Vol. XVII 
Igoo 
NELSON, New North American Birds. 255 
Distribution—Mixed oak and pine forest on the Sierra Madre of Micho- 
acan. 
Subspecific characters—About equal in size to D. macrourus with 
broad central stripes of rusty chestnut on feathers of underparts nearly as 
far back along sides as in D. m. striatus. In general color, most like 
typical D. macrourus but rusty chestnut about neck and under parts 
paler; back, upper surface of wings, tail and sides of body with a decid- 
edly less gray and more brownish suffusion; bill very heavy and tumid 
and only equalled by that of D. oaxace. 
Dimensions of type-—Wing, 167; tail, 155; culmen, Ig; tarsus, 56. 
General notes.—It is with some hesitation that I name still an- 
other form of Dendrortyx macrourus, yet the bird described above 
differs so much from any of the known forms that I see no other 
course to pursue. ‘This appears to be one of those species which 
are in such a plastic condition that comparatively slight changes 
in climatic conditions, accompanied by partial geographic isola- 
tion, produce appreciable differences. In such cases it appears 
preferable, when the differences are sufficiently marked, to recog- 
nize these local forms, rather than to ignore them and include an 
entire group of geographic races under a single name, as would be 
the only other logical method. 
Cyrtonyx montezumz mearnsi, subsp. nov. MEARNS’s 
QUAIL. 
Type, No. 142385, @ ad., U. S. Nat. Mus., Biological Survey Collec- 
tion. Ft. Huachuca, Arizona, April 30, 1892, Dr. A. K. Fisher. 
Distribution.—Southwestern Texas and the southern half of New Mex- 
ico and Arizona, ranging thence into northern Mexico. 
Subspectfic characters.—In both sexes generally paler than true C- 
montezume ; the males much grayer or more ashy on upper side of wings 
and paler brown on back; posterior part of crest decidedly lighter brown ; 
sides of breast and body paler slaty gray and more thickly white-spotted. 
The females have paler backs with broader and more conspicuous pale 
shaft streaks, especially on rump. 
Dimensions of tyfe-—Wing, 117; tail, 58; culmen, 14; tarsus, 30. 
General notes—The Montezuma or Massena Quail of the South- 
western United States occupies a more arid region than that in- 
habited by the typical birds of the mountains bordering the Mexican 
