'?IO Chapman, Nerv Birds from Mexico and Arizona. Fjuly 



Nest a somewhat compressed compact mass composed externally 

 of dried weed- and grass-stalks and dead leaves, many of the latter 

 partially skeletonized ; internally composed of rather fine weed- 

 and grass-stalks, lined with black fibres, apparently dead threads 

 of the black pendant lichens {Ramalina, species ?) which hang in 

 beard-like tufts from button-bushes {Cepha/anthus) and other 

 shrubs growing in wetter portions of the western bottom-lands. 

 The height of the nest is about 3^ inches ; its greatest breadth is 

 about 4 inches, its width in the opposite direction being about 3 

 inches. The cavity is about li inches deep and i J X 2 inches wide. 



The eggs are of very regular ovate form, and entirely pure 

 white in color, their measurements being as follows: — No. i, 

 0.63 X 0.4S ; No. 2, 0.64 X 0.49; No. 3, 0.63 X 0.49. — Robert 



RiDGWAY.] 



PRELIMINARY DESCRIPTIONS OF NEW BIRDS FROM 

 MEXICO AxND ARIZONA. 



BY FRANK M. CHAPMAN. 



The material on which the following descriptions are based was 

 in part secured by the writer during April, 1897. The relation- 

 ships of the forms here described will be discussed more fully in 

 a subsequent paper. Thanks are due Dr. C. W. Richmond, 

 Assistant Curator of the Department of Birds, U. S. National 

 Museum, for the loan of specimens of Coccothraustes and Spifius. 



Contopus pertinax pallidiventris, subsp. nov. 



Chars, subsp. — Similar to Contopus pertinax Cab. but with the under 

 parts, especially the centre of the abdomen, whiter, the upper parts 

 paler, the ci-own of practically the same color as the back. Wing, 4.48 ; 

 tail, 3.51 ; tar., 62 ; ex. cul., 72. 



Type. — Am. Mus. Nat. Hist., No. 29007, $ ad., Pima County, Arizona. 

 Coliected by W. E. D. Scott, April 22, 18S5. 



Cabanis's type of pertinax was from ' Jalapa,' but it is doubtful 

 if the species breeds in the immediate vicinity of that city. 



