318 University of California Publications in Zoology [Vol. 10 



Five breeding males from Vancouver Island show much less 

 chestnut on back and breast. Two have chestnut patch of small 

 size on the dorsum, one has slight streaks on the scapulars, one 

 but a few faint flecks of chestnut on the scapulars, and two are 

 pure blue above. None have the underparts as extensively chest- 

 nut as the average southern California bird, and in each there 

 is a tendency for this tract to be divided into two patches. Five 

 males from the Warner Mountains, and two from Shasta County, 

 also show this restriction of the chestnut areas, quite as much 

 so as individuals from southern California which have been 

 referred to anabelae. Thus these northern birds, which may be 

 considered typical occidentalis, do not by any means show a 

 greater extension of chestnut markings, one of the supposed char- 

 acteristics of this race. 



As already noted by (irinnell i llMis. p. 133) wear has a great 

 deal to do with the extent of the chestnut, freshly molted speci- 

 mens invariably showing it much more extensively than others. 

 The shade of the blue is variable in any series, the five Van- 

 couver Island specimens showing as great extremes as do the 

 San Jacinto birds. Comparative measurements are given below. 



On the whole, we have not been able to find grounds for 

 recognizing a form anabelae as occurring in California. The 

 characters ascribed to the subspecies are so elusive and unstable, 

 and the variation, especially in coloration, in series from any one 

 region is so great, that the use of separate names for northern 

 and southern California birds does not seem to serve any useful 

 purpose, but is merely confusing. We accordingly use the older 

 name, neeiih iilulis. 



COMPARATIVE MEASUREMENTS IX MILLIMETERS (MINIMUM, MAXIMUM, AND 



average) of Sialia in. occidentalis from California and 

 Vancouver Island 



WING 



5 males from San Diego County, Calif. 107 -110 (109.0) 



20 males from San Jacinto Mts. 98.5-109.5 (105.9) 



5 males from Sierra Nevada, Kern Co., Calif. 100.5-107 (103.5) 



2 males from Shasta Co., Calif. 103.5-106 (104.7) 



4 males from Modoc Co., Calif. 101.5-106.5 (103.9) 



5 males from Vancouver Island 101 -108 (105.5) 



