.71- 

 64.77 (62.74); tail, 49.02-53.34 (51.05); exposed culmen, 9.40-10.41 

 (9.91); depth of bill at base, 7.11-7.62 (7.37); tarsus, 16.76-18.54 

 (17.78); middle toe, 11.18-12.70 (11.94).^ 



The whole of Mexico (except tierra caliente oi southern portion?), 

 north to southern Texas (Brownsville, Hidalgo, Lometa, etc.), south- 

 ern Arizona (Crittenden), and southern Lower California; one Guate- 

 malan record: accidental in Michigan (Locke, Ingham County. Ma}^ 

 15. 1875). =* 



^Thirty-one specimens. 

 - Eight specimens. 



Average measurements of specimens from eastern Mexico, western ^Mexico, and 

 Lower California, respectively, are as follows: 



The supposed differences of coloration between specimens from eastern Mexico, on 

 the one hand, and those from western Mexico and Lower California on the other, 

 prove, on the evidence of a much larger series, not to hold good. There is, however, 

 a decided difference in the shape of the bill between Lower California specimens and 

 those from eastern Mexico, the former having the bill relatively shorter, with the 

 maxilla much more strongly curved, almost falcate, and the color of the bill is 

 likewise paler, the maxilla being brown (rarely dark brown) instead of blackish. 

 The length of wing and tail also average decidedly less, as may be seen from the 

 above average measurements. Were it not for the intermediate character of speci- 

 mens from western Mexico it would be comparatively easy to characterize a sub- 

 species, C. versicolor pulchra, for the Lower California bird. The birds from western 

 Mexico, while intermediate in size, seem to agree best with those from Lower Cali- 

 fornia in form and color of the l)ill, and a larger series of specimens may i)ossibly yet 

 show that two forms can be recognized. 



^No question as to correct identification! 



