214 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM vol. 8« 



Hornbeak. Obion County, May 4: Reelfoot Lake, 2 miles east of 

 Phillippv, October 9: Crossville. May 26; Roct«-ood, April 7; and 

 Eoane County, April 20, 18S5 (W. H. Fox) ; Shady Valley. June 9 

 and 10; 4,100* feet elevation on Eoan Mountain, September 20; 2,700 

 feet elevation 4 miles southeast of Crosby, Jime 23 ; 3,000 feet eleva- 

 tion on Big Frog Mountain, 8 miles southwest of Copperhill, July 

 10; and Beans Mountain, 2 miles northeast of ParksviUe, July 13 

 and 14. 



TOXOSTOMA RUFUM LOXGICAUDA (Baird): Western Bro\sTi Thrasher 



An adult male taken on the Buffalo River 4 miles east of Flat 

 "Woods, Wayne County, on May 17 has the maximum size of the 

 western race of the brown thrasher and is identified as that form. 

 It measures as follows: Wing 110.0, tail 133.0, culmen from base 

 26.9, tarsus 34.2 mm. It is of necessity a migrant bird whose pres- 

 ence at this late date here may arouse some speculation. Possibly 

 it had been injured in some way, though it may have been merely 

 a belated migrant, since in the extreme northern part of the range 

 the first arrivals do not reach the breeding grounds until May 10 

 or 12, and some come still later. 



The western race of the brown thrasher was described originally 

 by Baird.*^ Ridgway '- discussed it but did not recognize it, partly 

 because of unsatisfactory material and partly through some con- 

 fusion in the allocation of some of the specimens available. Ober- 

 holser -^ has separated the western form again, and after survey of 

 a considerable series I agree with him that it is valid. Its principal 

 character is found in its definitely larger size. The alleged differ- 

 ence of paler color appears to me inconclusive, since while western 

 birds in worn dress are lighter on the dorsal surface I can see no 

 difference between the few specimens available in fresh fall plumage 

 and skins in similar stage from the East. The lighter color found 

 in the breeding series possibly is due to wear and fading through 

 the influence of the more intense light and the drier atmosphere in 

 which the western birds are found ; in other words, to actual bleach- 

 ing. Measurements of skins taken in the breeding season of the two 

 forms are as follows: 



Toxostofrca nifum rufum: Males (43 specimens), wing 97.3-106.2 

 (102.6), tail 112.3-129.0 (121.0), culmen from base 23.1-29.2 (25.9), 

 tarsus 31.3-36.1 (34.1) mm. Females (27 specimens), wing 96.3-103.8 



*i HarporhvnchuJi longicauda Baird. Reports of explorations and surveys . . . for a rail- 

 road from the Mississippi River to the Pacific Ocean . . . Birds, vol. 9, 183?. p. 353 

 'Republican River, -western Kansas). 



« U. S. Nat. Mus. Boll. 50. pt. 4, 1907. p. 188. 



« Dept. Cons. State of Louisiana Bull. 28, 1938. pp. 4."9-460. 



