1S90.] Mearns. Descriptions of New Birds from Arizona. 2,4.^ 



"Six specimens in winter plumage are strikingly different from the East- 

 ern bird in corresponding plumage. The white edging of the feathers of 

 the wing and tail in the Arizona bird is much broader; the dorsal surface 

 is much lighter, the yellow of the throat is much purer, lacking almost 

 wholly the greenish shade seen in the Eastern bird; the white of the 

 bell}' is purer, with a faint fulvous instead of grayish shade; the sides are 

 washed with a paler shade of fulvous brown, in quite strong contrast, 

 however, with the almost pure, solid white of the abdomen and lower 

 tail-coverts. If summer specimens should show correspondingly paler 

 tints in comparison with Eastern examples, as they are almost sure to do, 

 the Arizona form is quite as well entitled to recognition as a subspecies 

 as are several of the pallid forms of Sparrows which have been accorded 

 this rank." 



With commendable and characteristic conservatism, Mr. Allen 

 abstained from imposing a name upon this race until summer 

 specimens should reveal more clearly its true status. My task, 

 therefore, is reduced to describing the breeding dress, and naming 

 the new subspecies. 



Adult Male in Breeding Plumage (Type, No. 631 1, Coll. E. A. Mearns, 

 Fort Verde, Yavapai County, in central Arizona, May 3, 1SS8) : — Similar 

 to the corresponding plumage of Eastern 5. tristis, but with the black 

 cap larger and extending farther back on the head, the general color de- 

 cidedly paler, and all of the white markings increased in area. The wing 

 bands, formed by the white tips of the greater and lesser coverts, are 

 considerably broader. The secondaries and tips of primaries are more 

 broadly edged with white, as are the tail-feathers, the inner webs of which 

 are more largely occupied by white. Irides hazel. Bill brownish yellow 

 at base, shading to dusky olive at tip. Feet pale yellow, claws brown. 

 Length, 138; alar expanse, 240; wing, 80; tail, 57; oilmen, 10.5; bill, 

 measured from nostril, 8.7; gape, 12; from tip of bill to centre of pupil, 

 16; from tip of bill to occiput, 26; from base of bill to occiput, 18; length 

 of tibia, 23; tarsus, 13.5; middle toe and claw, 15.5; middle claw, 5.3 ; 

 hallux with its claw, 13; claw of hallux, 6 mm. 



A quite large series of winter specimens of both sexes in my 

 collection, from Fort Verde, Arizona, fully confirms Mr. Allen's 

 description and conclusions based on six specimens in Mr. Scott's 

 collection. The winter plumage is much paler than that of the 

 Eastern bird, with much extension of the white, some specimens 

 having tails that are nearly all white, in which condition they 

 differ in appearance from Eastern tristis about as Acant/tis home- 

 mannii does from A. linaria. This pale race will doubtless 



