184 PROCEEDINGS OF THE [Oct, 1887. 



Museum of Comparative Zoology, Cambridge: Bulletin, Vol. 

 XIII, No. 5 ; Memoii's, Vol. XVI, Nos. 1 and 2. 



Mi\ E. A. Smj^th, Jr., exhibited specimens of Parus Oarolin- 

 ensis and P. atriccqyillus. 



Mr. Smyth made the following remarks concermng the birds exhibited by him : 



There is a noticeable difference in size between several Northern and South- 

 em bu'ds of the same species, which is constant enough to warrant a special 

 varietal name, and in some instances the difference is so marked as to make a 

 different S]jecilic name seem appropriate. 



Of the former class might be cited the Ban-ed Owl, Byrnium nebulosum, and 

 its smaller Southern form, Syrnium nebulosum Alleni ; the Ked-shouldered 

 Hawk, which is represented in the Gulf States by a smaller form ; the Florida 

 Qaail ; Audubon's Woodpecker, which is a small, dark, Southern form of Picus 

 villosus ; and others. 



Of the latter class are the specimens exhibited to the Society to-night, name- 

 ly, Parus atri-capilliLS, the Black-capped Chickadee, of the Northern States, 

 and Parus CaroUnensis, the prevailing Southern form. 



It seems that these two species can but be merely geographical forms of one 

 species, but they never overlap each other's boundaries, and the difference in 

 size — something over an inch, a large amount in so small a bird, — is so con- 

 stant, that the one can certainly be considered at least a sub-species of the 

 other. The specimens of P. atri-capiUus were obtained in Princeton, N. J., in 

 mid -winter, and those of P. CaroUiiensis in Clarenden Co.. S. C, in October ; 

 in Anderson Co. , S. C. , in February ; and in Jefferson Co. , Ala. , in November. 



It would be interestmg to enter into a discussion as to the probable cause of 

 these geographical differences ; why the Southern forms are smaller and dark- 

 er than the Northern, and the Western forms paler than the Eastern, but for 

 the present, the object is merely to show by actual comparison that there is 

 such difference. 



In connection with his remarks made at the September meeting in regard to 

 Geothlypis trichcis, Mr. Smyth said that on October 5th, after a cold snap, he 

 had seen in his garden in Legare' Street, a number of Marjiand Yellow-throats, 

 the majority of which were males, and at and immediately before this date 

 both sexes were plentiful, in the country around the City. On this same day, 

 Oct. 5th, he also saw in his garden a Golden Crowned Thrush, ( Seiurus auro- 

 CiiplllusJ and four specimens of Beiidrmca ce?ndescens,w'hiGh. latter he was much 

 surprised to see, as it seldom ventm-es out of the swamp lands while with us in 

 its migrations. In company with these were also a Black and White Creeper, 

 and two female Hedstarts. A list of the birds which he has collected in his own 

 garden, in the heart of the City, which he is jpreparing, shows a remarkable 

 variety of woodland and swamp birds that would hardly be thought to be found 

 in a City. 



