NEW SUBSPECIES OF SONG SPARROW. 197 



DESCRIPTION OF A NEW SUBSPECIES OF SONG SPARROW 

 FROM LOWER CALIFORNIA, MEXICO. 



BY WALTER E. BRYANT. 



Melospiza fasciata rivularis subsp. uov. 

 Brown's Song Sparrow.* 



Subsp. char. — Similar to Melospiza fasciata fallax, but 

 darker and averaging larger, with longer and less robust 

 bill. 



Adult S in somevjJiat worn breeding plumage. (Type No. 

 3,024, collection of Walter E. Bryant from Comondu, Lower 

 California, March 11th, 1888.) Above, dark burnt umber 

 more pronounced on crown and postocular stripes. Medi- 

 an line of crown and sides of neck, dark ashy gray. Super- 

 ciliary stripe, ashy, lighter anteriorly. Edging of dorsal 

 feathers, sides and flanks, grayish brown; dorsal feathers 

 narrowly black centrally. Upper surface of tail, dark um- 

 ber, the central ones darker along the shaft. Tertiaries, 

 darker than tail (above) with ashy edgings. Greater wing 

 coverts reddish brown on outer half; the inner half dark as 

 tertiaries; some of the coverts show a blackish sub terminal 

 mark along the shaft. Under parts, grayish white. Breast, 

 sides and crissum, heavily streaked with reddish umber. 

 Wing, 71 mm.; tail feathers, 75 mm.; bill from nostril, 10 

 mm.; tarsus, 22 mm.; middle toe, 18.5 mm. 



Adult 'i in someivhat worn breeding plumage. (Type No. 

 3,041, collection of W. E. B. from Comondu, March 

 12th, 1888.) Not readily distinguished from male in color- 

 ation, but averaging smaller in size. Wing, 64.5 mm.; tail 



* Dedicated to Mr. Herbert Brown of Tucson, Arizona. 

 2d See. Vol. I. Issued September 29, 1888. 



