774 BIRDS OF CENTRAL MEXICO JOUY. 



oguizable geographical race. It is a slightly larger and very much 

 paler bird than the eastern form and has decidedly longer wings and 

 tail. It may be recognized by the following description: 



Catharus meJpomcne darns, subsp. nov. Type, U. S. National Museum, 

 No. 12GG27, S ad. Barranca Ibarra, Jalisco, W. Mexico, May 13, 1892, 

 P. L. Jouy, coll. 



Above, head and back olive-brown, rump tawny-olive, tail slightly 

 darker, wings tawny-olive, the inner webs of the primai'ies and sec- 

 ondaries abruptly dusky; the center of the under sui-face of the wings 

 cream-buff (clay-color in meJpomcne). Breast and flanks pale olive-gray; 

 throat, belly, and crissum pure white; a few feathers of the sides of 

 the crissum tinted pale isabella-color. 



Dimensions: Length (fresh specimen), 173™'"; wing, 86; tail, 71; tar- 

 sus, 33. Iris very dark brown; eyelids, angle of mouth, and inside of 

 mouth, cadmium-orange; tarsi and toes pale yellow. 



A very shy, elusive species, always found on or near the ground in 

 deep shadv woods. 



This clearly marked form has apparently escaped the notice of both 

 collectors and writers, as I find no mention of Catharus melpomene as a 

 western Mexican bird, nor has a paler race been referred to by authors. 

 As Prof. Baird has i)ointed out in Eeview of American Birds, page 7, 

 Costa Eican specimens differ from east Mexican and Guatemalan 

 examples in "the prevalence of a grayish olive shade in the back; "they 

 are also a deeper, clearer graj^ on the breast and flanks, and average 

 shorter tails. A larger series of specimens in spring plumage would 

 probably show it to be a distinct race. 



2. Merula tristis Swains. 



A common bird in the Barranca Ibarra, near Guadalajara. Speci- 

 mens taken March 9 and April 21. Only note heard was a single sharp 

 chirp or alarm note. 



Iris dark brown. 



3. Myadestes obscurus occidentaljs Stejn. 



San Marcos, southern Jalisco, March 25. 



This bird, popularly known as the cJarin, is a familiar and highly 

 prized cage bird all through the interior of Mexico. The flnest clarins 

 are said to come from the eastern i)art of the country from the State of 

 Vera Cruz southward, M. unicolor being more highly prized as a singer 

 than M. ohscurKfi. 



The song of this bird, impossible to describe, has the most sylvan 

 character of any bird nnisic I am acquainted with. 1 1 is the very essence 

 of deep shady woods and falling water. Poured forth suddenly, it 

 has a surprising tinkling metallic quality, mingled with llute-like warb- 

 ling notes given in falling cadences. The song is not loud nor is it long 

 sustained, but it has a character all its own. 



