Vol. XT Rhoads, Washington and British Columbia Birds. 23 



included in the Check-List; add to this the difference in average coloration 

 of upper parts between Pacific and Atlantic coast specimens and we have 

 all that conservatism can ask. When, however, we include, in a com- 

 parison between east and west specimens of gilvus, skins from all locali- 

 ties over their respective habitats as defined by Mr. Ridgway, these dif- 

 ferences are so diminished that the separation of the two forms becomes 

 questionable. It will be impossible to assign hard and fast lines for the 

 habitat of stvainsonii. The southern Rocky Mountains furnish many 

 specimens of an intermediate character in color, which are nearly as large 

 as gilvus while those of the north are quite distinct across the entire ter- 

 ritory west of the Rockies. 



For the present it will suffice to include British Columbia, Washington, 

 Oregon and northern California in the habitat of Vireo gilvus svjainsonii. 

 Vireo huttoni obscurus. Anthony's Vireo.— This may be considered 

 a rather rare visitor on Vancouver Island. I secured one near Victoria. 

 This specimen, also two secured on the same spot by Mr. Maynard in 1891, 

 and which I had the privilege of examining, belong to the strongly charac- 

 terized race of Vireo huttoni proposed by Mr. A. W. Anthony in 1890. 

 Mr. Anthony's specimens were taken in northwestern Oregon. Those 

 above mentioned considerably extend the habitat of obscurus and make it 

 probable that it will be found much farther north. 

 Sylvania pusilla. Wilson's Warbler. 



Sylvania pusilla pileolata. Pileolated Warbler.— The differences in 

 coloration between Vancouver Island, Rocky Mountain, Iowa, and Penn- 

 sylvania specimens of these forms, as given in the books, is in many cases 

 entirely contradicted by the series in my possession. Examples may be 

 selected from extreme east and west points which defy the most critical 

 eve to detect a difference, save perhaps in the intensity of yellow on the 

 forehead, while darkest eastern specimens may be perfectly matched by 

 skins from Vancouverlsland. Comparative measurements are of no value, 

 the average differences between pusilla and pileolata given by Mr. Ridg- 

 way being only .01 inch each in lengths of tail and wing, nor is the com- 

 parative color of bill of constant value in the series before me. 



If this series may be taken as a criterion of the status of 5. pusilla pileo- 

 lata, it has no better claim to recognition in our nomenclature than the 

 late Dendroica astiva morcomi. 



Parus hudsonicus columbianus subsp. nov. Columbian Chicka- 

 di'.e.-Fouv specimens of Parus from the central Rocky Mountains near 

 Field, British Columbia, taken in a deep forest at an elevation of 5000 feet, 

 differ so materially from Parus hudsonicus that it seems proper to separate 

 them. Measurements and coloration of these with those of a series of 

 forty New York, Ontario, Labrador, Great Slave Lake and Alaskan skins, 

 loaned by the Smithsonian Institution, have been taken, and the follow- 

 ing characters noted. 



Subsp. char. (Type, No. 3078, c^.coll. S. N. Rhoads, Field, B. C, 

 Aug. 30, 1892). — Colors much darker throughout. Black of throat jet, 

 without sooty suffusion, its posterior border abruptly defined and lacking 



