Jan., 1915 , TIlE KERN REDWING 13 the area selected for his objective being that lying along the southern side of the South Fork of the Kern River, Kern County, California, and also what is known as Walker Basin, between the town of Caliente and the above named river. Although the expedition was delayed in arriving at the main collecting ground, and consequently the number and stage of plumage of the individuals collected were not up to the desired mark, both are sufficient to make a fair comparison with the nearest forms, the series being composed of twenty adult males and eleven females. Three males were kindly loaned me by Dr. Grinnell, of the California Museum of Vertebrate Zoology, bringing the number of adult males examined to twenty-three. All these specimens were taken too late in the spring to be in very good plumage, and the wings and tails were sadly abraded, while the edging of the feathers was fast being worn away; but the measurements of the more permanent parts being the greatest factors in mak- ing comparisons in this instance, the condition of the plumage is of minor importance. Agelaius 10hoeniceus aciculatus, new subspecies .Kern Redwing Type.--Male adult; no. 7593, collection of J. & J. W. Mailliard; Isabella, Kern County, California; May 30, 1914; collected by A. van Rossera. ?ubspecific characters.--Similar to Agelaius phoeniceus neutralis, but of larger size, feet averaging somewhat larger; but chiefly characterized by a longer, and com- paratively more slender bill than any other form of this genus in the United States. Cotype.--Female adult; no. 7594, collection of J. & J. W. Mailliard; Isabella, Kern County, California; June 1, 1914; collected by A. van Rossera. Measurements in millimeters.-- Type, ? adult Min. 21 adult males ........ Max. Ave. Cotype, 9 adult 125.3 93.5 27.6 9.6 12.7 30.3 23.3 122.2 83.6 25.1 9.1 11.1 28.8 21.9 131.1 98.8 31.4 10.1 13.7 30.4 24.4
126.2 92.4 27.2 9.7 12.4 29.5 23.1
115.4 78.0 23.1 8.3 10.3 25.8 20.6 10.3 25.1 19.0 11.6 27.1 21.4 11.0 25.7 20.3 ( Min. 111.4 72.8 21.2 8.0 11 adult females.... ? Max. 115.5 78.3 23.9 9.0 ( Ave. 113.9 76.3 22.9 8.2 Range.--So far this form has only been found in east-central Kern County, Cali- fornia, in the Walker Basin, just north of the town of Caliente, and on the South Fork of Kern River, between Isabella and Onyx, thus probably being restricted to a very small range. Remarks.--The length of a skin is not of much value unless specimens are so prepared as to approximate fairly closely the original flesh length, or unless this measurement is used only in comparing a number of skins put up by the same person. In this particular instance 31 skins of male A. p. neutralis were compared with 20 skins of A. p. aciculatus, and the result showed an average length of 211 min. for the former and 221 min. for aciculatus, with a similarly proportionate difference among a number of females compared under like con- ditions. These measurements approximate those of A. p. fortis, which is sup- posed to be the largest form of Agelaius.
