382 BULLETIN 196, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 



In one case, three out of a brood of four disappeared within a few 

 days after leaving the nest. The presence of a shrike in the vicinity 

 at that time furnished a plausible reason for their disappearance. 



POLIOPTILA MELANURA LUCIDA van Rossem 

 SONORA GNATCATCHER 



The gnatcatchers of central Sonora, southern Arizona, and south- 

 eastern California have been given the above name by A. J. van 

 Rossem (1931). In describing it he says: "Compared with Polioptila 

 melanura melanura of the Lower Rio Grande Valley, lucida is slightly 

 smaller in all dimensions and the bill is notably smaller; in color it is 

 decidedly paler below (often nearly white medially) and the flanks are 

 very much paler and less extensively gray. Females and young males 

 of lucida also lack much of the brown wash seen in the corresponding 

 plumages of melanura." 



It is not known to differ in its habits from other races of the species. 



POLIOPTILA MELANURA PONTILIS van Rossem 

 SAN FRANCISQUITO GNATCATCHER 



This seems to be an intermediate form, found only in central Lower 

 California, originally described by Mr. van Rossem (1931) under the 

 name P. m. nelsoni. In his description of it he says: "In color and 

 size nelsoni is intermediate between margaritae of the Cape Region 

 and californica of southwestern California and northwestern Lower 

 California." 



As the name nelsoni was found to be preoccupied, Mr. van Rossem 

 gave the poor bird the new name pontilis in the Proceedings of the 

 Biological Society of Washington, vol. 44, July 15, 1931, page 99. 

 It would seem to the author of these bulletins that the naming of 

 what appears to be a strictly intermediate form is undesirable and 

 confusing, as it increases the number of intermediate forms. 



REGULUS SATRAPA SATRAPA Lichtenstein 



EASTERN GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLET 



HABITS 



Many years ago, a boy found on the doorstep the body of a tiny 

 feathered gem. Perhaps the cat had left it there, but, as it was a bit- 

 ter, cold morning in midwinter, it is more likely that it had perished 

 with the cold and hunger. He picked it up and was entranced with 

 the delicate beauty of its soft olive colors and with its crown of bril- 

 liant orange and gold, which glowed like a ball of fire. In his eagerness 

 to preserve it, he attempted to make his first birdskin. It made a 

 sorry-looking specimen, but it was the beginning of a life-long interest 



