The Subspecies of the Mountain Chickadee — John Shaqi
The Subspecies of the Mountain ChickadeeGrinnell, Joseph
Science
The Subspecies of the Mountain Chickadee
Grinnell, Joseph
Birds -- California; Chickadees
A specimen ([Male], no. 547, Mus. Vert. Zool.) from Anthony, Baker
County, Oregon, taken October 16, 1907, might be referred to _P. g.
abbreviatus_; but the tone of color of back and sides is much darker
than usual in that form. It is certainly much darker than in _P. g.
inyoensis_. Its tail is but 65.3 mm. long. A skin ([Female], no. 18,
Morcom coll.) from Camp Harney, Harney County, Oregon, February 17,
1875, has a tail length of 67.7 mm., and in depth of color is about
intermediate between _abbreviatus_ and _P. g. gambeli_. A specimen
([Female], no. 136639, U. S. Nat. Mus., Biol. Surv. coll.) from Fort
Spokane, Lincoln County, Washington, September 28, 1890, is almost
identical with _gambeli_ in coloration; but it, too, has a short tail,
only 64.4 mm. long, though there is chance of error here, as several of
the rectrices are missing. The writer prefers to leave these last three
examples for the time being unplaced.
It is clear that intergradation between _Penthestes gambeli gambeli_
and any one of the other three subspecies is less well established than
between any two of these other three. But sufficiency of material from
the proper localities through eastern Oregon and eastern Washington
would likely prove its existence as is the case between the California
forms.
MEASUREMENTS (IN MILLIMETERS) OF SELECTED SPECIMENS REPRESENTING THE
FOUR RACES OF _Penthestes gambeli_
Key to Table Columns:
(A) Wing
(B) Tail
(C) Exposed culmen
(D) Depth of bill
_Penthestes gambeli gambeli_
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account