Descriptions of new birds from Mexico

Vo

)'8

*

VI

]

Nelson, New

Birds

from

Mexico. 2C characters are not entirely constant, typical

specimens may be

withoutdifficultydiscriminated.

There seems

to

be no

material differenceinsize

between any

ofthe

forms

of Hylocichlaustulata.

Breeding specimens from

Fort

Klamath, Oregon,

are not typi- cala'dica,but are nearerthis

form

than to ustulata. Birds

from

the northern partofthe Californiancoast, at least as farsouth as Nicasio, are intermediate

and

rather difficult satisfactorily to place,but they

seem

to be,

on

the whole, nearer ustulata than tocedica.

Specimens

of Hylocichlau. cedica

from

the following localities

have been examined,

breeding records being designated by an asterisk

:

California.

—

^SantaBarbara*; SantaCruz*; PanamintMts.;SanFran- cisco; Sacramento; Milpitas; Marysville *;

Tuolumne

County*; San Jose;

Tehama; Laguna

Station, San Diego Count}'; Mountain Spring, San Diego County;

Summit

of Coast Range, Mex. Bound.Line, San Diego County; Jacumba, Mex. Bound.Line.

Oregon.

—

FortKlamath*.

Lower

California.

—

^Gardiners Laguna, Salton River, Mex. Bound.

Line.

Arizona.

—

FortHuachuca.

Mexico.

—

Chicharras,Chiapas.

The

writer is indebted to

Mr. Ridgway and

to Dr. C.

Hart Merriam

fortheuseofmaterialinthecollections of theNational

Museum and

Biological Survey,respectively.

DESCRIPTIONS OF NEW BIRDS FROM MEXICO.

BY E. W.

NELSON.

The

birds described

below

are

from

the collection of the Bio- logicalSurvey,

U.

S.

Department

of Agriculture.

I

am

indebtedto

Mr. Robert Ridgway,

Curator,

and

Dr. C.

W.

Richmond,

Assistant Curator, of Birds,

U.

S. National

Museum,

forvarious courtesies while preparing the present paper.

All

measurements

areinmillimeters.

26

^Nelson,

New

Birds

from

Mexico.

[j^a u

n k

Colinus virginianus maculatus,

subsp. nov.

Spotted-bellied Bob-White.

Type,No. 158471,

$

ad.,U.S. National Mus.,Biol.Survey Coll. Alta Mira,Tamaulipas,Mexico. Collected

May

16,189S,byE.

W.

Nelson and E.A.Goldman.

Distribution.

— From

Tancanhuitz, San LuisPotosi,north to Victoria andJaumaveValley,Tamaulipas,Mexico.

Subspecijic characters.

—

Similarto C.v.texanusfrom which itdiffers indarkerand grayer colors of dorsalsurfaceand chestnutand spotted lowersurface.

ColorofMale.

—

Chin, throatand broadstripe from lores back over eyetonapewhite.

Crown

and napeblack,with grayand brown edges tofeatherson back of crown and nape.

A

well denned band of black extendsfrom bill back below eyes and across neck, bordering white throatarea. Feathersonbackand sides of neck black,edged neartips with white anddull rufous. Feathers of shoulders dullrufous heavily markedwith irregular black and graycrossbars andedgings. Restof back andtertials blackish with grayand brown mottling and indistinct barring. Wing-coverts dull rufous with black bars and gray edges.

Lower

neck andfore part of breastusually plain dull rufous, restof lowerparts,includinglowertail-coverts,ofthesamecolorheavilymarked onborders of feathers, with blackand white spots on sides of feathers neartips.

Dimensions of^type.

—

Wing, 106;tail,60; culmen,13; tarsus, 31.

Remarks. — Compared

with C.texanusthe. female is decidedly- darker

and

grayer

above

with a better defined pectoral

band

of black, dull rufous

and

white

markings

just

below

buffy throat patch.

The

series at

hand shows

conclusivelythatC. v.

texanusgrades

through

thepresent bird directly into O. graysoni, thusreducing the latter to asubspeciesof O.virginianus.

Callipepla gambeli

fulvipectus, subsp. nov.

Buff-breasted Partridge.

Type, No. 164093,cT ad.,U. S.Nat. Mus.,Biol. SurveyColl.

Camoa,

Rio Mayo,Sonora,Mexico. Collected Nov.7, 189S, byE. A. Goldman.

Distribution.

—

SouthwesternSonora,Mexico.

Subspecijiccharacters.

—

Differsmainlyfromtypical C.gambeli'in its generally darker or

more

intense colorsandlargerbill.

Color.

— Crown

patch rich burnt umber; neck olivewashed; breast

V0l .s^₉

VI

]

Nelson, New

Birds fromMexico. . 27 patch dark buffy;

abdomen

dark buffyandfeathers on posterior part of flanksand undertail-coverts,bordered with same.

Dimensions oftype.

—

Wing,

no;

tail,96; culmen, 11; tarsus, 30.

Remarks. —Dr. A. K. Fisher has traced Gambel's route and finds that the type of Callipepla ga'mbeli, which is recorded as having beentakenNovember 18,"some distanceWest[error for East] ofCalifornia," must have been securedinsouthernNevada orimmediatelyadjacent partofeasternCalifornia. Mycompari- sons, establishing the form described above, have been with specimens from the region of the type locality. Birds from southernArizonaalsoaretypical gambeli.

Aphelocoma

sieberi colimae, subsp. nov.

Colima

Jay.

Type, No. 156052, $ ad.,U. S. Nat.

Mus,

Biol. Survey Coll.

From

Jacala, Jalisco, Mexico. Collected March 6, 1897 by E.

W.

Nelson and E.A.Goldman.

Distribution.

—

Pineand oakforestsfromthe SierraNevadadeColima northtotheSantiagoRiverinJalisco,westernMexico.

Subspecijic characters.

—

SimilartoA.sieberibut smaller, withalighter shadeof blue on dorsalsurface, graver backandpalerlower surfaceon whichthereisadingybrownish washasinA.couchi.

Color.

— Top

andsidesofheadandneck,withuppersurface of wings,

rump

andtail,azure blue;chinandthroatdingygrayish white withfine black shaft streaksand shadinginto dingy gray onbreastandthence to dingywhitish on

abdomen;

undertail-coverts dingywhitish with faint gloss ofblue.

Dimensions of^type.

—

Wing,173;tail,156;culmen,25;tarsus, 43.

Aphelocoma

sieberi

potosina,

subsp. nov.

San Luis Potosi

Jay.

Type,No._144642,

$

ad.,U.S.Nat.Mus.,Biol.SurveyColl. Mountains near Jesus Maria,San Luis Potosi, Mexico. Collected byE.

W.

Nelson,

Sept.3,1S92.

Distribution.

—

Scrubbypineand oakforest on arid mountainsof the tableland in northernQueretaro, Guanajuato,San Luis Potosi, eastern Zacatecas,Coahuilaandsouthernborderof

Nuevo

Leon, Mexico.

Subspecifc characters.

—

SimilartoA- seiberi but smaller,with larger

28 Nelson, New

Birds

from

Mexico.

\j™.

bill,palerorlightershadeofblueondorsal surfaceandgrayeron throat andbreast.

Color.

— Top

and sides of head, neckand

rump

azure blue; upper surface of wings andtailadullershade of same, back azure bluewashed withashy.

Lower

surfacefromchintocrissum dullashythinlywashed with blueand shadingintowhiteof entirecrissum.

Dimensions oftype.

—

Wing,170;^tail,148;culmen,29;tarsus, 46.

Remarks. —In western-central Zacatecas this form is found intergrading with A. gracilis Miller, and the latter therefore becomes a race of A. seiberi. Compared with A. couchi the form described aboveis larger, morebluish on middle of back, andthe lower surfaceisgrayer.

Pachyrhamphus major uropygialis,

subsp. nov.

Sinaloa Pachyrhamphus.

¹

Type,No.157150,

$

ad., U.S.Nat. Mus.,Biol. SurveyColl.Plomosas, Sinaloa, Mexico. Collected July 14,1897 by E. \V. Nelson and E. A.

Goldman.

Distribution.

—

Western slope of Sierra

Madre

in Sinaloa and Tepic, Mexico.

Subspecific characters.

—

Similar to

Pachyramphus

majorfrom which

it

may

be distinguishedbythe distinctlypaler

rump

(lateralupper tail- coverts^arenearly white); the paler lower surface ofbody andlargersize.

Dimensions of type.

— Wing,

86; tail, 65; culmen, 15; tarsus, 22.

Average of 3 ad. c?sof P. major (topotypes fromJalapa, Vera Cruz, Mexico): Wing,⁸¹; tail,62.7; culmen, 15; tarsus, 21.

Melospiza adusta,

sp. nov.

Michoacan Song Sparrow.

Type,No._144046,

$

ad.,U.S.Nat.Mus.,Biol.SurveyColl. Patzcuaro,- Michoacan, Mexico. Collected July 27,1892 byE.

W.

Nelson andE.A.

Goldman.

Distribution.

— Known

onlyfrom vicinity of Patzcuaro, Michoacan, Mexico.

Subspecific characters.

—

Similartobuta littlesmallerthanMelospiza

1I

am

indebted toDr.J.A.Allen,Curatorof

Mammals

and Birds inthe

Am.

Mus. Nat.Hist.,

New

York,forthe loan offivetopotypes of P.major, collectedby Mr.F.M.

Chapman

atJalapa,VeraCruz,Mex.

V

°i899 VI

]

Nelson, New

^Birds

from

Mexico.

29

mexicana from which it differs also in being decidedly lighter and

more

rusty rufous on borders of feathers on entire dorsal surface, including wings.

On

sidesof headthedarkmarkingsare suffusedwith rusty

brown

andthewhitemarkings haveaslightwashof palebuffy.

Dimensions of^type.

—

Wing,67; ^tail,64; culmen,it; tarsus,23.

Remarks. — The young

in first

plumage

are readily distin- guished

from

those of mexicana

by

being

more

rufous above,

more

buffy

below and by

the restriction of black shaft

markings

below,mainlytobreast

and

sides ofneck, leaving therestof

under

surfacealmost

unmarked

buffywhitish.

This form

is

based on two

adults

and one young

oftheyear.

Melospiza goldmani,

sp.nov.

Goldman's Song Sparrow.

Type,No. _159182, $ad.,U.S.Nat. Mus.,Biol. SurveyColl.El Salto, Durango, Mexico. Collected July 17, 189S byE.

W.

Nelson and E. A.

Goldman.

Distribution.

—

Sierra

Madre

Mts.,western Durango, Mexico.

Specific characters.

—

This species is considerably largerand grayer thaneither

M.

mexicanaor

M.

adusta.

Color.

—

Feathersontop of headand nape dull vandykebrown with narrowshaftlines of black,anddull grayishedges on crown; feathers onshouldersandforepartof backbrightervandyke

brown

with narrow black shaft streaksandgrayishedges;

rump

and uppertail-covertsdingy vandyke brown,slightly

more

rufousoncoverts. Wing-covertslikemid- dle of backwithoutgray edgestofeathers; rufouson secondary coverts brighter than on back; quills clove

brown

edged with dull vandyke brown; tail clove

brown

washed externally with dull rufous brown.

Superciliarystripeashywhite; postocularand malarstripes,and streaks

on

ashywhitishcheeksandear coverts, dark rufous brown. Throat and middleof

abdomen

whitish; sidesofbreastandsidesofneck with small shaftspots of blackish, washed with dark rufous brown. Feathers on flanksdingyrufous

brown

edgedwith dull grayishbrown.

Dimensions oftype.

—

Wing,75^{; tail,}77; culmen, 12; tarsus,23.

Remarks. — The young

are paler or grayer

on

dorsal surface than

M.

mexicana

and much

lighter

and

less heavily streaked below.

This form

is

based on

2 adults

and one young compared

with a series ofover 20

specimens

of

M.

mexicana.

?0

Nelson,

New

Birds

from

Mexico.

\_}An.

Spizella

socialis

mexicana,

subsp. nov.

Mexican Chipping Sparrow.

Type,No.143975,

8

ad.,U.S.Nat.Mus.,Biol.SurveyColl.

From

San Cristobal,Chiapas, Mexico. Collected Sept. 24, 1S95,bvE.

W.

Nelson andE. A.Goldman.

Distribution.

—

-Highlands of southernMexico from Sierra

Madre

of Jaliscoand Cofrede Perote,VeraCruz,Mexico,souththrough Chiapasto border ofGuatemala.

Subspecific characters.

—

Differsfrom5.socialis ingenerally largersize anddarkerand morerufous coloronback.

Color of^{tvpe (in winter plumage).}

— Crown

dark, almost chestnut, rufous overlaid with black shaft lines and dullbuffj brown edge to feathers neartips;backheavily streakedwithblack,chestnut

brown

and dull buffv

brown

;

rump

plumbeous ashyindistinctly streaked with dif- fused blackish shaftlines;earcovertsdingybrown; chindingywhitish;

throat,neck and breastdark ashy; crissum white; flanks ashy thinly washedwithbrown.

Dimensions oftype.

— Wing,

72; tail,59^;culmen,10;tarsus, 17.

Re?narks.

—

Mr.

Ridgway

has

examined

the type of Spizella pinetorum

and

refers to that

form

a

specimen from Honduras which

is decidedly darker colored

and

smaller than the

form

described above. S.pinetorum appearsto

be

arace of S.socialis ranging through theparts of

Guatemala

lying east of the central highlands

and

thence into similar countryin

Honduras. From

S.s.arizona the

form

described

above may be

distinguished

by

its

much

darkercolors, slightlysmallersize

and

largerbill.

Vireo noveboracensis micrus,

subsp. nov.

Small White-eyed Vireo.

Type, No. _158930,

$

ad.,U. S. National Mus.,Biol. SurveyColl. Vic- toria,Tamaulipas, Mexico. Collected

May

23, 1898byE.

W.

Nelson andE. A.Goldman.

Distribution.

—

LowlandsofTamaulipas,Mexico.

Subspecific characters.

—

Similarto V. noveboracensis but smallerand dullercoloredwithapalerwashofyellowonflanks.

Dimensions of^type.

— Wing,

58; ^tail,50; culmen,10; tarsus, 20.

XVI

"i

Oberholser,

The Blue Honey-Creefers.

^1

1899

Geothlypis

flaviceps,sp.nov.

Yellow-headed Warbler.

Type,No. _158741,

$

^ad.,U. S.National Mus., Biological SurveyColl..

From

Alta Mira, Tamaulipas, Mexico. Collected April 20, 1898 by E.

W.

Nelson and E. A.Goldman.

Distribution.

—

Tule marshes along coast lagoons near

Tampico

in southernTamaulipas and northern Vera Cruz,Mexico.

Description of^type.

—

Color:

A

broad black

mask

from bill to line back of orbits on crown andthence

down

overcheeks and earcoverts tosidesofneck; restoftopandsides ofheadand napedistinctlyyellow, slightly washed with olive green posteriorly. Back, including upper surfaceof wings andtail olivegreen. Entirelower surfacealmostuni- form

gamboge

yellow,only alittledulleronflanks.

Dimensions of^type.

—

Wing,60; tail,56; culmen,₁₅; tarsus,21.

Remarks. — This

species is closelyrelated to

Mr.

Ridgway's.

G.flavovelatus, alsodescribed

from

AltaMira, but

may be

distin- guished at

once from

that species

by

its larger bill, greater extentof yellow

on

topof

head and

deeper yellow

under

surface.

The

type of G. flavovelatus

was

taken in

December and was probably

a

migrant from

farther north while

my specimens were taken

in April

and May and were undoubtedly

resident birds.

Dimensions

of G.flavovelatus:

Wing,

53; ^tail, 54; culmen, 12;

tarsus, 21.

A SYNOPSIS OF THE BLUE HONEY-CREEPERS OF TROPICAL AMERICA.

BY

HARRY

C.

OBERHOLSER.

This

very

homogeneous group

of Coerebidae has

by some

authors

been

called Ccereba,

by some

Caereba,

by

others Arbelo- r/iina,but unfortunately

none

of these

names

is properly appli- cable to the genus.

As Mr. Ridgway

has already

shown

^!the

1ManualofN.Amer.Birds, 1887, 590.