The Santa Cruz Song Sparrow, with Notes on the Salt Marsh Song Sparrow

Abstract

Melospiza melodia santeecrucis new subspecies. Subsp. Char.-Relationship apparently nearest to IJelospiza melodia cooperi, from which it differs in smaller size, in much narrower and weaker bill, and in the greater extent and intensity of the brown markings. Type-i ad., No. 4292, Coll. J. G.; San Francisquito Creek, near Palo Alto, California; June 2, 1900; collected by J. Grinnell. Coloration--Feathers on top of the head with narrow sooty streaks, broadly edged with chestnut; narrow median crown-stripe drab gray; feathers of mantle, broadly streaked with sooty and latterally margined with hazel and clay color. Wing-coverts, secondaries and tail feathers broadly edged with bright hazel. Postocular and rictal stripes, chiefly hazel. Superciliary stripe, drab gray. Breast and sides narrowly and sparsely streaked with sooty, the streaks running forward into well-defined maxillary stripes; most of these blackish markings are bordered narrowly with bright hazel. Flanks and crissum clay color, streaked with sooty sepia. Rest of under parts pure white. Range-Along the fresh-water streams heading in the Santa Cruz Mountain Region, from San Francisco south to Monterey Bay. Measurements-The following are the average measurements in inches of all the adult skins available of the four southern coast races of iMelospiza melodia.