"5 Stejneger, Further Notes on the Genus Acanthis. [January 



of the faded adult specimens the black of frontlet runs through 

 all the changes of color from jet black to brown ; but nowhere 

 have I seen on the frontlet any chestnut or russet, those tinges of 

 color so peculiar to the side-markings of the Parns bicolor and 

 Parus atricristatus. In the far western specimens, notably 

 from Missouri (see Baird, B. N. A., 185S, p. 3S4), the frontlet 

 of Parus bicolor is so intensely black as almost to warrant a new 

 variety on that account. Specimens from Middle and Northern 

 Texas and Kansas are fully as black as the Missouri ones. In 

 an almost direct longitudinal line south of where these intensely 

 black ones are found we come to this interesting form with chest- 

 nut frontlets. 



FURTHER NOTES ON THE GENUS ACANTHIS. 



BY LEONHARD STEJNEGER. 



Since my hist paper on the species of the present genus (Auk, 

 1, 1S84, pp. 145-156), the National Museum has accumulated a 

 vast additional material which enables me to corroborate some 

 statements and modify others in my previous paper. 



The enormous series of A. homemanni, exiiipes, linaria, and 

 rostrata collected by Mr. L. M. Turner at Ungava, near the en- 

 trance of Hudson's Bay, has become available, and fully proves 

 the correctness of recognizing the four forms. In fact, I am very 

 strongly inclined to accept Mr. Brewster's view, that A. rostrata 

 is specifically distinct. The outline of its oilmen is quite unique 

 in the genus. At any rate it is simply absurd to refer A. rostrata 

 to A. homemanni in light of our present material. 



The increase of the collection of Redpolls is well illustrated by 

 the fact, that while in 1SS4 we had only one very indifferent spec- 

 imen of the British A. cabaret, the Museum now possesses a 

 series of 41 specimens, most of which are in excellent plumage, 

 for which thanks are due to Messrs. Blakiston, W. E. Brooks, 

 E. Hargitt, R. B. Sharpe, and H. Seebohm. This additional 

 material compels me to recede from the position previously taken, 

 inasmuch as it proves to me the necessity of recognizing A. 

 cabaret as a good and valid species, not a mere subspecies, easily 



