'SS3-] Allen and Brewster 07i Colorado Birds. 



155 



Among our large series are a few specimens which, although in 

 fresh, unworn spring plumage, almost wholly lack the usual dusky 

 streaks of the throat and breast, the entire under parts,— with the excep- 

 tion of the jugulum, where there are a few faint shaft lines of a 

 slightly darker shade than the general plumage — being immaculate. 

 These birds are also unusually pale above, with the dorsal markings 

 faint and few in number. As they were taken during the migration, they 

 may represent a more or less local desert type, or the variation may be 

 simply an individual one. I do not find it mentioned in previous descrip- 

 tions. All of the Colorado specimens are very much grayer than some 

 which I have from California. 



19. Catherpes mexicanus conspersus. Canon Wren. 

 — Heard April 10 in North Cheyenne Canon; specimens were 

 taken a little later in the Garden of the Gods. 



20. Troglodytes aedon. Common Wren. — First seen 

 May 5 ; a few days later they became common. 



Colorado certainly ought to furnish true parktnam, but of the seven 

 House Wrens which I collected there only two fulfil the requirements of 

 that race. The others are neither grayer nor more distinctly banded than 

 average eastern birds, from many of which they are practically indistin- 

 guishable. The comparative length of the first primary in the two forms 

 is the only character which seems to possess any approach to stability, and 

 this is not to be depended on. In short, the views which I have lately ex- 

 pressed * regarding the instability of the race jbarkmani are strength- 

 ened by the study of this fresh material. 



2T. Telmatodytes palustris paludicola. Long-billed 

 Marsh Wren. — A single specimen was shot on the Fountain, 

 near Beaver Ranch, i\pril 32. This was the only one seen, but 

 we were at no other time at a suitable locality for them. 



22. Anthus ludovicianus. Tit Lark. — A few small 

 flocks were seen during the last week of April. 



23. Helminthophila virginiae. Virginia's Warbler. — 

 Single individuals were heard May i and 2, and a specimen was 

 taken May 3. A few days later they became common, and 

 throughout the month were more abundant than any other War- 

 bler. They are partial to the oak scrub, where they breed, but 

 were also more or less frequent in the cottonwoods of the creek 

 bottoms. Are quite shy and difficult to capture for so small a 

 bird, keeping closely concealed in the thick scrub, though very 

 active. 



A series of about fifty specimens illustrates cei-tain variations of plumage 

 which do not seem to have been previously noted. For instance : Both 

 Dr. Coues and Mr. Ridgway describe the adult male as having the yellow 



*See this Bulletin, Vol. VII, p. 82. 



