Page:Condor15(2).djvu/27

Mar., 1913 A NEW RACE OF ROSY FINCH_ FROM'THE SIERRA NEVADA ' 77 As giving foundation for suspecting the true state of affairs, even before this material was available for examination, the writer had assured himself that, as far as known, in not one .single Boreal mammal.or resident bird (other than the Rosy Finch) was the subspecies (or species) identical on the Sierra Nevada and on the northern Rocky Mountains. If the' Rosy Finch should prove abso.- lutely the same in the two areas, it would constitute the only known exception, and would for this very reason merit particular comment. The writer was prompted to see if the Rosy Finch had really defied the forces causing geographic variation in the other animals. Frankly, he would have been astonished to find the behavior of the Rosy Finch out of harmony with that of mammals and other birds of similar ecologic relationships. But--critical study leads straight to the thesis that as with the other animals isolation of habitat by long distance .(and under differing conditions) has resulted in subspecific' divergence. l, eueosticte tephrocotis dawsoni, new subspecies Sierra Nevada Rosy ' Finch ?YP?:.--Male juvenal; no. 2o217, Univ. Calif. Mus. Vert. Zool.; Whitney Meadows, 980o feet altitude, Sierra Nevada, Tulare County, California; August 7, 1911; collected by J. Grinneil. - DIAGNOSTIC CHARACTER$.--As.?Compared ? with its nearest relative, Leucosticte tephrocotis tephrocotis Swainson, of the northern Rocky Mountain region, in Brkish America and western Alaska: general coloration in all plumages grayer toned, less intensely brown, size slightly less, the bill being distinctly less in bulk, and wing averaging more rounded-; juvenal plumage much grayer especially anteriorly both above and below; breeding females less different; breeding males . least different, but still perceptibly less vivid in the chestnut about the head. MATER1A[_--Of true tephrocotis there is available a series of twenty?three fresh skins loaned for the use of the writer bv the authorities of the United States National Museum. These ar? beautifully-prepared specimens colle?ed in the summer of 19?1 by Messrs. Joseph H.'Riley and Ned Hollister. The locali- ties of capture are Moose Pass, and Moose Branch of the Smoky River, both in the Canadian Rockies and near to one another, the former in British Columbia the latter in Alberta. Since these localities are not on any map at hand? the writer was furnished information as to their whereabouts from Mr. Riley, to. who TM he is also indebted for the courtesy of offering him the material for sys- tematic use. Of dawsoni the material at hand consists of fifty-six specimens contained in the Museum of Vertebrate Zoology, chiefly of 1911 and 1912 collecting, in the Sierra Nevada of Tulare, Inyo and Eldorado counties, California. In detail the material at band is made up of plumage-stages as follows: Leucosticte t. tephrocotis 7' adult males (July, August), in more or less worn breeding and post- breeding. plumage. 8 adult females (July, August), same condition. 8 juvenals (July, August), wing and tail feathers not fully unsheathed. Leucosticte 't. dawsoni 18 adult males (May to August), in more or less worn breeding and post*. breeding plumage. ?2 adult females (May to August), same'condition. 11 adult.males (September), molting to full winter plumage. 4 adult females (September), molting to full winter plumage.