146 



Richmond, Bisckoff's Song Sparrozv. \ p^vrW 



L April 



plumage of the adult, observes that " Kadiak birds average slightly 

 darker than those from Unalaska and the Aleutian chain." 1 



Having given this brief history of the case, it now remains to 

 describe Melospiza hisignis, and point out the features in which it 

 differs from M. cinerea. 



Melospiza insignis Baird. 



Description. — (U. S. Nat. Mus. No. 135,093, $ ad., Kadiak Island, 

 Alaska, June 6, 1894,6.5. Bretherton.) Upper parts, including upper tail- 

 coverts, sla1:y gray, the feathers of the interscapular region and scapulars 

 with darker, brownish centres and blackish shaft marks ; cervix and rump 

 uniform in color, without markings; top of head darker on sides, with a 

 faint brownish tinge, the feathers with blackish shaft marks. Tail above 

 grayish brown, lighter on outer webs, with a chestnut wash at the base of 

 the outer feathers. Throat, lores, malar stripe, and along median under 

 parts grayish white, passing into dusky slate gray on the sides, cheeks, 

 and sides of neck, with a brownish wash on flanks ; sub-malar streak 

 brownish gray, the feathers with darker centres, a faint, narrow rictal 

 patch of the same color, and a"faint postocular streak of brown. Throat 

 faintly flecked with small dusky spots. Breast with a distinct band of 

 dusky feathers, each feather edged laterally with dull white, with ill- 

 defined brownish centres ; sides streaked with dusky, the streaked feathers 

 with brown along shafts. Under tail-coverts grayish brown, as on flanks, 

 with darker median streaks, each feather edged with dull white. Wing 

 grayish brown, like tail; tertials with lighter, umber edgings on outer 

 webs ; greater wing-coverts cinnamon on outer webs, with light gray 

 terminal edgings; edge of wing at carpal joint, white. Wing, 3.18 ; tail, 

 3.12; bill from nostril, .44; depth of bill at base, .29; culmen, .55 ; tarsus, 

 1.03 inches. 



Melospiza insignis differs from cinerea in its somewhat smaller 

 size, shorter and more slender bill, in having less strongly marked 

 spots on the interscapular region and breast, and in the gray, 

 rather than brown, color of these spots. It is also without the 

 distinct russet spots on the sides of the neck, at the termination 

 of the sub-malar streak. In the spring specimens of insignis tliere 

 is no lateral crown stripe of russet, but the great majority of 

 specimens of cinerea before me show it very plainly. In fresh 

 fall plumage the specimens of insigjiis have a dull lateral head 



' Rep. Nat. Hist. Alaska, 18S7, p. 194. 



