2 SMITHSONIAN MISCELLANEOUS COLLECTIONS VOL. I49 



in the light of earlier knowledge, such a major reevaluation of this 

 particular host with respect to the parasite that it may be cited as 

 further justification of the reluctance of the biometricians. The data 

 on Bell's vireo presented in this paper is another case in point. With 

 the recently renewed interest in the total complex of problems sur- 

 rounding the parasitic breeding biology of the cowbirds (see Wiens, 

 1963, and Young, 1963), it is possible that some sound quantitative 

 evaluation of this situation may be forthcoming. 



Spotted sandpiper 



Actitis macularia (Linnaeus) 



This bird may be added to the list of "freak" cases of cowbird 

 parasitism. Turner (1964, p. 518) reported finding a nest of this sand- 

 piper containing one cowbird egg (M. a. artemisiae) at Edmonton, 

 Alberta. 



Dusky flycatcher 



Empidonax oberholseri Phillips 



This little known species is an addition to the known hosts of the 

 brown-headed cowbird (subspecies artemisiae). J. Stuart Rowley 

 (in litt.) collected a nest containing two eggs of the dusky flycatcher 

 and one of the cowbird at Virginia Lakes, Mono County, California, 

 on June 19, 1940. 



Black-capped chickadee 



Parus atricapillns Linnaeus 



Another instance of cowbird parasitism on the nominate race of this 

 chickadee was recorded by Root (1961, p. 43) from North Andover, 

 Massachusetts, July 15, 1961. It involved a fledged cowbird repeat- 

 edly fed by a black-capped chickadee. 



Wrentit 



Chamaea fasciata (Gambel) 



T. R. Howell observed a young fledgling cowbird repeatedly fed by 

 a wrentit at Pacific Palisades, Los Angeles, July 27, 1963. The record 

 refers to the race henshawi of the host and obscurus of the parasite. 

 The increase in the cowbird population in southern California will 

 probably make the wrentit a fairly common victim of its parasitism. 



