Auk 



280 Anthony on Heleodytcs affinis. Tj^J 



THE STATUS OF HELEODYTES AFFINIS. 



BY A. W. ANTHONY. 



In a short paper on the Heleodytcs of Southern and Lower 

 CaUfornia, published in ' The Auk ' for July, 1894 (XI, pp. 210-214) 

 I suggested the advisability of reducing the species affinis to the 

 rank of a subspecies of brwineicapillus. Since the paper was 

 published I have secured a further series of the Lower California 

 birds, as well as a number of equally interesting specimens from 

 along the border in southern San Diego County, California, all of 

 which have strengthened my previously expressed conviction that 

 the Cape St. Lucas bird was but a subspecies of the northern 

 bninneicapillus, connected through the northern half of the penin- 

 sula by hryanti. 



Winter birds from San Fernando have the dark markings of the 

 lower parts somewhat hidden by the light tips of the fresh 

 unworn feathers and were mentioned in my paper on the 

 Heleodytcs (1. c.) as being rather nearer affinis than bryanti. 

 However, a series of spring and summer birds taken at a later 

 date prove the Cactus Wrens of that region to be much nearer 

 bryanti. How much farther south that race extends I am, as yetj 

 unable to say, but the characteristics of my southern skins all 

 point toward an intergradation with affinis at a point at no great 

 distance south of San Fernando. Therefore the St. Lucas Cactus 

 Wren should stand as Heleodytcs bnmneicapillus affinis. 



The Cactus Wrens collected by Dr. E. A. Mearns between 

 the Colorado River and Campo, along the Mexican boundary, 

 are practically indistinguishable from birds from Arizona, New 

 Mexico and Texas but are easily separated from those taken along 

 the coast of San Diego County, by the spotting of the lower 

 parts, which is always linear in the inland form and more ovate or 

 rounded in coast specimens. The tail feathers of the eastern 

 specimens are seldom barred beyond the lateral feathers, but 

 usually more or less barred throughout in those from west of 

 the Cuyamaca Mountains. Should the type of Lafresnaye's 

 brwmeicapillus prove to have been obtained in California it will 

 probably be necessary to recognize the eastern bird as a separate 

 race, as suggested in my notes on the species (I.e.). 



