18 NOUTII AMERICAN "BrRDfl. 



Tlio ibllo\viii<» synopsis iiiiiy servo as a ineaTis hy wliich to distinjruish the 

 several races of this s)iecie.s, as also the two reinaiiiing positive species of 

 the genus : — 



Species and Varieties. 



Ai Lower parts st leaked. 



1. M. melodia. While of tin' Idwer parts uuintermptod fioiii the chin to 

 the crissuiii ; llie streaks ol' llie juijiiliiiii, ete., l)i'oa(l and euneali'. 



(t. Streaks, alcove and helow, sliarply delined, and distinctly hlack 

 medially (except sometimes in winter [)lumaL'e). 



Ground-color aliovc- roddish-graj-, the interscapulars with the 

 whitish and black streaks about e(|nal, and sharply contrasted. 

 Rump with reihlish streaks. Winjr, li.7(); tail, 2.00; bill ..'>(! from 

 nostril, and .'M deep. Huh. Eastern Province of I'nited States, to 

 the Plains on the west, and the Itio Grande on the south var. me to din} 



Grounil-ciilor aliove ashy-fjray, the interscapulars with the black 

 streaks nuich l)roadcr than their rufous border, and the whitish 

 edges not in strong contrast. Rump without streak.s. Wing, 2.80; 

 tail, ;?.l."); bill, .33 and .22. Ilab. Middh; Province of United 

 States var. faUax.' 



Ground-color above nearly pure gray, the interscapulars with the 

 black streaks unich broader than the rufou.s, and the edges of the 

 feathers not apprecial)ly iiahu'. Rump without streaks. Wing, 

 2.S0; tail, 2.85; bill, .32 by .27. Ilah. California, except along 

 the coast; Sierra Nevada var. hecrmanni? 



Ground-color above grayish-olive, the intcrscapulara with the 

 black streaks much broader than their rufous border; edges of the 

 feathers scarcely appreciably paler. Rump and tail-coverts, above 

 and below, with distinct broad streaks of lilaek. Wing, 2.40; tail, 

 2.r)0; hill, .37 and .24. Ilah. Coast region of California var. samuelis.* 



Ground-color al)ove olive-rutbus, the edges of the interscapulars, 

 alone, ashy ; dor.*al black streaks very broad, without rufous 

 border. Rump .streaked with black. Wing, 2.C0; tail, 2.8o ; bill, 

 .34 and .2."). Hah. Puebia, -Mexico . . . var. mexicuna.'' 



1 JViiitcr pliiimiiic Rusty prevailing above, but hoary whitish cdgos to feathers still in strong 

 contrast ; streaks beneath with a rufous .sulbision e.vtcriially, but still with tlie l)laek in excess. 



^ fl'liitif plii.UKiiji; (iray above more olivaceous, the black streaks more subdued by a rufous 

 siill'usiou ; streaks bcucatli with the rufous |)ri'donnnatiiig, sometimes without any 1 lack. 



* iriiitd- 2>liim(i(ii\ Above rusty-olive, with little or no ashy, the black streaks broad and 

 distimt. Streaks beneath with the black and rusty in about e((Uttl amount. 



* In summer the streaks beneath are entirely intense black ; in winter they have a slight 

 rufous external suffusion. 



^ Mil'i.-i/iitti iiicl-iiliii. var. miwirmia, Rinr.w.w. Mexican Song Sparrow. 1 1 Melospiza pecto- 

 nilin, VON MiJi.i.i'.K. 



Se. CuAU. (Tyiie, (5(),n4(i, ruehla, Mexico, A. Boucaiid.) Similar to M. mctodia, but 

 ground-color above olive- brown ; inner webs of interscaiadars pale a.shy, but not in .strong 

 contrast. Crown and wings rusty-brown, the former with broad black streak.s, and divided 

 by a just ajipreciable paler line ; biick with broad black streaks without any rufous sulfu.sion. 

 Superciliary stripe pure light ash, bccondng white anteri(U' to the eye ; two broad, dark-brown 

 stripes on side of head, — one from the eye back along upper I'dge of aurieulars, the other back 

 from the rictus, along their lower border. Lowi'r jiarts pure white, the Hanks and crissum dis- 

 tinctly oehriiceous ; markings beneiith broad and lu'avy, entirely pure dee)) black ; those on the 

 jugulum deltoid, on the sides linear. Wing, 2. GO ; tail, 'I.Sit ; bill, .37 and .24 ; tarsus, .85 ; 



