1887.] Dwight 071 a New Race of Sharp-tailed Sparrow. %37 



furnish a regular supply of connecting links between nclsoni and 

 the new race, which is certainly more closely related to nclsoni 

 than to true ca?idacutzis. It may not be out of place to say here 

 that the latter in fall plumage is more heavily and broadly 

 streaked than in the spring, the orange-buff about the head and 

 on the jugulum and sides, much intensified, but otherwise very 

 much like the spring bird. Its long bill alone (8.9-10.2111111.) 

 will distinguish it from nclsoni, and the streaking from subvir- 

 gatus. 



Strange to say, nelsoni was originally described by Mr. Allen 

 (Proc. Bost. Soc. Nat. Hist., XVII, Mar. 1S75), as having "a 

 longer and slenderer bill" than caudacutics ', an error that is re- 

 peated in the latest edition of Dr. Coues's 'Key'. The bird 

 described was in fall plumage and the description of this clearly 

 indicates the character of nelsoni at that season. 



I discuss the subject of Sharp-tails at length because it lias 

 been one involved in some obscurity, and because several records 

 have been made that will no doubt now require to be revised. 

 It was not until 1S77 that this species was recorded as far east 

 as Maine, Mr. Brown having found it at Scarboro' in October, 

 1876 (Bull. N. O. C, II, 1S77, 27 and 98), while Mr. Brewster 

 recorded it from Tignish, P. E. I., August 2 and 3, 1876 {Ibid. 

 II, 1877, 28). I have seen some of the Tignish specimens, 

 which are of course faded stibvirgatus. It would be interest- 

 ing to know what the Scarboro' specimens were. One taken 

 there October 13, 1S79, and now before me, is stibvirgatus. 

 Some remarks by Dr. Brewer {Ibid., Ill, 1S78, 48 and 147) are 

 interesting, for A. caudacutus is spoken of as abundant on St. 

 Andrew's Bay. As this is partly in New Brunswick, the birds 

 found there may prove to be subvirgatus. In tSSo Mr. Brown 

 records caudacutus as breeding at Scarboro' {Ibid., V, 1SS0, 

 52). Which race was it? I will also call attention to an article 

 by Dr. Brewer in the 'Oologist'* for 1879, where reference is 

 made to the northern range of the Sharp-tails (Bull. N. O. C, 



*The 'Oologist' for April, 1879 (Bull. N. O. C, VI, 1881,47, Minor Ornithological Paper 

 No. 59), is incorrect in stating that A. caudacutus was found breeding near Boston. It 

 was a complicated case of misunderstanding and wrong identification which I will not 

 discuss here, but as a matter of fact the birds breeding were nothing more nor less 

 than A. s. savanna. The salt meadow referred to was on the 'Back Bay', and was fairly 

 haunted with egg collectors. I visited it several, times, and the birds found breed- 

 ing there were Savannah Sparrows and not Sharp-tails. 



