^"I's^T'l * Anthony, A New Subspecies of Hatporhynchus. Z^'i 



Harporhynchus cinereus mearnsi. Mearn's Thrasher. 



Subsp. char. — Diftei-ing from H. cinereus in much darker upper parts, 

 the rump vandyke brown in contrast, more rusty flanks and crissuni. 

 much larger and more intensely black spots on the lower parts and in the 

 less curved bill. 



Type, No. 4760, Coll. A. W. A., Jan. 2, 1894, San Q^iiintin, Lower 

 California. Above sepia brown, the rump and upper tail-coverts vandyke 

 brown in contrast; below white, the throat, breast, sides and abdomen 

 heavily spotted with large triangular spots of black; anal region, lower 

 tail-coverts and sides with a strong rusty wash. Wing, 120 mm.; tail, 

 118 mm. ; culmen, 28 mm.; tarsus, 36 mm. 



The difference between the present race and typical H. cinereus 

 is noticeable at a glance, even without comparison. The much 

 darker upper parts, the rump brighter in contrast, together with 

 the more heavily spotted under parts and rusty abdomen are very 

 characteristic. The hair-brown upper parts of the St. Lucas bird 

 gradually change to a shade approximating bister on the rump 

 and upper tail-coverts. The lower parts are but slightly washed 

 with bister on the flanks and with buffy on the lower tail-coverts, 

 the abdomen being white. 



This race is quite common about San Quintin, and in all 

 suitable places as far south as I have collected. They were not 

 common at the mines but between that point and the coast were 

 several localities where they were always seen. They were 

 always remarkably shy, making it almost impossible to secure 

 specimens. On June 13 I was stalking a herd of antelope on the 

 San Carlos mesa, near the coast, and had prostrated myself under 

 a large cholla cactus to wait for the game, which was slowly 

 feeding toward me; and in this uncomfortable position I spent 

 about half an hour, during which not less than half a dozen of 

 these usually shy Thrashers took up stations on adjoining cacti, 

 within fifteen yards, showing great curiosity and making frequent 

 remarks, uncomplimentary, no doubt, on the new species of 

 lizard they had found, but always ready to drop out of sight at 

 the first movement on my part. 



