May, 1918 THE SUBSPECIES OF THE BROWN TOWHEE 119 



In newly acquired fall plumage the three subspecies of Pipilo crissalis are 

 readily distinguished, the general tone of crissalis being reddish, and of carolae 

 gray, while senicula is appreciably darker than the other two. Senicula is fur- 

 ther distinguished by its small size and short, stubby bill. Color differences be- 

 tween the races are somewhat obscured in worn and faded plumage, of course, 

 but even in such cases they can usually be separated without difficulty. This 

 statement naturally does not apply to specimens from intermediate localities, 

 in which intergradation between races occurs. 



Pipilo crissalis crissalis (Vigors). California Brown Towhee 



Type locality. — Monterey, California. 



Range. — Humid coast region of northern and central California, from Humboldt 

 County at the north, south to San Luis Obispo County; in other words, the relatively nar- 

 row strip west of the inner coast ranges in Humboldt, Mendocino, western Sonoma and 

 Marin counties, the San Francisco Bay region east into Contra Costa County, and south- 

 ward in San Mateo, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, San Benito and northern San Luis Obispo 

 counties. 



Specimens examined from the following localities. — Humboldt County: Cuddeback, 

 3. Mendocino County: Mount Sanhedrin, 1; Covelo, 4. Sonoma County: Guerneville, 7; 

 Cazadero, 2; Freestone, 5. Marin County: Bolinas, 1; Nicasio, 4; Inverness, 2. Alameda 

 County: Berkeley, 4; Oakland, 1; Piedmont, 1; Alameda, 1. Contra Costa County: Wal- 

 nut Creek, 3; Mount Diablo, 1. Santa Clara County: Palo Alto, 6. Monterey Counts- 

 Pacific Grove, 2; Carmel River, 1; Little Sur River, 1; Big Creek, 3; Partington Point, 1; 

 Jolon, 2. San Benito County: Paicines, 5; Mulberry, 1. San Luis Obispo County: Paso 

 Robles, 4. Total, 66. 



Distinguishing characters. — The generally reddish coloration serves to distinguish 

 Pipilo crissalis crissalis from either of the other two related subspecies. In measure- 

 ments, P. c. crissalis in its typical form is close to P. c. carolae. Where the range of P. 

 c. senicula is approached there is a diminution in size, so that in this sense crissalis may 

 oe said to be intermediate in measurements between carolae and senicula. 



Remarks. — Brown Towhees from the general vicinity of Monterey, the type 

 locality of Fringilla crissalis, by no means exhibit the extreme differentiation of 

 the peculiar characteristics of the coast race. The bright reddish coloration of 

 this subspecies, the outstanding feature of the race, is farthest developed in birds 

 from immediately north and south of San Francisco Bay, as shown by specimens 

 from Sonoma, Marin and Santa Clara counties. Between this extreme and that 

 of the slaty hue of the birds from San Diego County, there is a nicely graded se- 

 ries of steps, changes in hue corresponding closely with the geographical position 

 of the specimens examined. Changes in measurements take place similarly. 



A series of skins from Paicines and Mulberry, San Benito County, about at 

 the boundary line I have indicated between the ranges of P. c. crissalis and P. c. 

 carolae, are intermediate in character between these two races. I have referred 

 these birds to the subspecies crissalis, which they most nearly resemble, but in 

 their indeterminate appearance they are closely similar to other intermediates 

 from San Luis Obispo County, between crissalis and senicula. 



Material at hand from Humboldt and Mendocino counties is limited in quan- 

 tity, and unsatisfactory for subspecific discrimination, the specimens being all 

 young birds, or else faded and molting adults. However, they appear to be all 

 referable to P. c. crissalis, though again less reddish colored than San Francisco 

 Bay specimens; possibly they all exemplify varying stages of intermediateness 

 toward P. c. carolae. 



Pipilo crissalis carolae McGregor. Northern Brown Towhee 

 Type locality. — Battle Creek, near Balls Ferry, Shasta County, California. 

 Range.— From southwestern Oregon (east of the Coast Range in Douglas and Jose- 



