08 THAYER AND BANGS — NOVA SCOTIA SONG SPARROW [^' yif .' V^' 



Wilson's type is a bird in winter plumage, of rather large size, 

 unusually heavily spotted below, and very reddish or foxy above. 

 It may have been a winter migrant from the Alleghenies. The 

 summer bird of these mountains is apparently rather more reddish 

 brown above than the song sparrow of the coastal plain. The song 

 sparrow of eastern North America is much in need of careful revi- 

 sion, with a large amount of material available for the purpose. 



Breeding ))irds from the continental coastal plain, from Massa- 

 chusetts south to the vicinity of Washington, D. C, show but 

 little variation, and are very pale and yellowish brown above as 

 compared with the Nova Scotia form, the lateral crown stripes a re 

 paler, more rusty brown, and the central grayish crown stripe is 

 more clearly defined. The nape and rump are paler, and are more 

 contrasted with the back. The feathers of the back are always 

 more extensively edged with yellowish brown. 



In worn-out summer plumage the differences in the color of the 

 upper parts of these two races, contrary to what one might expect, 

 become more apparent even than in spring. The Nova Scotia 

 bird in this state of plumage has a very dusk}^ or sooty brown upper 

 surface, whereas Massachusetts birds in similar abraded plumage 

 are of a faded tawny or yellowish brown above. 



As to the geographical distribution of our new form we can at 

 present say but little. It occupies all suitable spots in at least 

 a great part of Nova Scotia, and is partially resident there. Mr. 

 Tufts, who collected for us the large series, representing all plum- 

 ages, upon which we base the subspecies, informs us that on the 

 shores of Minas Bay, though resident, it is less common in winter 

 than in summer. Occasional migrants might therefore be ex- 

 pected along the New England coast. Four skins from Lake St. 

 John, Quebec, kindly lent us by Mr. C. F. Batchelder, and taken 

 by himself in June, 1890, appear to belong to the new race, 

 though not quite extreme. One skin from Curslett, Newfound- 

 land, June 17, 1889, also from Mr. Batchelder's collection, is very 

 similar. 



We have also to thank for the loan of specimens, besides Mr. 

 Batchelder, the United States National Museum and Dr. Louis B. 

 Bishop. 



