_?? Lanius elegans_, SW. F. B. A. II, 1831, 122.—NUTTALL, Man. I,
1840, 287.—CASSIN, Pr. A. N. Sc. 1857, 213.—BAIRD, Birds N. Am.
1858, 327. _Collyrio elegans_, BAIRD, Birds N. Am. 1858, 328.
_Collurio elegans_, BAIRD, Rev. Am. B. 1864, 444.—COOPER, Orn.
Cal. 1, 1870, 140. (According to DRESSER & SHARPE, P. Z. S. 1870,
595, who have examined the type, the _L. elegans_ of Swainson is
the same as _L. lahtora_, SYKES, of Siberia.)
HAB. California?
The description already given is taken from a specimen in the
collection of the Philadelphia Academy, labelled as having been
collected in California by Dr. Gambel, and is very decidedly different
from any of the recognized North American species. Of nearly the size
of _C. excubitoroides_ and _ludovicianus_, it has a bill even more
powerful than that of _C. borealis_. In its unwaved under parts and
uniform color of the entire upper surface, except scapulars, it
differs from _borealis_ and _excubitoroides_, and resembles
_ludovicianus_. In the extension of white over the inner webs of the
secondaries, it closely resembles _C. excubitor_. The great
restriction of white at the base of the tail—the four central feathers
being entirely black, and the bases of the others grayish-ashy—is
quite peculiar to the species.
The specimen in the Philadelphia Academy we originally referred to the
_L. elegans_ of Swainson, alleged to have come from the fur countries,
as although some appreciable differences presented themselves,
especially in the coloration of the tail, these were considered as
resulting from an imperfect description. Messrs. Sharpe and Dresser,
however, as quoted above, show that Swainson’s type really belongs to
_L. lahtora_, an Old World species. We therefore find it expedient to
give a new name to the variety, having no reason to discredit the
alleged locality of the specimen.
Collurio ludovicianus, var. excubitoroides, BAIRD.