Page:Condor12(2).djvu/19

 Mar., 1910 STATUS OF THE CALIFORNIA BICOLORED BLACKBIRD 69 so. In these tables all the measurements were taken by myself, according to Mr. Ridgway's rules as given in "Birds of North and Middle America", and gone over twice for the .sake of extra accuracy, and yet the more unstable ones are given more for the sake of comparison than as absolute figures. The measurements of the tarsus, and middle toe without claw were, taken in a large number of cases, but, while the averages differed somewhat in specimens from different localitieS, the extremes varied so little that there was, no evidence of these measurements being of value save to show that the southern California birds were a trifle larger than those from the central region of the state. I had intended to'make some comparisons and draw some conclusions from the tables of measurements, when this article was commenced, but beyond the fact that the extremes are constantly overlapping, that the larger number of specimens one examines the greater will be the extremes, great as the variation appears even from the accompanying tables, and that with different series and numbers of specimens from those examined by Mr. Ridgway, in many cases the measurements are very close to his averages, I have only one conclusion to make. That is that the meas- urements are not to be depended on as a dividing line betveen gubernalor and phoeniceus. But if, as has been shown above, the only other differing characteristic, the middle wing coverts, fails to differentiate is there any dividing line ? .elaius gubernalor caltfornicus ? Ag. p. neut. MALES 13 adts Marin 10 adts 7 adts 5 adts 29 adts 7 adts North- 36adts Breeding plumage & San Benito Sonoma Solano Santa Stanis- ern Santa South. Co., Cal. Co.,Cal. Co.,Cal. Clara laus Co., Barbara Cal.Los Co.,Cal. Cal. Co.,Cal. Ang.&c Wing Average 125.0 127.1 126.0 126.7 126.6 125.2 124.4 Max. 130.8 134.6 130.8 133. 5 133.4 128.6 132.7 Min. 118.2 122.3 119.8 123.3 120.5 122.6 117.6 Tail Av. 87.8 '86 87.2 88.6 91.3 90 3 much Max. 92.6 98.0 95.0 92.0 96.6 92.4 worn. Min. 78.3 83.5 79.4 86.3 83.4 84.6 Culmen Av. 21.7 22.5 22.9 21.5 22.1 22.8 23.0 from Max. 23.1 24.4 24. 3 22.3 24.8 23.3 25.3 base. Min. 20. 5 20.9 21.6 20.5 20.3 22.2 21.1 Depth of Av. 11.8 11.2 11.6 ILl 12.7 (12.8 12.6 bill at Max. 12.1 11.9 12.1 11.4 13. 9 13.6 14.1 base. Min. 11.2 10.3 11.2 10.3 11.3 12.2 11.3 Width of Av. 9.3 9.1 9.1 9.1 10.0 10.0 9.9 bill at Max. 9.9 9.6 9.6 9.3 11.7 10.6 11.1 base. Min. 8.3 8.6 8.8 8.9 9.3 9.4 9.2 Width of Av. 4.2 4.2 4.0 4.5 4.9 4.5 4.5 bill at mid. Max. 4.6 4.5 4.3 4.8 5.7 4.7 5.4 of cnlmen Min. 3.7 4.0 3.6 4.3 4.4 4.3 4.4 FEMALES 13 adts 8 adts 2 adts 4 adts 18 adts 2 adt 6 adts Breeding plumage Win g Av. 105.6 104. 8 104.9 104. 9 102.9 bad ly 101.3 Max. 108.9 109.4 105. 7 106.5 109.5 worn 105.2 Min. 101.5 102.1 104.1 103.9 98. 8 96.5 Tail Av. 72.6 73.9 73.5 72.2 75.0 badly 73.3 Max. 78.9 75.9 76.7 75.4 82.3 worn 78.4 Min. 68.0 72.6 70.3 69.9 68.2 67.7 Culmen Av. 18..5 18.9 19.4 18.6 19.3 19.8 19.5 from Max. 20.6 20.1 19.7 19. 2 20.3 20.1 20. 4 base. [in. 17.6 !8.1 19,2 17. 8 !7..8 19.5 19,.1