COIIVID.E — THE CROWS. 



28 



o 



Tt woukl j)erliaps l»e not very far out of the way to consider Sections A 



Cynnofitta califomica. 



and r> as representing in their general characters, resj)ectively, the types 

 from which their subdivisions have sx)rung. 



A. Tiiil loiif^t'i- than wings. A sujK'rciliary stripe of whitish streaks ; jnrrular 

 and pectoral rcatiiers Caintly edged with hhiish, posteriorly forming an indistinct 

 collar, intorrnpted medially. Ear-coverts dnsky, except in var. iroodhousei. 



(I. Forehead and nasal tnfts hoary white ; the superciliary stripe a continuous 

 wash of the same. Scapulars blue like the wings ; dorsal region (the inter- 

 scapulars) as light-colored as the lower parts. 



C. floridana. Back and lower parts pale ashy-hrown ; lower tail- 

 coverts hright blue. Wing, 4.50 ; tail, 5.70 ; bill, 1.20 and .35 ; tarsus, 

 1.40; middle toe, .8.5. Wing-fornnila, 4, .5, 6, 7, 3, 8, 9, 2, 10; lirst, 

 1.80 shorter than longest. Graduation of tail, 1.50. Hub. Florida 

 (only). 

 h. Forehead and nasal tufts bright blue ; superciliary stripe composed of 

 narrow streaks; scapulars ashy like the back; back much darker than the 

 lower parts. 



C. californica. 



Lower tail-coverts bright blue, dorsal region not well-defined ashy ; 

 auriculars bluish, beneath continuous pure ash. Superciliary streak 

 well defined. Wing, 5.15; tail, G.OO; bill, 1.35 and .30; tarsus, 

 1.40; middle toe, .85. Wing-formula, fourth, fifth, and sixth 

 equal; 7, 3, 8, 9=2; first, 1.80 shorter than longest. Gradua- 

 tion of tail, .90. Hah, Rocky Mountains and Middle Province of 



United States var. icoodhousei. 



Lower tail-coverts pure white; dorsal region well-defined ashy; 

 auriculars blackish; beneath dull white, approaching ash on breast. 

 Superciliary streak indistinct. Wing, 5.G5 ; tail, G.OO ; bill, 1.20 

 and .35; tarsus, 1.42; middle toe, .90. Wing-formida, 5, 6, 7, 4, 

 8, 3, 9, 10 = 2; first, 2.20 shorter than longest. Graduation 

 of tail, .80. J^aft. Mexico (Orizaba ; City of Mexico) var. sumichrast i} 



' Cyanocitta sumichrnsti, Ridgway, Rep. U. S. Gcol. Expl. 40th Par. All Mexican Ct/ano- 

 citUfs with a whitish superciliary streak, blue edgings to jugular feathers, etc., are to be referred 

 to this strongly marked race. A very conspicuous character of this variety is the strong "hook" 

 to the upper mandible ; the tip beyond the notch being much elongatetl, or unusually "pro- 

 duced." In the collection is a specimen (60,058 9 » Mexico, A. Boucaud) which we have re- 



