210 BULLETIN 50, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 



(?) [Oriolus'] minor Gmelin, Syst. Nat., i, 1788, 394 (based on Petit Troupaile rwir 



BuHon, Hist. Nat. des Ois., iii, 221). 

 Fringilla ambigua Nuttall, Man. Urn. U. S. and Can., i, 1832, 484 (= young). 

 Icterus emberizoides "Bosc!" Daudin, Trait6 Om., ii, 1800, 350 (= Oriolus fuscus 



Gmelin). 

 [Molothras pecorii] a. Subsp. typica Sclater, Cat. Birds Brit. Mus., xi, 1886, 334, 



in list of specimens. 



MOLOTHRUS ATER OBSCURUS (Gmelin). 

 DWARF COWBIRD. 



Similar to M. a. ater in coloration, but decidedly smaller. 



Admit «!«/..— Length (skins), 152.4-180.3 (163.6); wing, 96-104.1 

 (100.3); tail, 61.7-72.9 (68.8); culmen, from base, 15.7-17.8 (16.3); 

 depth of bill at base, 8.^10.2 (9.1); tarsus, 22.9-25.4 (24.1); middle 

 toe, 16.3-18.3 (17.5).^ 



Admit /eH7a^e.— Length (skins), 142.2-160 (152.4); wing, 85.6-9 



(90.7); tail, 57.7-66.5 (62.2); culmen, from base, 11^15.7 (15); depth 

 of bill at base, 9.1-10.9 (9.9); tarsus, 22.4-23.6 (22.9); middle toe, 

 15.2-16.8 (16).' 



Greater part of Mexico, including Lower California, and contiguous 

 portion of United States; north to southern Texas (Cameron, Lam- 

 pasas, Harris, Tom Green, and Concho counties) and Arizona (Fort 

 Whipple, Mogollon Mountains, Tucson, Riverside, etc.); south to 

 Oaxaca (Cuicatlan, Oaxaca, Tehuantepec City, etc.), Colima (Man- 

 zanilla Bay), Jalisco (Bolanos), etc. 



[(Sliw-n-us] obscurus Gmelin, Syst. Nat., i, pt. 2, 1788, 804 (based on Sturmis novsc- 



hispanix Briason, Orn., ii, 448). 

 Molothrus obscui-ns Cassin, Proc. Ac. Nat. Sci. Phila., xviii, 1866, 18 (monogr.; 

 Miraflores, Lower California; Colima and Manzanillo, w. Mexico). — Cooper, 

 Orn. Cal., 1870, 260 (Cape St. Lucas; s. Arizona; n. w. ^Mexico).— Brewer, 

 Bull. Nutt. Orn. Club, iv, 1879, 128 (Fort Brown, Texas; descr.' eggs). 

 [Molothrus'] obscurus Gray, Hand-list, ii, 1870, 36, no. 6508. 

 [Molothrus pecoris.'] Var. obscurus Coues, Key N. Am. Birds, 1872, 155. — Hen- 

 shaw, Zool. Exp. W. 100th Merid., 1875, 312 (Gila R., Arizona). 



^ Sixteen specimens. 

 ' Fifteen specimens. 

 Specimens from different areas compare in average measurements as follows: 



Locality. 



MALES. 



Eight adult males from Arizona 



Two adult males from Lower California 



six adult males from southern Texas 



FEMALES. 



Nine adult females from Arizona, Lower Califor- 

 nia, and Sonora 



Five adult females from southern Texas 



Wing. 



100.3 

 102.4 



90.2 

 9L2 



Tail. 



67.3 

 69.9 

 70.6 



61.7 

 62.2 



Culmen, 

 from 



16 

 16 

 16.1 



14.2 

 15.2 



Depth 

 of bill 

 at ba£e. 



9.4 

 10.4 



23.6 

 23.6 

 24.9 



22.9 

 22.9 



Middle 

 toe. 



17.5 

 17.3 

 17.6 



16.! 

 16 



