Vol. XIII 



Dwight, The Sharp-tailed Sparrows, 2*7 2 



In 1 89 1 a race called becki was described from California 

 (Ridgway, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., XIV, 1891, 483) on the strength 

 of a single specimen. This proved to be a straggling nehoni so 

 that becki became a mere synonym. 



I have briefly sketched the history of the Sharp-tailed Sparrow 

 and its races and only touched upon a few essential points, because 

 it is beyond the scope of the present paper to treat the subject 

 exhaustively. It is rather my purpose to emphasize by collation 

 the facts of which we are already possessed and call attention to 

 the gaps in our knowledge of these birds, well-known as they may 

 seem to be. 



Plumage. 



First of all let us grasp the characters by which the three forms 

 may be distinguished. I went over them at some length in my 

 early article and to-day, after a lapse of nine years, having examined 

 fully five times as much material as was originally before me, I find 

 that there is little to modify the conclusions then reached. 



Ammodramus caudacutus is, at all seasons, so distinctly streaked 

 below with black, that seldom does a specimen present itself that 

 can for a moment be confounded with either of the other races, 

 when once this difference is appreciated by specimens in hand. 

 Besides, the birds are large, with large bills and are richly colored 

 when in unworn plumage, although with all the members of this 

 genus the feathers are rapidly and extensively abraded. There 

 is considerable individual variation, and, it may be noted, winter 

 specimens from South Carolina are as a rule richer in color and 

 more heavily streaked than northern birds. 



Ammodramus caudacutus nelsoni is a small form, this being most 

 readily apparent in the bill and length of wing. In coloration it 

 is very similar to caudacutus, though usually richer in browns and 

 buffs, especially the ochraceous, buffy yellow wash of the breast 

 and flanks. The streaking below is obscure, the lines dusky, 

 suffused and narrow as compared with the other forms. In 

 spring plumage, and occasionally in the fall, the lines are more 

 definite yet characteristically narrow. 



Ammodramus caudacutus subvirgatus is intermediate in size 

 between caudacutus and nelsoni. It lacks the distinct streakinp: of 



