Penthestes gambeli inyoensis, new subspecies
Inyo Mountain Chickadee
Parus gambeli, of authors, part.
Penthestes gambeli, of authors, part.
Penthestes gambeli baileyae, American Ornithologists' Union Committee (1910, p. 351), part (?).
Type locality.--Panamint Mountains (northern part), 3 miles east of Jackass Spring, 6200 feet altitude, Inyo County, California. Type, male adult, no. 28782, Mus. Vert. Zool.; October 7, 1917; collected by J. Grinnell, orig. no. 4588.
Diagnosis.--The palest colored race of the four; sides, flanks and back, in unworn plumage, pervaded with pale buff--the "cartridge buff" of Ridgway (1912, pl. 30). Wear or fading, or both, removes most of this buff tone, so that the resulting effect, in spring and summer birds, is of an ashy tone of coloration, distinctly lighter than in any of the other three subspecies, in same stage. It seems probable that there is a paler tone to the underlying plumage parts and that this becomes revealed by loss of the superficial pigment-bearing portions through the gradual progress of feather abrasion. Inyoensis shows nearly as long a tail as does gambeli. Its bill is somewhat smaller.
Measurements.--Average of 10 males: Wing, 71.1 mm.; tail, 69.3; exposed culmen, 8.1; depth of bill at base, 3.7. For extremes, see accompanying table.
Range.--The higher mountains of eastern California lying east and southeast of Owens Valley, from the vicinity of the Mono Craters and the White Mountains, in Mono County, south to the Panamint Mountains, in Inyo County. Specimens examined, 50, from the following localities, all in California:
Mono County: Mono Mills, 1; near Benton, 2; near Big Prospector Meadow, 10,000-10,500 ft., White Mts., 15; Cottonwood Creek, 9200 ft., White Mts., 1. Inyo County: Silver Canyon, 7000-8000 ft., White Mts., 8; Roberts Ranch, 8300 ft., White Mts., 1; head of Black Canyon, 8000 ft., White Mts., 2; Independence, 3900 ft., 1 (vagrant); Mazourka Canyon, 8000-10,000 ft., Inyo Mts., 3; near Jackass Spring, 6000-6200 ft., Panamint Mts., 14; Hanaupah Canyon, 7500-9000 ft., Panamint Mts., 2.
Penthestes gambeli abbreviatus, new subspecies
Short-tailed Mountain Chickadee