'^^3-] Allen atid Brewster on Colorado Birds. 



157 



Arizona birds as compared with those from California, a still further and 

 rather more decided diminution of this color in the Texas and Minnesota 

 ones, and an abrupt and very wide gap between the latter and the dark 

 greenish-olive Florida specimens. 



If the geographical variation among the representatives of the region 

 at large west of the Mississippi is always as trifling as in the series before 

 me, little violence would be done by uniting lutescens and celata under 

 the latter and prior name. 



Bift whatever the disposition finally made with the western forms, 

 there seems to be no reason why the dark bird found in the South- 

 ern Atlantic States should not be recognized as a distinct variety, for it 

 differs more from celata than the latter does from lutescens. Mr. 

 Ridgway called attention to some of its peculiarities in "Noi-th Ameri- 

 can Birds" (Vol. I, p. 302), proposing to distinguish it under the 

 name obsciira, but as he unfortunately claimed among its characteristics 

 the absence of certain markings (/.e., the ''orange" crown-patch and white 

 spots on the outer rectrices) which it has been since shown to normally 

 possess, the variety fell into disrepute, having been latterly ignored 

 even by Mr. Ridgway himself. Believing that it really deserves a distinct- 

 ive name I take the present opportunity to reinstate it under the following 

 diagnosis : — 



Helmi}ithofhila celata obscura Ridgw^ay. Subsp. char. Differing 

 from true H. celata in being darker and dingier, especially beneath, where 

 the usual yellowish tinge is replaced by a greenish one. 



$ adult (No. 1800, Coll. W. B., St. Mary's, Georgia, April 7, 1877). 

 Above dark greenish-plumbeous; beneath dingy greenish-olive, darkest 

 on the sides, palest on the middle of the abdomen; sides of head and neck 

 scarcely lighter than the back; eyelids and a short, ill-defined superciliary 

 sti-ipe greenish-yellow; a concealed crown-patch of deep orange-rufous; 

 inner webs of outer tail feathers narrowly margined with white near their 

 terminal ends. 



$ adult (No. iSoi, Coll. W. B., Mellonville, Florida, March 14, 1877). 

 Lacking the rufous crown-patch; otherwise similar to the male. 



Habitat. Georgia and Florida in winter and early spring, pei'haps mi- 

 grating northward to breed. 



Audubon figured this race, and his plate even exaggerates its peculiar 

 dark coloring. It is probable that his specimens were taken in Florida, 

 although he does not state that such was the case. I have seen no examples 

 from the Mississippi Valley east of the Mississippi River, but Mr. Ridgway 

 says (North American Birds, Vol. I, p. 202) that "specimens from Southern 

 Illinois .... and from Wisconsin are precisely like Rocky Mountain ex. 

 amples." Two Massachusetts ones before me are doubtfully referable to 

 var. obscura. Both ai-e somewhat lighter than Florida specimens although 

 darker and greener than Texas or Minnesota examples. As they are in 

 fresh autumnal plumage, in this respect differing from any others that I 

 have, I cannot decide upon their precise relationship. 



There seems to be some mystery, by the way, as to where these south- 



