Brewster on Certain Polioptilee. 1 03 



Polioptila melanura, Lawr., Ann. N. Y. Lvc, VI, 1S56, 16S. — Bn.. Pr. 

 Phila. Acad., 1859. 3°4> (Cape Saint Lucas) ; Rev. A. B., 1S64, 68. — 

 Dresser, Ibis, 1865, 485 (Texas). — Coues, Pr. Phila. Acad., 1S66, 66. 

 (Arizona). — Hexsh., List B. Ariz., 1875. 155. 



Lead-colored Flycatcher, Coop., 1. c. 



Lead-colored Gnatcatcher; Arizona Gnatcatcher. B. B. & R., 1. c. 



Black-capped Gnatcatcher of authors generally. 



Habitat. — Southern region of Texas' and Arizona: westward to Fort 

 Mohave and Fort Yuma. Cape Saint Lucas ?* 



Polioptila californica, sp. nov. California Black-capped 

 Gnatcatcher. 



Culicivora alricapilla, Heerm., Journ. Phil. Acad.. II, 1853, 262 (Fort 

 Yuma and San Diego, Cala.). 



Polioptila melanura, Baird, B. N. A. 1858, 382. — Baird, Rev. Am. 

 Bds., 1864. 68.— Heerm.. P. R. R. R., X, 1S59. 39 (South'n Cala.). Coop., 

 Am. Nat.. Ill, 1869, 184, 474-479; B. Cal., I, 1S70, 37, fig. — Coues, Key, 

 1S72. 79, fig. 20.— B. B. and R., N. A. B., I, 1874, 81, pi. 6, fig. 7. 



Polioptila plumbeaf It is probable that some of the California citations 

 are based on this new species but I have not been able to verifv anv of 

 them. 



Ch. Sp. Similis P. plumbea?; sed colore in toto, pra?sertim subtus, 

 multo nigriori : tectricibus caudae inferioribus ac abdomine fulvis ; limbo 

 albo in rectricibus restriction ; rostro tarsisque longioribus ac gracilioribus. 



$ (No. 1489, author's collection) Riverside, San Bernardino Co., Cal- 

 ifornia. March 28, 1878. Coll. F. Stephens. Whole top of head from 

 bill to occiput, deep, shining black. Wings dusky-brown ; the primaries 

 edged with grayish-white, the secondaries and tertials, with light brown. 

 Rest of upper surface plumbeous-ashy. Tail glossy-black; the external 

 half of the outer webs of the outer pair of rectrices, dull brownish-white ; 

 the white passing narrowly across the end of the feather and at its extrem- 

 ity nearly touching the shaft, but basally. diverging more and more until 

 at the tail coverts it is confined to a scarcely appreciable edging; no light 

 color on any of the other rectrices. Throat and upper parts of breast, 

 with sides of head, neck, and body, dull but decided ash, with a faint wash 

 of brownish-fulvous on the tips of the feathers. Along the central portions 

 of the bodv beneath this wash becomes clear fulvous, which is deepest in 

 tint on the abdomen, crissum. and under tail-coverts. Lining of wings 

 very pale pearl-gray. 



* I have not seen any specimens from this locality but Prof. Baird tells us (" Notes on 

 a collection of Birds made by John Xantus at Cape St. Lucas, Lower California") that 

 "the single specimen of this species sent in by Mr. Xantus has the tail feathers more 

 broadly edged and tipped with white, and the gray of the back lighter and clearer than 

 in specimens in the Smithsonian collection from the Gila region." This would indicate 

 that true plumbea is the species found there, a fact which is strictly in accord with the 

 marked affinity of the fauna to that of the Gila region in Arizona. 



