Vol. XIV 
iar | NeELson, Mew Birds from Mexico and Guatemala. 61 
Ammodramus savannarum obscurus, new subspecies. 
MINATITLAN SPARROW. 
Type, No. 143801, U. S. Nat. Museum, Dept. Agric. coll., da, Minatitlan, 
Vera Cruz, April 21, 1896. Collected by E. W. Nelson and E. A. Goldman 
(Orig. No. 3709). 
Distribution. — Grassy savannas of the hot lowlands of Vera Cruz, near 
Minatitlan, and probably elsewhere in suitable situations along the tropical 
Gulf coast belt to the south. 
Description of type.— The dorsal surface is almost wholly black or 
blackish brown, including the top of the head and the upper tail-coverts. 
This generally dark coloration is broken by a narrow, pale buffy median 
stripe on the head and by a small amount of ashy brown, fulvous and dark 
chestnut edgings to the feathers of the neck, back and rump. The 
feathers of the top and sides of the neck on birds of the eastern United 
States are usually dull rufous and ashy, forming a distinctly lighter area 
than the crown or back, but in the Minatitlan birds this area differs but 
little in general shade from the color on the rest of the dorsal surface. 
These neck feathers have black centres with a very slight edging of dark 
rufous followed by dingy grayish. The scapulars, lower back, and rump 
feathers are tipped with small spots of dark chestnut. The lower parts, 
except abdomen, are dark, dingy buffy, lighter on the chin and throat, and 
darker or more brownish on the flanks; the abdomen is dingy white. 
The wings and tail are blackish brown edged with lighter shades of brown 
and gray. The females from this locality, while averaging darker than 
ordinary birds from the eastern United States, are scarcely distinguishable 
when compared with very dark specimens from that region. 
The specimens from the type locality are the only ones I have 
seen of this form, but it undoubtedly occurs in suitable situations 
both to the north and south of that place and probably have 
nearly the same distribution as Agelazus p. richmond. 
While at Minatitlan the last of April, 1896, we found these 
Sparrows in full song and preparing to nest on the open grassy 
savannas, often of considerable extent, that are found scattered 
over the plains of that district. They were rather common, with 
habits and notes similar to those of their relative of the eastern 
United States. Their size is also about the same. 
Junco fulvescens, new species. CHIAPAS JUNCO. 
Type, No. 143906, U. S. Nat. Museum, Dept. Agric. coll., @, San Chris- 
tobal, Chiapas, Mexico. Collected by E. W. Nelson and E. A. Goldman 
(Orig. No. 3079). 
