410 Oberholser, Races of Hedymeles melanocephalus . [j u " y 



Mountain region of the United States. Mr. Ridgway found, 

 however, that the birds breeding in Mexico are much smaller than 

 those of the Rocky Mountains from Arizona to Wyoming, and, 

 in fact, are close to California specimens. Subsequently, by 

 authors who regard the California race as distinct, the Mexican 

 birds were considered identical with those from the Rocky Moun- 

 tains, and both together were treated as the typical form. Mr. 

 Ridgway, apparently for the same reason, decided not to recognize 

 two races. It is now evident from a reexamination of the matter 

 that, while the Rocky Mountain bird differs appreciably from that 

 of California, that of Mexico, though somewhat intermediate, 

 is so near in characters to the latter that it must be referred to this 

 form instead of to the Rocky Mountain race. This close approxi- 

 mation in size may be readily seen from the following average 

 measurements of 18 adult males from Mexico, which may be com- 

 pared with the measurements of the present race above given: 

 wing, 99.6; tail, 78.5; exposed culmen, 17.5; height of bill at base, 

 14.7; tarsus, 23.9; middle toe without claw, 17.3. The only 

 other alternative is the recognition of three forms, which, in view 

 of the slight and inconstant difference between birds from Mexico 

 and California, seems certainly not desirable. The inclusion of 

 the Mexican bird with that of California, of course, makes the 

 latter a part of the typical form, and the name now used for it, 

 Hedymeles melanocephalus capitalis 1 becomes consequently a 

 synonym of Hedymeles melanocephalus; and the Rocky Mountain 

 bird requires a new name. 



It is of interest, moreover, to note in this connection that even if 

 the former arrangement were to be continued, neither of the names 

 that have been used for the California bird, Hedymeles melano- 

 cephalus capitalis Baird 2 and Zamelodia melanocephala micro- 

 rhyncha 3 is tenable, for both are long antedated by Fringilla maculata 

 Audubon, 4 which was based on a bird from the Columbia River. 

 In fact, the type of Hedymeles melanocephalus capitalis Baird, 



1 [Hedymeles melanocephalus] var. capilalis Baird, iu Baird, Brewer, & Bidgway's History 

 of North American Birds, II, 1S74, p. 70. 



2 Loc. cit. 



3 Grinnell, Condor, II, No. 6, Nov. 16, 1900, p. 12S. 



^ Birds Amer., folio ed., IV, 1837, pi. 373, figs. 2, 3, 4. 



