UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA PUBLICATIONS 



IN 



ZOOLOGY 



Vol. 7, No. 3, pp. 173-177 February 18, 1911 



AN APPARENT HYBRID IN THE GENUS 

 DENDROIGA 



BY 



WALTER P. TAYLOR 

 (Contribution from the Museum of Vertebrate Zoology of tlie University of California) 



Among the birds collected by the Museum expedition to 

 northern Humboldt County, Nevada, during the summer season 

 of 1909, are a number of examples of the genus Dendroica, most 

 of which are clearly referable to Dendroica auduhoni (Towns- 

 end). However, one adult female (no. 8685) is definitely the 

 Myrtle Warbler, Dendroica coronata (Linnaeus). A third speci- 

 men is peculiar in that it presents an almost perfect combination 

 or blending of the characters of the two, auduhoni and coronata. 

 This is an adult male specimen (no. 8687), taken at Quinn River 

 Crossing, Humboldt County, May 29, 1909, by Mr. Charles H. 

 Richardson, Jr. This furnishes the first instance known to the 

 writer of hybridization within the genus Dendroica. 



Comparison of this specimen with typical adult males in the 

 same plumage (the adult nuptial; see Dwight, 1899, p. 217), 

 may profitably be made. Such examples are no. 6012, taken in 

 Iklassachusetts on May 25, representing D. coronata, and no. 

 8682, taken in northern Humboldt County, Nevada, on ]\Iay 17, 

 exemplifying D. auduhoni. The three specimens are all in nearly 

 the same stage of plumage wear. The plumage of no. 6012 is 

 not quite so much worn as that of the other examples. The 

 adult nuptial plumage in these cases results from a complete 

 spring molt of body plumage. 



