XAA Brewster, Dcscriftions of Nezv Birds. [April 



rant in respect to the characteristics just named, but as the Song 

 Sparrow tbund at Sitka represents a distinct subspecies from that 

 which occurs al)out the lower portions of Puget Sound there seems 

 to be a strong probability that the equally plastic and still more 

 sedentary Screech Owls of these regions possess quite as constant 

 differences. There is, indeed, an apparent and very interesting 

 analogy, in respect to relative size, coloi'ing and habitat, between 

 Megascops kennlcotii et saturatus and Melospiza rtifina et 

 guttata^ while to some extent, but less closely, Megascops tnac 

 farlanel corresponds with Melospiza moutana^ and Megascops 

 bcTidirei with Melospiza samuelis. 



Contopus richardsonii peninsulae, new subspecies. Large- 

 billed Wood Pewke. 



SuBSPEC. CHAR. — Much smaller than C. richardsonii but with the bill 

 actually, as well as relatively, longer and broader, the color of the upper 

 parts slightly grayer, the yellowish of the throat and abdomen clearer or 

 less brownish and more extended, the pectoral band narrower and grayer, 

 the light edging of the inner secondaries and greater wing-coverts broader 

 and whiter. 



Male ad. (No. 16,790, collection of William Brewster, Sierra de la 

 Laguna, Lower California, May 9, 1SS7 ; M. Abbott Frazar). — Above, with 

 the sides of the head, neck, and breast, dull grayish brown faintly tinged 

 with olive ; wings and tail clove-brown, with the inner secondaries broadly 

 edged and tipped with ashy white, the greater and middle wing-coverts 

 with brownish white; feathers of the crown with dark (clove-brown) 

 centres; median under parts pale straw-j'ellow, almost primrose-yellow 

 on the abdomen, the breast crossed by a narrow band of brownish gray, 

 the sides also grayish. Wing, 3.30; tail, 2.3S; tarsus,. 52; bill, length 

 from nostril, .42; width at nostril, .31 inch. 



Femalead. (No. 16,777, collection of William Brewster, Triumfo, Lower 

 California, June 13, 1SS7; M. Abbott Frazar). — Similar to the female above 

 described, but smaller, the yellow of the under parts paler. Wing, 3.00; 

 tail, 2.29; tarsus, .50; bill, length from nostril, .42; width at nostril, .30 

 inch. 



Habitat. — Sierra de la Laguna, Lower California. 



In the coloring of the under parts this fortn resembles C. virens., 

 the yellowisli of the throat and abdomen being of about the same 

 shade and fully as extended as in that species. The breast and 

 sides, however, are less olivaceous and more as in richardsoitii, but 

 grayer, with the pectoral band almost invariably narrower. The 



