^°'i^y^"] Bishop, A Ne-M Sharp-tailed Finch. 269 



A NEW SHARP-TAILED FINCH FROM NORTH 

 CAROLINA. 



BY LOUIS B. BISHOP, M. D. 



Ammodramus caudacutus diversus, subsp. nov. 

 Southern Sharp-tailed Sparrow. 



Type. — Adult female, No. 5661, Coll. of L. B. Bishop, Wanchese, Roa- 

 noke Island, North Carolina, May 10, 1901 ; L. B. B. 



Subspeciftc characters. — Similar to Ammodramus catidaciitus but darker, 

 with the color in stronger contrast. The dark markings above are much 

 broader and darker, varying from dark chestnut to black on the head, 

 scapulars, interscapulars and tertiaries, in nuptial plumage, and the pale 

 edgings of the interscapulars are buffy instead of whitish. The feathers 

 of the rump and tail are rich brownish olive instead of pale grayish olive, 

 and have broader dark shaft-streaks. The ochraceous of the superciliary 

 and malar stripes is much brighter, and the dark markings of the breast 

 and flanks blacker. 



Measurements. — Type: length, 5.94; wing, 2.12; tail, 2.04; bill from 

 nostril, .36 inches. Average of 7 males: length, 5.73; wing, 2.30; tail, 

 2.09; bill from nostril, 37 inches. Average of 10 females: length, 5.57 ; 

 wing, 2.20; tail, -.03; bill from nostril, .37 inches. 



Twenty Sharp-tailed Sparrows which I collected on Pea Island, 

 North Carolina, last February, I was surprised to find separable 

 into two very distinct forms as described on page 367 of this num- 

 ber of 'The Auk.' Returning to Pea Island in May I took on 

 the southern end of Roanoke Island a single female of the dark 

 form on the loth, and a male and female on Pea Island on the 

 following day. On Roanoke they appeared to be common, but 

 I found no others I was certain were of this species on Pea 

 Island, in the few hours I was able to devote to the search. 



These three birds differ from Connecticut specimens of A. cau- 

 dacutus taken in May so widely that, considering them in connec- 

 tion with the two forms common on Pea Island in winter, it seems 

 necessary to describe them as a new subspecies. As Gmelin's 

 Oriolus caudacutus was based on Latham's ' Sharp-tailed Oriole,' 

 and this bird was described and figured from a specimen in Mrs. 

 Blackburn's collection that was taken in New York, it is evidently 

 the dark, southern form which requires a name. 



