iSSS.] Brewster on Ne-M Birds from Mexico and the Bahamas. Ol 



spring and summer specimens collected by Wx. Frazar. Among 

 these the differences just pointed out are represented with great 

 uniformity. In almost any other group of birds they would be 

 perhaps hardly sufficient to warrant more than a subspecific sepa- 

 ration, but with ourNorth American Empido7iaces the characters 

 which distinguish forms proved by their habits, eggs, etc. to be 

 perfectly distinct species, are often so slight as to be of little 

 diagnostic value in the absence of series of determined specimens 

 for comparison. Accordingly as I have no proof that the Fly- 

 catcher described above actually intergrades with its near ally 

 E. d/^ci7/s, it seems wisest to claim for it the rank of a full 

 species. Its characters will be found, I think, more constant 

 and easily available than those which distinguish E. mh^i'mzis 

 from E. trailli ox^ to use an illustration more to the point, E. 

 difficilis from E. flaviventris. The true difficilis, by the way, 

 occurs in Lower California in winter. 



Icterus wagleri castaneopectus,* new subspecies. — Chestnut-breasted 

 Oriole. 



SuBSP. Char. — Similar to /. ^vaglcri hut rather larger, the breast with 

 a broad band of chestnut. 



$ ad (No. 14131, collection of W. Brewster, collector's number 63S, 

 Oposura, Sonora, Mexico, April 13, 1SS7 ; J. C. Cahoon). Head, neck, 

 chest, back, scapulars, wings (excepting lesser and middle upper coverts 

 and all the under coverts) and tail (with its upper and under coverts) 

 deep, rather glossy, black; remainder of plumage, including the lesser 

 and middle upper and all the under wing-coverts, rich brownish prange ; 

 black of throat and chest separated from orange of remaining underparts 

 bva conspicuous band of chestnut, nearly half an inch wide on the centre 

 of the breast, nai-rowing rapidly towards its extremities which are about 

 opposite the shoulders. Length,! 9.00; extent, f 12.75; wing, 4.15; tail, 

 4.17; tarsus, 1. 00; bill from nostril, .58. "Bill black, pale horn-color on 

 sides of lower mandible at base." 



Habitat. Mountain regions of Sonora and Chihuahua, 

 Mexico. 



I have before me eight examples of this Oriole, six taken 

 in Chihuahua by ]Mr. McLeod, two in Sonora by Mr. Cahoon. 

 Of these, seven present the characters above mentioned with al- 



* Castaneus = chestnut ; pectus = breast. 

 t Collector's measurement of fresh bird. 



