POLIOPTILA. -1:51 



Adult male {P. melamira). The whole head black ; white of 

 tail reduced to a minimum, the outer web of the outer feather 

 being usually edged with white, instead of wholly white, and the tix) 

 of the iuner web, with the tip of the next feather, white for a very 

 slight space ; no white observed on the third feather. Tarsus 0-70 

 inch. (Coues.) 



Adult [ female =: P. jjlumhea^. Upper parts like those of P. ccerulea, 

 but duUer and more greyish ; no black on the forehead ; a short 

 black stri])e over each eye, and below this another one of white. 

 Outer tail-feather with the whole outer web and tip white (much 

 like the second feather of P. ccendea), the next two feathers tipped 

 with white. Size of P. ccendea. (Coues.) 



Dr. Coues describes the female of P. plumhea as being " like the 

 male. The upper parts still duller, and frequently with a decided 

 brownish shade ; no black over the eye ; only distinguished from 

 the female of P. carulea by less white on the tail.'" He also distin- 

 guishes the female of P. melanura as differing from the male in 

 having '• no black on the head." Judging from analogy of some of 

 the plumages undergone by certain of the South-American species 

 of Polioptda, I should think that Mr. Brewster's surmise as to the 

 identity of P. melanura and P. plumhea is correct. 



Hah. Colorado and valley of the Rio Gila. 



10. Polioptila californica*. 



Culicivora atricapilla, Heerm. Journ. Philad. Acad. ii. p. 262 (1853). 



Polioptila melanura {nee Later.), Baird, B. N. Amer. p. 382 (1838) ; 

 id. Review, p. 68 (1864) ; Hem-m. Pacific R. Rep. x. p. 39 (1859) ; 

 Cooper, Am. Nat. iii. pp. 184, 474 (1869) ; id. B. Cat. i. p. 37 

 (1870); Coues, Key N. Amer. B. p. 79 (1872) ; Baird, Brewer, Sr 

 Ridfjto. Hist. N. Amer. B. i. p. 81, pi. 6. tig. 7 (1874). 



Polioptila californica, Brezvster, Bull. Nutt. Orn. Club, vi. p. 103 

 (1881) ; Ridgw. Bull. U.S. Nat. Mm. no. 25, p. 13 (1881). 



Adult male. Whole top of head from bill to occiput deep shining 

 black ; wings dusky brown ; the primaries edged with greyish 

 white, the secondaries and tertials with light brown ; rest of 

 upper surface plumbeous ashy. Tad glossy black ; the external half 

 of the outer webs of the outer paii-s of rectrices dull brownish 

 white, the white passing narrowly across the end of the feather 

 and at its extremity nearly touching the shaft, but basally diverging 

 more and more until at the tail-coverts it is confined to a scarcely 

 appreciable edging : no light colour on any of the other rectrices. 

 Throat and upper parts of breast, with sides of head, neck, and 

 body, dull but decided ash, with a faint wash of brownish fidvous 

 on the tii)s of the feathers ; along the central portions of the body 

 beneath this wash becomes clear fulvous, which is deepest in tint 



* Syuonyms on the authority of JMr. Brewster. 



2 G 2 



