232 Brewster on Birds of Fort Walla Walla ^ W. T. 



ing three joiing, or at least immature, birds in brown plumage. The 

 adult is absolutely identical with Massachusetts specimens, and must be 

 considered typical africapillus. Two of the young agree well with Mr. 

 Ridgway's description of young strtatulus,* but the the third does not have 

 the markings either darker or more extensive than do several of my New 

 England examples, and the dorsal feathers have an even broader light 

 {ochraceous) edging; the under parts, also, are strongly ochraceous, while 

 the stripes on the flanks are neither cordate nor transverse. The latter 

 characters, however, are probably worthless for they occur in a Tyngs- 

 boro (Mass.) bird. 



Without going further into details I may sum up my conclusions as 

 follows: (i) That two of Capt. Bendire's specimens (the adult and the 

 young bird just mentioned) are undistinguishable from typical atrica- 

 pillus\ (2) That the other two examples (both young or immature) differ 

 from eastern birds in having broader, more linear black markings be- 

 neath and a narrower light edging on the feathers above, and are probably 

 referable to a form more or less distinct from atricapillus\ (3) That true 

 atricafilliis ranges westward at least to Fort Walla Walla, Washington 

 Territory; (4) That striatulus, as at present defined, is a doubtfully 

 tenable variety. 



I am not at libertv to pursue the subject further, for I understand that 

 Mr. Nelson is about to propose a new Pacific coast race which occurs, 

 at least as a migrant, in the Western United States, and upon the young 

 of whicb Mr. Ridgway apparently based his description of young stria- 

 tulus.^ 



49. Bonasa unibella sabinii (^Dougl.) Cones. Oregon Ruffed 

 Grouse. — The series of Rufted Grouse embraces twelve specimens, all 

 from the immediate vicinity of Fort Walla Walla. These birds apparently 

 represent a dark, or more properly speaking, non-rufescent phase of 

 sabinii-, corresponding to the gray phase of utnde/la, and bearing the same 

 relation to typical sabinii that the Walla Walla Sco/s does to what has 

 been considered typical 5. kennicotti. This peculiar plumage may be 

 characterized as follows : 



Gray -phase; adult $. Above with the ground-color clear, dark ash, 

 nearly uniform and unmixed with reddish even on the wings and tail ; 

 throat and breast tinged with reddish-yellow; remainder of under parts 

 white, occasionally with a trace of ochraceous ; markings as in typical 



sabinii. 



The above description is taken from a bird which probably represents 

 the extreme gray condition, all the others having more or less reddish- 

 brown on the upper parts, especially on the back and wings, although the 

 tail is usually clear ashy. Two specimens, however, show a decided ap- 



*" Darker (brownish-black) markings prevailing in extent over the lighter (nearly 

 clear white) ones. Stripes beneath broad, brownish-black; those on the flanks cor- 

 date and transverse." 



t The type of the adult striatulus has turned out to be merely a light-colored, faintly 

 marked example of atricapillus. 



