1887.] Dwight on a New Race of Sharp-tailed Sparrow. 2 2 3 



that in autumn all three forms are found scattered along the 

 Atlantic coast or near it, fielsoni occurring infrequently as far 

 north as Cambridge, Mass., true caudacutus as far as Ports- 

 mouth, N. H., and the new form still farther north. I have no 

 material from farther south than South Carolina, although Sharp- 

 tails are known to occur in the Gulf States, and very likely all 

 three races may be found there at the proper season. I propose 

 naming' the northern race 



Ammodramus caudacutus subvirgatus, subsp. nov. Acadian 

 Sharp-tailed Sparrow. 



Subsp. Char. — Similar in size and coloring to A. caudacutus but paler 

 and much less conspicuously streaked beneath with pale greenish-gray 

 instead of black or deep brown. Bill averages smaller. Compared with 

 nelsoni it is much paler and grayer, generally larger and with a longer 

 bill. 



Adult $ in breeding plumage (No. 1261, Hillsborough, Albert Co., 

 New Brunswick, July 19, 1886; J. Dwight Jr.) : — Above ashy-gray tinged 

 with olive, the dorsal feathers, scapulars, and three innermost secondaries 

 or tertials largely brownish-black edged with whitish. Greater and mid- 

 dle wing-coverts ashy, with a blackish subterminal spot along the shaft 

 of each feather. Primaries and secondaries brown, edged with greenish- 

 gray fading to white on first primary. Broad superciliary and maxillary 

 stripes pale buff, whitish above the eye, and orange tinged where they 

 meet at a dark brown spot (the extension of a post-ocular streak) just 

 posterior to the ashy auriculars. Bordering the superciliary stripes the 

 head is pale yellowish-brown mixed with black streaks and divided bv an 

 ashy-gray median stripe which extends down to and over the sides of the 

 neck in a sort of collar, tinged on the hind neck with pale orange-brown. 

 Faint spot above and below the eye and rictal streak dusky; sides of 

 throat with ashy bridle. Jugulum, sides, and flanks faintly suffused with 

 buff and lightly streaked longitudinally with pale greenish-gray, darker 

 cm flanks, the streaking losing itself in the dull white of the breast and 

 sides of the abdomen. Rest of underparts grayish-white. Edge of wing 

 pale lemon. Tail ashy, dusky along shafts of feathers and faintly barred. 

 Upper tail-coverts streaked with dusky. Bill bluish black, under man- 

 dible bluish-slate, pinkish at base; tomia whitish. Feet purplish-flesh. 

 Iris dark hazel. Wing,* 59.4; tail. 48. S; tarsus. 20.6; middle toe and 

 claw, 20. 8; bill from nostril. 8.6. 



Adult 5 in breeding plumage (No. 1239, same locality and collector, 

 July 15, 1886) : — Resembling closely the male but with richer yellow-buff, 

 orange tinged across the jugulum and about the head, and with seconda- 

 ries, tertials, and wing-coverts conspicuously edged with pale russet in- 



*A11 measurements in millimeters. 



