AA Sennett 0/i New Birds from Texas. [January 



Tliis species is distinct from P. melanotis^ Black-eared Bush- 

 Tit, by reason of total absence of both brown on back and rufous 

 on underparts. It is easily distinguished from P. phimbeus by 

 the collar, and by the black instead of ashy brown on sides of 

 head. Aside from the head markings it is more like P.plunibcus 

 in color than P. nieIa?iof/s^ but it has a much whiter throat and 

 a larger bill. 



Nyctidromus albicollis merrilli, subsp. nov. Merrill's 

 Farat'Que. 



Adult male : — Upper parts gray, washed lightly with brown ; the feath- 

 ers have black shaft-lines, which are very delicate on sides of crown and 

 neck, heavier on rump, heavier still on back, and extra broad on centre of 

 crown and occiput, giving the effect of a black central crown patch. The 

 scapulars have the inner webs gray and the outer webs barred and blotched 

 with black, the whole broadly margined with white, creamy white, and 

 light buff, presenting a rich velvety effect. Primaries brownish black; 

 secondaries spotted with black and buff; tertiaries gray with heavy black 

 shaft-lines. Coverts tipped broadly with light buff and cream white. 

 Edge of wing buff. A broad bar of white extends diagonally across both . 

 webs of five (sometimes six) of the outer primaries; this white wing- 

 patch is partlj' covered by the secondaries in the closed wing. The t-\vo 

 central tail-feathers gray, herring-boned down the shaft with black ; the 

 next pair of feathers are darker gray and have broader black markings; 

 the third pair are pure white almost their entire length, sometimes having 

 more or less margin of brown on outer web; the fourth pair of feathers 

 are w'holly white on inner web and mostly brownish black on outer; outer 

 tail-feathers brownish black. Chin black, barred with buff. Large throat- 

 patch of white. Underparts light buff, barred with black, lightly on belly, 

 heavily on flanks and breast, the latter being also washed with white, 

 which gives the whole breast a grayish bufl' appearance. Size, largest of 

 its species. 



Adult female: — A little smaller than the male; rather darker, with 

 smaller throat-patch, and white of tail restricted to the terminal portion of 

 the feathers. The four central tail-feathers like those of the male ; the 

 rest heavily barred with black and buff. The wing-patch is also more re- 

 stricted in size, is confined to the four outer primaries, and on the upper 

 surface shows clear buff instead of white, since the latter color is limited 

 to the inner web of remiges. 



Immature plumage: — More fulvous all over and more heavily barred 

 with black underneath. The black lines of crown are broader, and cover 

 the head more extensively. White wing-patch of male mixed with buff; 

 white on tail not so sharply defined, nor does it extend so near to base as 

 in mature birds. The outer tail-feathers are barred and streaked with 

 brown and buff. White throat-patch smaller and barred sparingly with 



