Birds from Coahuila, Mexico Part 8

**_Certhia familiaris albescens_ Berlepsch.--_Specimens examined:_ total 3: s.e.x ? 32805 from 13 mi. E San Antonio de las Alazanas, July 7, 1955; [Male] [Male] 31610-31611 from 3 mi. S, 13 mi. E San Antonio de las Alazanas, 8900 ft., January 12, 1954.

Miller, Friedmann, Griscom, and Moore (1957:143) reported _C. f.

albescens_ from "southern Coahuila." Nos. 31610-31611 and 32805 represent the only other records of this subspecies from the State. The date (July 7) on which No. 32805 was obtained suggests that this bird was a resident 13 mi. E San Antonio de las Alazanas.

_Troglodytes aedon parkmanii_ Audubon.--_Specimen examined:_ one, s.e.x ?

29556, from 1.5 mi. N Parras, 5500 ft., November 10, 1949, weight, 9.8 gms.

Burleigh and Lowery (1942:197) recorded the House Wren "in small numbers about Saltillo where occasional birds, presumably migrants, were noted in thickets or stretches of underbrush fringing cultivated fields." They obtained a single male "on the outskirts of Saltillo."

h.e.l.lmayr (1934:218) listed _T. a. parkmanii_ from Sabinas.

*_Troglodytes brunneicollis cahooni_ Brewster.--Typical representatives of this subspecies of the Brown-throated Wren occur in northern Coahuila. In the Sierra del Carmen, Miller (1955a:170) found _T. b.

cahooni_ that in no way suggested _compositus_ of the Sierra Madre Oriental. Burleigh and Lowery (1942:198) recorded a _cahooni_-like specimen from Diamante Pa.s.s in southern Coahuila.

**_Troglodytes brunneicollis compositus_ Griscom.--_Specimen examined:_ one, [Male] 32819, from 13 mi. E San Antonio de las Alazanas, July 6, 1955.

The subspecies _cahooni_ and _compositus_ of the Brown-throated Wren seem to intergrade in the southern part of the State. Although No.

32819 represents the subspecies _compositus_, the somewhat whitish abdomen and the fairly large spots of the lesser wing coverts suggest some relationship with _cahooni_. In addition to the present record, Miller, Friedmann, Griscom, and Moore (1957:163) recorded _T. b.

compositus_ from southern Coahuila at Sierra Guadalupe. The record of _T. b. cahooni_ from Sierra Guadalupe (Ridgway, 1904:588) I suspect probably represents _T. b. compositus_ or an intergrade between _compositus_ and _cahooni_. The date (July 6) on which No. 32819 was obtained 13 mi. E San Antonio de las Alazanas suggests that this bird was resident there.

*_Thryomanes bewickii eremophilus_ Oberholser.--_Specimens examined:_ total 3: [Male] 32088 from 2 mi. W Jimenez, 850 ft., June 20, 1952; [Female] 31061 from 4 mi. W Hacienda La Mariposa, 2300 ft., March 24, 1952, weight, 10.8 gms.; and [Male] 31660 from the north foot of Sierra Guadalupe (=10 mi. S, 5 mi. W General Cepeda), 6500 ft., April 21, 1953, weight, 13 gms.

Bewick's Wren occurs commonly in Coahuila. Miller, Friedmann, Griscom, and Moore (1957:160) reported that, in Coahuila, _T. b. eremophilus_ "intergrades in the eastern and southern sections with _T. b. cryptus_ and _T. b. murinus_, respectively." The slightly darker coloration of No. 31660, suggesting a resemblance to _T. b. murinus_, is the only evidence of intergradation of _T. b. murinus_ and _eremophilus_ that I have found.

Miller (1955a:170) stated that _T. b. eremophilus_ was "common in the piedmont area on yucca-dotted slopes and along the lower canyon walls in growth of pinon, yucca, and cactus" in the Sierra del Carmen, and reported breeding there. Burleigh and Lowery (1942:198) remarked that _T. b. eremophilus_ "proved without question to be the most widely distributed and abundant wren" in the Saltillo region. The series that Burleigh and Lowery (_loc. cit._) a.s.sembled "proved to be uniform and clearly referable to" _T. b. eremophilus_. Sutton and Burleigh (1939a:36) noted _Thryomanes bewickii_ at San Pedro on January 29 and 30. Hardy saw a male _T. b. eremophilus_ at Parras on July 4, 1955.

Ridgway (1904:557) listed _T. b. eremophilus_ from Saltillo in April and as breeding at Sabinas.

The sizes of the testes (8 mm.; 64 mm.) of Nos. 32088 and 31660, respectively, suggest breeding 2 mi. W Jimenez and Sierra Guadalupe.

**_Thryomanes bewickii cryptus_ Oberholser.--Miller, Friedmann, Griscom, and Moore (1957:161) recorded _T. b. cryptus_ from Saltillo.

*_Thryothorus ludovicia.n.u.s berlandieri_ Baird.--_Specimens examined:_ total 3: [Male] 32086 from 12 mi. N, 12 mi. W Jimenez, 850 ft., June 19, 1952; s.e.x ? 32087 from 2 mi. W Jimenez, June 20, 1952; and [Female]

31063 from 8 mi. N, 4 mi. W Muzquiz, 1800 ft., April 1, 1952, weight, 18.3 gms.

One subspecies of the Carolina Wren, _berlandieri_, occurs in Coahuila in the northeastern section of the State. Ridgway (1904:547) recorded _T. l. berlandieri_ from Sabinas. The fact that No. 32086 was a juvenile suggests that the Carolina Wren breeds 12 mi. N and 12 mi. W Jimenez.

*_Campylorhynchus brunneicapillum couesi_ Sharpe.--_Specimens examined:_ total 6: [Male] 29429 from Canon del Cochino (=16 mi. N, 21 mi. E Piedra Blanca), 3200 ft., April 6, 1950; [Male] 31064 from 7 mi.

S, 2 mi. E Boquillas, 800 ft., February 29, 1952, weight, 38.1 gms.; [Female] 31066 (skeleton only) from 10 mi. S, 5 mi. E Boquillas, 1500 ft., March 5, 1952; [Male] 31637 from La Gacha (=La Concha), December 1, 1953, weight, 40 gms.; [Male] 31638 from 18 mi. S Ocampo, December 16, 1953; and s.e.x ? 29557 from 7 mi. S, 1 mi. E Gomez Farias, 6500 ft., November 18, 1949, weight, 41 gms.

This subspecies of the Cactus Wren occurs throughout Coahuila except in the extreme southeastern section of the State, where the subspecies _C.

b. guttatus_ occurs. Miller (1955a:169) found _C. b. couesi_ breeding and occupying the open swales and mesas at the base of the mountains of the Sierra del Carmen. Burleigh and Lowery (1942:198) found _C.

brunneicapillum_ "to be rather scarce and decidedly local in its distribution" and observed an occasional bird "in the open desert country west of Saltillo." Miller, Friedmann, Griscom, and Moore (1957:151) recorded _C. b. couesi_ "south to [the] vicinity of Monclova."

No. 29557 does not have any characters of _C. b. guttatus_; its under tail coverts and flanks have roundish black spots, rather than black bars as in _C. b. guttatus_.

**_Campylorhynchus brunneicapillum guttatus_ (Gould).--This subspecies of Cactus Wren seems to occupy the extreme southeastern section of Coahuila. Miller, Friedmann, Griscom, and Moore (1957:152) recorded _C.

b. guttatus_ from Hipolito.

_Telmatodytes pal.u.s.tris plesius_ (Oberholser).--Miller, Friedmann, Griscom, and Moore (1957:148) reported this subspecies of the Long-billed Marsh Wren from 8 mi. S Cuatro Cienegas.

*_Catherpes mexica.n.u.s albifrons_ (Giraud).--Miller (1955a:170) found this subspecies of Canon Wren "in shaded rocky canyons and on larger cliff slopes at the base of the mountains from 4700 to 5300 feet" in the Sierra del Carmen where it nested. Burleigh and Lowery (1942:198) noted that the Canon Wren was "decidedly uncommon" at Saltillo and obtained a male at the Chorro de Agua on April 19. Ridgway (1904:657) listed _C. m. albifrons_ from Patos.

*_Salpinctes obsoletus obsoletus_ (Say).--_Specimens examined:_ total 4: [Female] 31067 from 1 mi. N Boquillas, 700 ft., March 6, 1952, weight, 16.1 gms.; [Female] 31068 from 7 mi. S, 2 mi. E Boquillas, 800 ft., March 1, 1952, weight, 18.2 gms.; s.e.x ? 29558 from 12 mi. N, 10 mi. E Parras, 5000 ft., November 11, 1949, weight, 16.9 gms.; and [Male] 32089 from 7 mi. S, 4 mi. E Bella Union 7200 ft., June 24, 1952.

The Rock Wren is common in Coahuila. Miller (1955a:170) found _S. o.

obsoletus_ "only in the rocky piedmont and on lower bare canyon faces"

and stated that Marsh took a bird in fresh fall plumage on September 6 at El Jardin. Sutton and Burleigh (1939a:37) found the Rock Wren "near San Pedro." Burleigh and Lowery (1942:198) wrote that the subspecies _obsoletus_ was "characteristically a bird of the arroyos of the arid plateau about Saltillo, where it was fairly common...." The large size of the testes (53 mm.) of No. 32089 and the date (June 24) on which it was obtained suggest breeding by the Rock Wren 7 mi. S and 4 mi. E Bella Union.

*_Mimus polyglottos leucopterus_ (Vigors).--_Specimens examined:_ total 5: [Female] 31070 from 10 mi. S, 5 mi. E Boquillas, 1500 ft., March 5, 1952, weight, 55.1 gms.; [Male] [Male] 32094-32095 from 2 mi. W Jimenez, 850 ft., June 20, 1952; [Male] 32096 from 5 mi. N, 19 mi. W Cuatro Cienegas, 3250 ft., July 5, 1952; and [Male] 33186 (skeleton only) from Parras, July 5, 1955, testes, 63 mm.

The Mockingbird is spa.r.s.ely distributed throughout Coahuila. Miller (1955a:170) found _M. p. leucopterus_ in the mesquite and catclaw at the base of the mountains in the Sierra del Carmen. Sutton and Burleigh (1939a:37) reported _M. p. leucopterus_ from Diamante Pa.s.s. Amadon and Phillips (1947:578) found a young Mockingbird out of the nest begging for food from an adult on August 18 at Las Delicias. Burleigh and Lowery (1942:199) found the Mockingbird on the arid plateau "about Saltillo." h.e.l.lmayr (1934:308) listed _M. p. leucopterus_ from Jaral.

Findley saw Mockingbirds 2 mi. S and 3 mi. E San Juan de Sabinas on June 22, 1952. d.i.c.kerman saw Mockingbirds in the Sierra del Pino on May 12, 1954, and 8 mi. E and 2 mi. S Americanos on May 18, 1954. The sizes of the testes (8, 7 mm.) of Nos. 32094 and 32096, respectively, suggest breeding 2 mi. W Jimenez and 5 mi. N and 19 mi. W Cuatro Cienegas, as does No. 32095, a juvenile.

*_Toxostoma longirostre sennetti_ (Ridgway).--_Specimen examined:_ one, [Male] 32090, from 2 mi. S, 3 mi. E San Juan de Sabinas, June 22, 1952.

In Coahuila the Long-billed Thrasher seems to be uncommon. It has been recorded in Coahuila as far west as San Juan de Sabinas. Ridgway (1907:192) recorded _T. l. sennetti_ from Sabinas, the only other record of the Long-billed Thrasher, to my knowledge, from the State.

The large size of the testes (116 mm.) of No. 32090 and the date (June 22) on which it was obtained suggest that _T. l. sennetti_ breeds 2 mi.

S and 3 mi. E San Juan de Sabinas.

*_Toxostoma curvirostre celsum_ Moore.--_Specimens examined:_ total 2: [Female] 31071 from 7 mi. S, 2 mi. E Boquillas, March 1, 1952, wing, 111 mm., tail, 114 mm., weight, 97.2 gms.; and [Female] 31072 (skeleton only) from 10 mi. S, 5 mi. E Boquillas, 1500 ft., March 5, 1952.

This subspecies of the Curve-billed Thrasher occurs in northwestern Coahuila. Specimens of _T. c. celsum_ and _oberholseri_ from Coahuila are too few to show clearly the distribution and intergradation in Coahuila.

No. 31071 is referred to _T. c. celsum_ because of large size; the spots on its upper abdomen, which are large and p.r.o.nounced, suggest a relationship with _T. c. oberholseri_. Miller (1955a:170) remarked that _T. c. celsum_ was a scarce resident of the desert scrub at the mouth of Boquillas Canyon of the Sierra del Carmen.

*_Toxostoma curvirostre oberholseri_ Law.--_Specimens examined:_ total 5: [Female] 35405 (skeleton only) from 4 mi. N San Isidro, May 11, 1954; [Female] 32091 from 5 mi. N, 19 mi. W Cuatro Cienegas, 3250 ft., July 5, 1952; [Male] 32833 from Parras, July 4, 1955, weight, 76.5 gms.; [Female] 32092 from 7 mi. S, 4 mi. E Bella Union, 7200 ft., June 25, 1952; and [Male] 31614 from 16 mi. W San Antonio de las Alazanas, 6500 ft., January 7, 1954, weight, 90 gms.

This subspecies of the Curve-billed Thrasher occurs in eastern and southern Coahuila. Amadon and Phillips (1947:578) took a Curve-billed Thrasher twenty miles west of Saltillo that had an enlarged ovary and a brood patch still somewhat evident on August 27. Burleigh and Lowery (1942:199) stated that _T. c. oberholseri_ "was rather widely and commonly distributed, being noted from the area about the summit of Diamante Pa.s.s at 7,800 feet down to the desert country about Saltillo."

Miller, Friedmann, Griscom, and Moore (1957:177) recorded _T. c.

oberholseri_ from Sabinas, from 8 mi. S Cuatro Cienegas, and from El Diamante. h.e.l.lmayr (1934:298) also recorded _T. c. oberholseri_ from Sabinas, as did Ridgway (1907:199) under the name _T. c. curvirostre_ before the subspecies _oberholseri_ was named. The female from 4 mi. N San Isidro had an egg in its oviduct. The immature male (32833), the large size of ovum (8 mm.) of No. 32092, and the presence of a brood patch on No. 32091 also are evidences of breeding by the Curve-billed Thrasher in Coahuila.

*_Toxostoma dorsale dorsale_ Henry.--The Crissal Thrasher is uncommon in Coahuila. The subspecies _dorsale_ occurs in northern Coahuila.

Miller (1955a:170-171) found the subspecies _dorsale_, at about 4700 feet, only in the mesquite, desert willow, and walnut scrub along the wash of Boquillas Canyon of the Sierra del Carmen and remarked also that the bird nested there.

**_Toxostoma dorsale dumosum_ Moore.--_Specimen examined:_ one, s.e.x ?

29559, from 8 mi. N La Ventura, 6000 ft., November 17, 1949, weight, 57.0 gms.

The subspecies _dumosum_ of the Crissal Thrasher in Coahuila has been reported only from the southeastern section of the State. Burleigh and Lowery (1942:199-200) found _T. d. dumosum_ "not uncommon in the lower foot-hills outside of Saltillo as well as on the summit of Diamante Pa.s.s." The specimen of _T. d. dorsale_ from Diamante Pa.s.s reported by Sutton and Burleigh (1939a:37) is closer, according to Burleigh and Lowery (1942:199), to _T. d. dumosum_. No. 29559 is darker above and below than typical specimens of _T. d. dorsale_ and represents _T. d.

dumosum_.

_Oreoscoptes monta.n.u.s_ (Townsend).--_Specimen examined:_ one, s.e.x ?

30237, from 1 mi. SW San Pedro de las Colonias, 3700 ft., February 8, 1951.

The Sage Thrasher seems to be a winter visitant to Coahuila. Miller, Friedmann, Griscom, and Moore (1957:173) recorded the species in November from 8 mi. S Cuatro Cienegas.

*_t.u.r.dus migratorius propinquus_ Ridgway.--_Specimen examined:_ one, [Female] 31073 (skeleton only) from 4 mi. W Hacienda La Mariposa, 2300 ft., March 24, 1952.

Burleigh and Lowery (1942:200) stated that "the Robin apparently breeds rather sparingly on the higher ridges" in southeastern Coahuila. They collected a pair "in the open pine woods just below the summit of Diamante Pa.s.s" on April 15 and noted another at the Chorro del Agua on April 19.

**_Ridgwayia pinicola_ (Sclater).--_Specimen examined:_ one, [Male]