May 29. 1914 Vol. V, pp. 67-G8 



PROCEEDINGS 



NEW ENGLAND ZOOLOGICAL CLUB 



A NEW SONG SPARROW FROM NOVA SCOTIA. 



BY JOHN E. THAYER AND OUTRAM BANGS. 



The song sparrows inhabiting Nova Scotia belong to a very 

 distinct race. To this form also, which we here describe as new, 

 belong, in all probability, the song sparrows of Newfoundland, 

 southern Quebec and the islands in the Gulf of St. Lawrence. 



Melospiza melodia acadica subsp. nov. 



T]ipe, — ■ from WoKville, Nova Scotia, no. 65,643, Museum of Compara- 

 tive Zoology, adult cf , collected April 22, 1914, by R. W. Tufts. 



Characters. — In fresh spring plumage (April specimens). Colors above 

 very dark and rich, with chestnut predominating; feathers of back but 

 little edged with yellowish or grayish; lateral crown stripes very broad and 

 dark chestnut; central grayi.sh crown stripe narrow, much broken, and 

 inconspicuous; rump and nape but little different in tone from the rest of 

 upper parts; size and proportions about as in Massachusetts specimens, 

 except of the bill, which averages smaller and more slender. 



Measurements. — Adult male, type: wing, 66; tail-feathers, 63; tarsus, 

 20.5; culmen, 12 mm. Adult female, topotype, no. 65,644, M. C. Z.: 

 wing, 64; tail-feathers, 63; tarsus, 19.5; culmen, 11.5 mm. 



Being still a little in doubt as to just what race is represented by 

 Wilson's type of melodia, now in the Museum of Comparative Zool- 

 ogy, we compare our new form with IVIassachusetts specimens. 



