26 Brown on a JVezv Race of Pcuccca riijiceps. 



DESCRIPTION OF A NEW RACE OF PEUCy^A 

 RUFICEPS FROM TEXAS. 



BY NAThA?^ CLIFFORD BROWN. 



Peucaea ruficeps eremcEca.* General aspect dull gray. Dorsal 

 region graj'ish-ash, the feathers brownish centrally and with their shafts 

 almost black. Top of head rufous, much admixed with grayish. A black 

 frontlet, divided at the culmen by a white line, as in rujicef?> and var. 

 boucardi. Breast and sides clear gray. Abdomen whitish. Crissum and 

 flanks tinged with fulvous. An indistinct, dusky maxillary stripe. Length 

 of fresh specimen, 6.25 ; extent, 8.62 ; wing and tail about 2.75. Sexes 

 alike. 



The above description characterizes a bird very unlike Peuccea 

 rzijicepshoth. in size and in coloration. It is much larger and en- 

 tirely lacks the peculiar rufous tint of the upper parts seen in P. 

 riijiccps. Var. boucardi^ which is simply a larger race of ruji- 

 ceps, the present form therefore resembles only in size and in the 

 distribution of its markings. Indeed it is so unlike both described 

 races that, but for thorough investigations by Air. Robert Ridgway 

 which fail to justify such a procedure, I should urge the claims of 

 the new form to specific rank. Mr. Ridgway has with great 

 kindness made a careful comparison of several of my specimens 

 with all accessible material bearing upon the matter, and writes 

 me that he finds the former insufficiently dificrentiated from ruji- 

 ceps, through boucardi^ to stand as a species. An interesting 

 fact, incidentally brought to light by Mr. Ridgway, is that of the 

 few Mexican examples upon which Dr. Sclater based his Zorto- 

 trichia boucardi^ those from Orizaba are apparently referable 

 to the race I have named ereniceca. The National Museum pos- 

 sesses one of the three original Orizaba skins. 



The specimens above described were taken, during the months 

 of Dec, 1879 and Jan., Feb., and March, 18S0, at Boerne, Ken- 

 dall Co., Texas. Some account of their habits may be found on 

 another page of the present number of the Bulletin. 



* Eremozca = ^'p'qixos + ovKt'w. 



