460 BULLETIN 191, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 



The best characters for distinguishing this species from Psaltriparus minimus 

 are: black on the sides of the nape and on the auricular region, gray crown con- 

 trasting strongly with the more olivaceous back, throat usually much whiter than 

 the rest of the under parts, strong vinaceous wash on sides and flanks. In addi- 

 tion the "face" is not Drab or Light Drab as in pliimbeus, but is Hair Brown (in 

 males this brown is usually suffused or mottled with black in varying degrees). 

 A dozen of our Brewster County males can be arranged in a series to show 

 perfect gradation from a face that is nearly pure Hair Brown to one that is 

 practically black. Many of the intermediates show a curious mottling of black 

 on a brown background. We were at first inclined to consider that the more 

 brown-faced specimens were immature, but three juvenal-plumaged males collected 

 by A. C. Lloyd on May 25, 1933, are among the most black-faced of the whole 

 series. In these juvenile birds the vinaceous wash on the flanks is almost im- 

 perceptible. The black-faced juveniles make it obvious that the description by 

 Ridgway, which characterizes the young males of lloydi as having only black ear 

 coverts, is inadequate. Apparently Sennett was correct in stating that the 

 young are 'similar to adults.' Of the three adult females examined, one (June 5) 

 has a Hair Brown face, well-marked auricular region, and a strong vinaceous wash 

 below; the other two, more worn females (July 21), are separable from plumbeus 

 only by grayer faces and by blackish auricular feathers. 



In all other respects, food, behavior, and voice, this bushtit does not 

 differ materially from the other bushtits. 



