2A Rhoads, Washington and British Columbia Birds. ^ j" n 



invasion of white tips seen in hudsonicus. Bill black, lacking any tinge 

 of brown. Brownish loral area of hudsonicus replaced by sooty black and 

 connected bv a distinct frontal band of same color. Crown and hind neck 

 slaty drab with brownish tinge ohsolete or barely perceptible. Back, rump, 

 and tail-coverts grayish brown as in hudsonicus. Wings and tail darker 

 slate gray, the former without the brownish or grayish tips always (?) 

 present in hudsonicus and stoneyi (?). Sides and flanks chocolate (nearly 

 blackish) brown. 



Comparative average measurements in inches of adults are subjoined. 



Parus hudsonicus. 



Parus hudsonicus stoneyi. 



Parus hudsonicus columbianus. 



Should a more complete series of columbianus prove the constancy of 

 the characters given above, it may be found to merit specific rank, but as 

 the case now stands a humbler position is more tenable. 



Regarding the status of P. hudsonicus stoneyi in this connexion, we are 

 at much loss because of the scarcity and bad condition of specimens, which 

 also lack data. In size stoneyi does not greatly exceed hudsonicus except 

 in bill measurements which nearly equal those of columbianus. Lighter 

 specimens of hudsonicus from Ungava, Labrador, differ but slightly in 

 color from stoneyi while the differences between these and columbianus are 

 striking. 



Mr. Ridgway has suggested to me the propriety of going thoroughly 

 over the whole ground in question. With this in view I would ask the 

 loan of specimens of Parus hudsonicus from all parts of its known 

 habitat. Such of these as may he sent to the Academy of Natural Sciences 

 of Philadelphia will be thankfully received and cared for. 



Turdus aonalaschkae pallasii. Hermit Thrush. — The presence of 

 this species breeding in the region around Lake La Hache, B. C, as 

 attested by four skins in the collection, further complicates the relation- 

 ships of this genus in the Northwest. Neither auduboni nor pallasii 

 was found in any other part of British Columbia. 1 found aonalaschhtp 

 breeding in the Rocky Mountains at Field. It is doubtful if auduboni 

 reaches the forty-ninth parallel. If, as seems probable, it be found that/a/- 

 lasii and aonalaschkce breed indifferently across common ground in the 

 central and Rocky Mountain regions of British Columbia, without the inter- 

 vention of intergrades, a more definite separation of the two is necessitated. 

 Owing to the limited series obtained in evidence of this, a satisfactory con- 

 clusion cannot now be reached. Two points at least are established; first 

 the breeding of aonalaschkae in the Rocky Mountains; second, the breed- 

 ing of pallasii west of the Rockies and south of the fifty-second parallel. 



