Vol. XXXIIl 



1915 



Phillips, Variation in English Sparrows. 55 



Boston and vicinity, 1878 to recent date, twenty-four skins. 



Boston, 1878, Bangs, collection, two males, Nos. 4746 and 4744. 

 Both of these specimens show much chestnut on throat and breast, 

 in specimen 4746 practically replacing the black of that region. 



Germany, two males, one female. 



Roumania, eight males. 



Pommern, Prussia, one male, 1871. 



England, eighty-six skins, sixty-six males. Many taken near 

 London are very black all over, undoubtedly due to soot. This 

 series shows well the characteristic age differences. The older the 

 bird, the greyer becomes the pileum, the whiter the cheeks and the 

 lighter the abdomen. All the males in immature plumage have an 

 olivaceous pileum, approaching the color of the female pileum. 



From the Museum of Vertebrate Zoology of the University of 

 California, through the kindness of Mr. Joseph Grinnell, I have 

 had the opportunity of examining the following large series : 



Tipton, Tulare Co., Calif., three males, April, 1911. Fine, clean 

 skins. 



Berkeley, Calif., eight skins, seven males, 1909-10, except one 

 dated 1892. This series is all soot-colored, especially male 11618 

 (1892). 



Raymond, Madero Co., Calif., one male, April 1911. A very 

 bright clean skin. 



Oakland, Alameda Co., Calif., two females, Oct., 1908. One a 

 partial albino, nearly white on dorsum except for primaries and 

 secondaries. 



Tower House, Shusta Co., Calif., two males, March, 1911. 



Honolulu, Oaha, June and March, 1910, sixteen males and ten 

 females, collected by Miss Alexander. The plumage of this whole 

 series has a very bright and clean look, due perhaps to a clean, 

 showery climate. There appears to be, however, no essential 

 differences either in measurements or color. 



As to the size of specimens from various localities, the table 

 (p. 56) will show at a glance all I have been able to learn. / 



It will also be seen from the table that there is little choice in 

 size either from single localities or grouped localities such as those 

 found in the first part of the table. It is nevertheless apparent 

 that sparrows from England are slightly smaller, a fact pointed out 



