l66 CALIFORNIA ACADEMY OF SCIENCES. 



neither of these descriptions, and besides differ among 

 themselves in size and shape of head to such a degree 

 that I have arranged them in three groups to which I 

 give, tentatively, varietal rank. These varieties are as fol- 

 lows : 



V ar '. pacificum Kellogg, from the Pacific Loon, Urinator 

 pacific us{¥>&y of Monterey, California), andfrom five speci- 

 mens out of ten of the American Coot, Fulica americana, 

 shot near Monterey, California, and on two specimens out 

 of five of the same bird species from Lawrence, Kansas; 

 measurements, female, length 1.65 mm., width .62 mm.; 

 head, length .28 mm., width .5 mm.; smaller than the 

 succeeding variety which it otherwise resembles. 



Var. insolens Kellogg (plate xv, figs. 3 and 4), from 

 an Eared Grebe, Colymbus nigricollis calif ornicus (Bay 

 of Monterey, California), and from a Forster's Tern, 

 Sterna forsteri (Lawrence, Kansas) ; measurements, 

 female, length 2. mm., width .72 mm.; head, length .31 

 mm., width .53 mm.; markings distinct and dark; lateral 

 bands of abdomen nearly black. 



Var. -par Kellogg, from a Western Grebe, dEchmo- 

 phorus occidental is (Lawrence, Kansas) ; measurements, 

 female, length 2. mm., width .78 mm., head, length .31 

 mm., width .56 mm.; decidedly paler colors. 



As already mentioned none of these varieties agrees 

 with Piaget's or with Giebel's description of the species. 

 The notable differences lie in the dimensions, in the pres- 

 ence through all of the varieties of six hairs on the oc- 

 cipital margin (Giebel says four; Piaget says two); and 

 similarly through all the varieties the clear brown color 

 of the lateral abdominal bands instead of an uncolored 

 condition as affirmed by Piaget. The specimens of Piaget 

 were taken from Gallinula chloropus; and his variety 

 major based simply and certainly insufficiently on a dif- 



