Brewster on Birds of Fort Walla Walla, W. T. 2 2g 



A comparison of measurements taken from a large number of speci- 

 mens of both races shows little average difference in size, although the 

 western birds usuallj' have smaller and narrower bills. 



i8. Melospiza fasciata guttata {Nuti.) Ridgiv. Rusty Song 

 Sparrow. — The thirteen Song Sparrows sent me from Fort Walla Walla 

 represent a form verj nearly intermediate between fallax and guttata. 

 Most of these specimens are decidedly browner above and more heavily 

 streaked beneath than true fallax; but on the other hand none of them 

 are as dark as typical guttata, although several closely approach that 

 form. One of the lighter examples is even grayer than a Utah skin, and, 

 taken by itself would necessarily be referable to fallax. But the series as 

 a whole may perhaps best be referred io guttata. 



25. Cyanocitta stelleri annectens (Baird) Ridgxv. Black-headed 

 Jay. — An interesting series of Jays collected by Capt. Bendire includes 

 five typical representatives of annectens, two nearly typical stelleri and 

 four birds about intermediate between these forms. The differential char- 

 acteristics of the three styles may be briefly given as follows : The first- 

 named has a well-defined and conspicuous patch of white over the eye; 

 the second entirely lacks this marking; the third has it merely indicated 

 by a narrow gray line. In all, the crest is glossy black ; the rest of the 

 head, with the breast anteriorlj-, plumbeous-black; the back plumbeous- 

 brown ; and the throat streaked with bluish-white. AH have the head 

 above more or less streaked with blue, but the shade and extent of this 

 marking bear no apparent relation to the presence or absence of the white 

 patch over the eyes. Thus examples of each style have the forehead and 

 crown, to a point half an inch behind the eye, thickly marked with blue 

 or bluish-white, while with all there is a more or less complete gradation 

 from this pattern to one in which a few pale streaks are confined to the 

 forehead. Similarly, the greater wing-coverts are distinctly barred with 

 black, faintly crossed with fine dark lines, or entirely immaculate, without 

 regard to the character of the features already mentioned. 



The above evidence clearly goes to show that afinectcns grades directly 

 into stelleri ; but it does not necessarily preclude the recognition of the 

 former as a well-defined geographical race, for the locality under consid- 

 eration abounds in similarly intermediate forms. 



33. Asio aecipitrinus {Pall.) Netvton. Short-eared Owl. — A 

 female, taken Oct 7, has the ground-color of the plumage, both above and 

 beneath, rich, almost rusty, ochraceous ; the markings, also, are unusually 

 dark and broad. Three males represent the other extreme, their coloring, 

 especially beneath, being remarkably pale and almost free from any 

 ochraceous tinge. 



36. Bubo virginiauus saturatus* Ridgiv. Dusky Horned Owl. — 

 During the autumn of 1881 Great Horned Owls were unusually abundant 



*As Mr. Ridgway has lately pointed out, Cassin's facificus was clearly based on 

 specimens of snbarctlcus, a very distinct race first recognized by Hoy in 1852. Hence 

 the ri'^me pacific us must give place to saturatus, proposed by Mr. Ridgway for "a north- 

 ern littoral form, of very dark colors." 



