58 Oberholser, Races of Toxostoma redivivum. [Jan. 



considerable number of specimens not examined by Dr. Grinnell, 

 I am unable to discover any differences sufficiently constant or 

 distinctive to warrant the recognition of an additional subspecies. 

 It is true that comparison with only Dr. Grinnell 's type series 

 indicates the existence of the two forms, although even this is 

 not very satisfactory; but when our series is combined with his 

 it is apparent that there is not sufficient difference in even average 

 characters to maintain the distinction. Not 50 per cent of the 

 specimens from northern California can be separated by the color 

 of the jugulum, flanks or upper parts, or, so far as I can see, by any 

 other character, from those of the coast region south of San Fran- 

 cisco Bay; and while there is a slight average difference in the 

 birds from these two areas, it is due largely to a few very gray 

 examples in the type series, and is really so slight and inconstant 

 as to be worthless for subspecific differentiation. Neither does 

 a series of ju venal specimens of both these supposed races show any 

 differences between them, as should be the case were the distinction 

 tenable. Individual variation among the birds from north of 

 San Francisco Bay is very great, and the most rufescent as well 

 as the most grayish of the entire series, including those from south 

 of this bay, are among the specimens from the north. Our examina- 

 tion is based primarily on birds in freshly moulted condition, as the 

 aspect oT the plumage changes greatly by any considerable amount 

 of wear, and it is therefore difficult to predicate subspecific separa- 

 tions on worn birds. Furthermore, there is no satisfactory difference 

 in measurements, as the table of measurements (p. 59) will show. 



It is, as thus explained, necessary to unite the birds from north 

 of San Francisco Bay, described by Dr. Grinnell as Toxostoma 

 redivivum sonomoe, with the birds from the coast region south of 

 this bay, called by him Toxostoma redivivum redivivum. Since, 

 furthermore, the name Toxostoma redivivum redivivum is, as above 

 shown, properly applicable to the southern bird heretofore called 

 Toxostoma redivivum pasadenense, the name Toxostoma redivivum 

 sonomo? Grinnell becomes necessarily the name for the northern 

 subspecies as now defined. 



Seventy-three specimens of this race have been examined, from 

 the localities given below : 



California. — Palo Alto, Santa Clara County (April 17, 1898; 



