A NEW RACE OF THE SHARP-TAILED SPARROW 
(AMMO D RAMUS CA UDACUTUS) . 
BY JONATHAN DWIGHT, JR. 
Several years ago I obtained in New Brunswick, near the 
head of the Bay of Fundy, three Sparrows that I labelled Am- 
modramus caudacutus , as a matter of course. They lay un- 
noticed in my collection until one day last summer, when I was 
struck by their faded and faintly streaked appearance as com- 
pared with New York specimens at the same season. My sus- 
picions were aroused, and during the summer and fall, which T 
was able to spend in the same locality, I obtained a series of 
these birds showing so clearly all changes of plumage that I 
decided to investigate as much other material as I could gather 
with the help of kind friends. My thanks are due to Messrs. J. 
A. Allen, Montague Chamberlain, H. W. Henshaw, Robert 
Ridgway, Geo. B- Sennett, and Dr. A. K. Fishei, foi the laige 
series of Sharp-tailed Sparrows now before me, — 114 specimens 
in all. It confirms me in the belief that my birds represent a good 
o-eographical race, which forms the connecting link between true 
caudacutus and the inland race nelsoni , and it shows, moreover, 
18S7.] 
Dwigiit on a New Race of Sharp-tailed Sf arrow. 
2 33 
that in autumn all three forms are found scattered along the 
Atlantic coast or near it, nelsoni occurring infrequently as far 
north as Cambridge, Mass., true caudacutus as far as Ports- 
mouth, N. H., and the new form still farther north. I have no 
material from farther south than South Carolina, although Sharp- 
tails are known to occur in the Gulf States, and very likely all 
three races may be found there at the proper season. I propose 
naming the northern race 
Ammodramus caudacutus subvirgatus, subsp. nov. Acadian 
Sharp-tailed Sparrow. 
Subsp. Char. — Similar in size and coloring to A. caudacutus but paler 
and much less conspicuously streaked beneath with pale greenish-gray 
instead of black or deep brown. Bill averages smaller. Compared with 
nelsoni it is much paler and grayer, generally larger and with a longer 
bill. 
Adult $ in breeding plumage (No. 1261, Hillsborough, Albert Co., 
New Brunswick, July 19, 1886; J. Dwight Jr.) : — Above ashy-gray tinged 
with olive, the dorsal feathers, scapulars, and three innermost secondaries 
or tertials largely brownish-black edged with whitish. Greater and mid- 
dle wing-coverts ashy, with a blackish subterminal spot along the shaft 
of each feather. Primaries and secondaries brown, edged with greenish- 
gray fading to white on first primary. Broad superciliary and maxillary 
stripes pale buff, whitish above the eye, and orange tinged where they 
meet at a dark brown spot (the extension of a post-ocular streak) just 
posterior to the ashy auriculars. Bordering the superciliary stripes the 
head is pale yellowish-brown mixed with black streaks and divided by an 
ashy-gray median stripe which extends down to and over the sides of the 
neck in a sort of collar, tinged on the hind neck with pale orange-brown. 
Faint spot above and below the eye and rictal streak dusky; sides of 
throat with ashy bridle. Jugulum, sides, and flanks faintly suffused with 
buff and lightly streaked longitudinally with pale greenish-gray, darker 
on flanks, the streaking losing itself in the dull white of the breast and 
sides of the abdomen. Rest of underparts grayish-white. Edge of wing 
pale lemon. Tail ashy, dusky along shafts of feathers and faintly barred. 
Upper tail-coverts streaked with dusky. Bill bluish black, under man- 
dible bluish-slate, pinkish at base; tomia whitish. Feet purplish-flesh. 
Iris dark hazel. Wing,* 59.4; tail, 48. 8; tarsus, 20.6; middle toe and 
claw, 20.8; bill from nostril, 8.6. 
Adult $ in breeding plumage (No. 1239, same locality and collector, 
July 15, 1886) : — Resembling closely the male but with richer yellow-buff, 
orange tinged across the jugulum and about the head, and with seconda- 
ries, tertials, and wing-coverts conspicuously edged with pale russet in- 
*A11 measurements in millimeters. 
