2 28 Brewster oh Birds of Fort Walla Wall a ^ W. T. 



Species and Varieties calling for Special Consideration. 



6. Pariis atricapillus occidentalis {Baird) Coues. Oregon Chick- 

 adee. — A series of six specimens furnishes satisfactory proof — which I 

 believe has been heretofore wanting — that P. occidentalis is simply a 

 dark, geographical race of P. atricapillus. One example is absolutely 

 typical of occidetitalis, while the others grade evenly into a form that is 

 essentially undistinguishable trom atricapilliis. Indeed the lightest 

 colored specimen is so nearly like some Massachusetts birds taken at the 

 same season that I have been unable, after a most careful comparison, to 

 detect the slightest difference in either color or markings ; the wing of 

 the Walla Walla skin, however, is slightly shorter. There are no appar- 

 ent approaches in this series to P. septentrioiialis. 



i6. Spizella monticola ochracea var. nov. Western Tree Spar 

 ROW. — Ch. Subsp. $ 5 Similis 5. monticolce, sed colore supra dilutiore ; 

 strigis dorsalibus rarioribus, angustioribus et magis acute in tergo pallid- 

 iore depictis; lateribus gulaque magis ochraceis ; vertice, in auctumnali- 

 bus quidem avibus, saepissime magis cinereo. 



$ (Fort Walla Walla, Washington Territory, Nov. 8, iSSi. Capt. 

 Bendire.) Back and rump pale sandy-brown or brownish ochraceous, 

 the back with sharply defined black streaks which, excepting on the scap- 

 ulars, have no chestnut bordering; crown invaded centrally, from the 

 nape, by a broad space of pale ash which tinges most of the feathers 

 to their bases and confines the usual chestnut to a small area on the 

 forehead and two narrow, lateral stripes; lores and sides of head pale 

 fulvous; entire under parts washed with warm ochraceous. deepest on the 

 sides and abdomen, palest on the throat where it only partially conceals 

 the ashy beneath. Otherwise similar to 5. monticola. 



Dimensions. Wing, 2.94; tail. 2.73; culmen, .43. 



Habitat. Western North America, east to Dakota, north to Arctic 

 Ocean : Alaska? 



The specimen above described differs widely from its nearest approaches 

 among my eastern examples. The ground-color of the back is decidedly 

 paler, bringing out the dark streaks in sharper contrast, which is height- 

 ened by the absence of their usual chestnut edging; the ash of the throat 

 and sides of the head is much fainter, and in many places replaced by 

 brownish-fulvous; the under parts, especially the sides and abdomen, are 

 more strongly ochraceous; and the broad, ashj* crown-patch gives the 

 head a very ditTerent appearance. 



Upon testing these characters by comparison with the extensive mate- 

 rial in the National Museum, I find the different ground-color and mark- 

 ino-s of the back to be constant in western birds, while the ochraceous 

 tint of the throat and sides of the head, although most conspicuous in 

 fall and winter specimens, is also a good distinction; the ashy hood is 

 apparently confined to autumnal birds, and with these is variable in 

 extent, as well as sometimes wanting; but as it never occurs in eastern 

 examples it is not wholly lacking in diagnostic value. 



