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j3 9 5 J Dwight, The Sharp-tailed Sparrows. 
In 1891 a race called becki was described from California 
(Ridgway, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., XIV, 1891, 483) on the strength 
of a single specimen. 'Phis proved to be a straggling nelsoni so 
that becki became a mere synonym. 
I have briefly sketched the history of the Sharp-tailed Sparrow 
and its races and only touched upon a few essential points, because 
it is beyond the scope of the present paper to treat the subject 
exhaustively. It is rather my purpose to emphasize by collation 
the facts of which we are already possessed and call attention to 
the gaps in our knowledge of these birds, well-known as they may 
seem to be. 
Plumage. 
First of all let us grasp the characters by which the three forms 
may be distinguished. I went over them at some length in my 
early article and to-day, after a lapse of nine years, having examined 
fully five times as much material as was originally before me, I find 
that there is little to modify the conclusions then reached. 
Ammodramus caudacutus is, at all seasons, so distinctly streaked 
below with black, that seldom does a specimen present itself that 
can for a moment be confounded with either of the other races, 
when once this difference is appreciated by specimens in hand. 
Besides, the birds are large, with large bills and are richly colored 
when in unworn plumage, although with all the members of this 
genus the feathers are rapidly and extensively abraded. There 
is considerable individual variation, and, it may be noted, winter 
specimens from South Carolina are as a rule richer in color and 
more heavily streaked than northern birds. 
Ammodramus caudacutus nelsoni is a small form, this being most 
readily apparent in the bill and length of wing. In coloration it 
is very similar to caudacutus , though usually richer in browns and 
buffs, especially the ochraceous, buffy yellow wash of the breast 
and flanks. The streaking below is obscure, the lines dusky, 
suffused and narrow as compared with the other forms. In 
spring plumage, and occasionally in the fall, the lines are more 
definite yet characteristically narrow. 
Ammodramus caudacutus subvirgatics is intermediate in size 
between caudacutus and nelsoni. It lacks the distinct streaking of 
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