Birds from Coahuila, Mexico Part 14

This subspecies of the Black-throated Sparrow occurs in northwestern Coahuila. Miller (1955a:176) stated that the Black-throated Sparrow was moderately common in the open desert scrub at the base of the Sierra del Carmen below 4800 feet. He said that the series of Black-throated Sparrows from the Sierra del Carmen "resembles most the race _opuntia_ of western Texas ... but shows some intergradation toward _grisea_ of southern Coahuila and toward _A. b. bilineata_ of eastern Coahuila." He remarked also that the specimen from Jardin del Sur, which Marsh and Stevenson (1938:287) reported as _A. b. grisea_, was in extremely worn, dirty summer plumage and contributed nothing reliable to racial determination.

*_Amphispiza bilineata grisea_ Nelson.--_Specimen examined:_ one, [Male] 31665, from the north foot of Sierra Guadalupe (=10 mi. S, 5 mi.

W General Cepeda), 6500 ft., April 25, 1953.

_A. b. grisea_ is the subspecies of Black-throated Sparrow in southern Coahuila. Burleigh and Lowery (1942:208) saw this sparrow "frequently on the arid plateau around Saltillo" and obtained specimens there that were identified as _A. b. grisea_. Amadon and Phillips (1947:581) saw individuals on August 8 and 28 that were feeding "fledged young near Saltillo." The size of its wing (68.5 mm.), the slaty color of its back, and the size (8 mm.) of the white spot on its lateral tail feather suggest that No. 31665 is characteristic of _A. b. grisea_. The size of the testes (4.53 mm.) of No. 31665 indicates that _A. b.

grisea_ may breed in southern Coahuila.

*_Junco phaeonotus palliatus_ Ridgway.--_Specimens examined:_ total 3: [Male] 35402 (skeleton only) from 13 mi. E San Antonio de las Alazanas, 9345 ft., April 10, 1954; [Female] 33226 (skeleton only) from 13 mi. E San Antonio de las Alazanas, 9950 ft., July 6, 1955; and [Male] 31633 from Mesa de Tablas, 8600 ft., January 16, 1954, weight, 22 gms.

In Coahuila the Mexican Junco seems to be common. Miller (1955a:177) found it in the conifers of the upper Corte Madera drainage at 7500 feet and up to 8800 feet on Loomis Peak in the Sierra del Carmen. Marsh and Stevenson (1938:287) took an adult in Vivoras Canyon on August 14 in the Sierra del Carmen. Sutton and Burleigh (1939a:46) found small flocks at Diamante Pa.s.s in March. Burleigh and Lowery (1942:208-209) noted _J. p. palliatus_ as a common bird of the mountain slopes above an elevation of about 7000 feet in southeastern Coahuila, and obtained specimens at Diamante Pa.s.s. Ridgway (1901:300) recorded _J. p.

phaeonotus_ from Sierra Encarnacion. His record should be of _J. p.

palliatus_ as indicated by Miller, Friedmann, Griscom, and Moore (1957:386). d.i.c.kerman saw Mexican Juncos in the Sierra de la Madera on December 13, 1953.

No. 31633 shows no sign of intergrading with _J. p. phaeonotus_ to the south. The outermost rectrix of No. 31633 is wholly white; the second rectrix is nearly as white. No. 31633 is paler than representatives of _J. p. phaeonotus_ from the southern part of the Central Plateau of Mexico.

_Spizella pa.s.serina arizonae_ Coues.--_Specimens examined:_ total 4: [Male] 31110 from the Rio Grande (=17 mi. S Dryden, Terrell Co., Texas, in Coahuila), 600 ft., March 18, 1952, weight, 10.7 gms. [Male] 31111 and [Female] 31112 from 4 mi. W Hacienda La Mariposa, 2300 ft., March 24, 1952, weights, 11.0, 11.7 gms.; and [Male] 31666 from the north foot of Sierra Guadalupe (=10 mi. S, 5 mi. W General Cepeda), 6400 ft., April 19, 1953, weight, 14.0 gms.

The Chipping Sparrow is a common spring and possibly fall migrant in Coahuila. Miller (1955a:177) noted small flocks from April 21 to 27 in the Sierra del Carmen where specimens were taken. Burleigh and Lowery (1942:209) indicated that _S. p. arizonae_ was "quite common and of general distribution" at Saltillo and Diamante Pa.s.s and remarked that specimens were taken at these localities in April. Amadon and Phillips (1947:581) took two Chipping Sparrows "near Las Delicias on August 17."

d.i.c.kerman saw individuals in the Sierra del Pino on May 12, 1954, and at San Marcos on May 4, 1954. Our specimens, which are typical representatives of _S. p. arizonae_, are pale; the ground color of their backs is grayish buff.

_Spizella pallida_ (Swainson).--The Clay-colored Sparrow is a migrant or winter visitant in Coahuila. Burleigh and Lowery (1942:209) saw "large flocks of sparrows, mostly of this species, ... on frequent occasions in the cultivated fields and orchards on the outskirts of Saltillo." Four specimens were taken by Burleigh and Lowery (_loc.

cit._) on April 19 and 20 at Saltillo.

_Spizella breweri breweri_ Ca.s.sin.--_Specimens examined:_ total 2: [Female] 31115 from the Rio Grande (=17 mi. S Dryden, Terrell Co., Texas, in Coahuila), 600 ft., March 18, 1952, weight, 8.2 gms.; and [Male] 31114 from 28 mi. S, 11 mi. E Boquillas, 2000 ft., March 12, 1952, weight, 9.7 gms.

Brewer's Sparrow is probably a winter resident in much of Coahuila.

Miller, Friedmann, Griscom, and Moore (1957:389) recorded _S. b.

breweri_ from 25 mi. NW Monclova on November 20 and from 8 mi. S Cuatro Cienegas on November 15. The only definite records obtained by Burleigh and Lowery (1942:209) of _S. b. breweri_ are those of a female and a male taken "near Saltillo" on April 16 and 18. The size of the dorsal area of sandy buff with narrow streakings of Nos. 31114-31115 suggests _S. b. breweri_.

_Spizella pusilla arenacea_ Chadbourne.--_Specimen examined:_ one, [Male] 31116, from 4 mi. W Hacienda La Mariposa, 2300 ft., March 24, 1952, weight, 13.1 gms.

The Field Sparrow is an uncommon spring and probably fall migrant in Coahuila. Other than No. 31116, _S. p. arenacea_ has only been recorded from Sabinas in March, when three specimens were obtained (Miller, Friedmann, Griscom, and Moore, 1957:390). The coloration of No. 31116 is much grayer and the black streaks on its back are much narrower than on typical representatives of _S. p. pusilla_.

**_Spizella wortheni wortheni_ Ridgway.--The single specimen of Worthen's Sparrow obtained by Burleigh and Lowery (1942:209) "just outside the limits of Saltillo on April 16" represents the only record of occurrence of this species in Coahuila.

**_Spizella atrogularis atrogularis_ (Cabanis).--Miller, Friedmann, Griscom, and Moore (1957:391) remarked that the Black-chinned Sparrow is a common resident of the Central Plateau from Durango and southern Coahuila southward. Burleigh and Lowery (1942:212) noted the species only at the foot of the mountains of southeastern Coahuila where, at 6000 feet, scattered pairs were found. Miller (1955a:177) observed a male on April 23 on a slope at the mouth of Boquillas Canyon of the Sierra del Carmen; he presumed it to be a transient.

_Zonotrichia leucophrys leucophrys_ (Forster).--_Specimen examined:_ one, [Male] 30243, from 1 mi. SW San Pedro de las Colonias, 3700 ft., February 8, 1951.

The White-crowned Sparrow is a fairly common migrant or winter visitant in Coahuila. Miller, Friedman, Griscom, and Moore (1957:393) recorded _Z. l. leucophrys_ from Sabinas on March 16 and February 23. Burleigh and Lowery (1942:212) remarked that "small flocks of White-crowned Sparrows were seen at infrequent intervals in thickets and stretches of underbrush on the outskirts of Saltillo on April 18 and again on April 24 ... [and] near a small town some twenty miles west of Saltillo on April 22." Specimens that Burleigh and Lowery (_loc. cit._) collected "near Saltillo" were identified as _Z. l. leucophrys_.

_Zonotrichia leucophrys gambelii_ (Nuttall).--_Specimen examined:_ one, [Male] 31117, from Sierra de la Encantada (=38 mi. S, 23 mi. E Boquillas), 4400 ft., March 15, 1952.

Miller (1955a:177) noted _Z. l. gambelii_ on April 27 at 4600 feet in Boquillas wash in the Sierra del Carmen. h.e.l.lmayr (1938:568) listed _Z.

l. gambelii_ from Sabinas.

_Zontrichia leucophrys oriantha_ Oberholser.--This subspecies has been recorded from Sabinas on April 25 and Hipolito on November 5 (Miller, Friedmann, Griscom, and Moore, 1957:393).

_Melospiza lincolnii lincolnii_ (Audubon).--_Specimen examined:_ one, [Female] 31595, from 20 mi. S Ocampo, 7000 ft., April 5, 1954, measurements: wing, 58 mm.; tail, 50 mm.; weight, 12 gms.

Lincoln's Sparrow seems to be a fairly common migrant or winter visitant in Coahuila; _M. l. lincolnii_ is the common subspecies.

Burleigh and Lowery (1942:212) found this sparrow only in a grain field situated between a small pond and a narrow stream on the outskirts of Saltillo; the four specimens collected were identified as _M. l.

lincolnii_. No. 31595 was obtained in a pine-oak a.s.sociation.

_Melospiza lincolnii alticola_ (Miller and McCabe).--Miller, Friedmann, Griscom, and Moore (1957:398) listed _M. l. alticola_, which seems to be uncommon in Coahuila, from Sabinas on March 14.

_Melospiza lincolnii gracilis_ (Kittlitz).--Miller (1955a:177) took an uns.e.xed representative of _M. l. gracilis_ on April 7 in Carb.o.n.e.ras Canyon of the Sierra del Carmen at 6700 feet. This occurrence is at the extreme eastern range of this subspecies.

_Melospiza georgiana ericrypta_ Oberholser.--In Coahuila this subspecies of the Swamp Sparrow has been recorded as a migrant or winter visitant. Miller, Friedmann, Griscom, and Moore (1957:399) recorded it from Sabinas on February 22 to March 8 and from 8 mi. S Cuatro Cienegas on November 4.