1920] Swarth: Revision of Avian Genus Passerella 149 



Coll. Property of S. F. Baird." The locality of capture, Columbia 

 River, Oregon, must necessarily be regarded as established by the 

 statement in the original description, rather than that upon the label, 

 which must have been attached at a much later date. 



Passerella iliaca fuliginosa Ridgway 

 Sooty Fox Sparrow 

 Original descri'ption. — Passerella iliaca fuUgiiwsa Eidgway, 1899, p. 36. 



Type specimen. — No. 157611, Biol. Surv., U. S. Dept. Agric. ; male 

 adult ; Neah Bay, Clallam County, Washington ; June 10, 1897 ; col- 

 lected by E. A. Preble ; original number 319. 



Range. — Imperfectly'" known. In summer known to occupy parts 

 of Vancouver Island and northwestern Washington; presumably the 

 mainland coast of southern British Columbia also. In winter non- 

 typical birds occur in small numbers along the coast as far as San 

 Francisco Bay, rarely to southern California. 



Specimens examined. — 39 (see list, pp. 199-200). 



Distinguishing characters. — Of the Unalaschcensis group (see p. 

 89). Much darker than any of the other subspecies, and also more 

 heavily marked. One specimen at hand in freshly acquired winter 

 plumage is about clove brown on the head, and very slightly more 

 castaneous on the lower back. The lateral under surface of the body 

 and the spots on the breast are dull and sooty, with hardly an indica- 

 tion of reddish. In general size fuliginosa is slightly larger than 

 townsendi. 



Remarks. — This is one of the least known of the subspecies of fox 

 sparrows. Its siumner home is in a region where relatively little bird 

 collecting has been done ; its migrations at any season are extremely 

 limited, and do not carry it into regions where specimens are much 

 more likel}^ to be taken than in the summer habitat. As a result there 

 are but few skins in collections. 



Owing to the diversity of appearance exhibited by the specimens, 

 the series here assembled, small though it is, raises certain questions 

 that can not be answered prior to the accumulation of much additional 

 material. The type specimen of fuliginosa (a summer bird from 

 northwestern Washington) possesses a relatively long and slender 

 bill. This is seen also in the more fully grown young birds from 

 Vancouver Island, and again in some winter specimens from Van- 

 couver Island. Other winter birds from the latter place, however, 

 though of dark coloration and with the heavy markings of fuliginosa, 

 have noticeably short, stubby bills. Winter birds from California, 

 though here listed under the name fuliginosa, are so placed by the 



