296 University of California Publications in Zoology [Vol. 10 



Fort Whipple, Arizona. Mr. Prank Stephens kindly loaned 

 several specimens in his private collection, from southern Cali- 

 fornia. 



Comparison of the California material with that from Arizona 

 and elsewhere gives at first-glance an impression of color differ- 

 ence. Our San Jacinto series looks clearer gray above and purer 

 white below. But close examination convinces us that the faint 

 dull yellowish suffusion in the National Museum skins is adven- 

 titious, due to repeated handling, or to local, natural but extra- 

 neous, causes previous to capture. Some old skins in Mr. Ste- 

 phens's collection from San Diego County, California, present 

 precisely the same appearance. Coues' type of vicinior is wonder- 

 fully like no. 4465 of the Stephens collection, from Oak Grove, 

 San Diego County. In fact, not the slightest difference in any 

 respect is appreciable, save that the latter is if anything slightly 

 more soiled. Coues 's type resembles also no. 2318, Mus. Vert. 

 Zool., but the latter is cleaner white below. There does not 

 appear to be the slightest difference in either proportions or 

 general size; and the range of individual variation is small. 



It thus appears that there are no grounds for the systematic 

 separation of the California birds from those of Arizona. This 

 is in accord with the conclusions of Ridgway (1904, p. 203) 

 from the "few specimens" at his disposal. In justice to the pro- 

 poser of the name caUfornicus (Stephens, 1890, p. 159), it should 

 be stated that the material available to him at that time was 

 extremely meager; and there certainly are very good geographic 

 grounds to back up any differential peculiarities that might be 

 shown by specimens. From a consideration of its distribution 

 as now known, it appears probable that the gray vireo has 

 invaded California from the south-central plateau region of 

 western North America, within relatively recent times. 



Our California series of Vireo vicinior contains none in 

 juvenal plumage ; all are in more or less worn breeding plumage, 

 except one. This is an adult male, no. 2316, secured at Vande- 

 venter Flat, August 27, and is in nearly full fresh fall plumage. 

 The annual molt is very nearly completed, only the outermost 

 primaries being still partly unsheathed. Since there is in all 

 probability no spring molt, even partial, this bird presents the 



