The Subspecies of the Mountain Chickadee

by Joseph Grinnell

Parus montanus, of authors, part.

Parus gambeli, of authors, part.

Penthestes gambeli, of authors, part.

Type locality.--Horse Creek, Siskiyou Mountains (near Seiad Valley P. O.), Siskiyou County, California. Type, male, no. 119 (orig. no., in coll. J. Grinnell); December 12, 1901; collected by Malcolm P. Anderson.

Diagnosis.--Tone of color on sides, flanks and back the same as in inyoensis, though not quite so pale, namely, in fresh plumage, cartridge buff. Tail (see figs. 2, 3) much shorter than in either gambeli or inyoensis; and bill averaging smaller than in any of the other three races.

Measurements.--Average of 14 males: Wing, 69.7 mm.; tail, 65.0; exposed culmen, 7.9; depth of bill at base, 3.8. For extremes, see accompanying table.

Range.--The higher mountains of central and northern California, southern Oregon (probably this subspecies), and northwestern Nevada. Occurs west in northern California through the Siskiyou and Salmon mountains and to South Yolla Bolly Mountain and Mount Sanhedrin; and south in the Sierra Nevada to the vicinity of Mount Whitney. Specimens examined, 182, from the following localities:

California: Modoc County: Sugar Hill, 4; Warner Mts., 27. Siskiyou County: Mt. Shasta, 3; Jackson Lake, 5900 ft., 5; South Fork Salmon River, 5000 ft., 1; head of Rush Creek, 6400 ft., 2; Kangaroo Creek, 3; Castle Lake, 5400 ft., 1; Horse Creek, Siskiyou Mts., 11; Beswick, 1. Trinity County: head of Bear Creek, 6400 ft., 4; head of Grizzly Creek, 6000 ft., 6. Tehama County: near South Yolla Bolly Mt., 4. Mendocino County: near Castle Peak, 1; near Sanhedrin Mt., 4. Lassen County: Eagle Lake, 6. Plumas County: Meadow Valley, 1. Nevada County: Independence Lake, 3. Placer County: Summit, 1; Cisco, 6000 ft., 18; Blue Canyon, 4700-5000 ft., 12; Dutch Flat, 1. Eldorado County: Tahoe Valley, 2; Kyburz Station, 1. Mariposa County: vicinity of Yosemite Valley, 13. Mono County: Warren Fork of Leevining Creek, 9200 ft., 1; Williams Butte, 7500 ft., 1. Fresno County: Bullfrog Lake, 10,600 ft., 6. Inyo County (not typical): near Kearsarge Pass at 8500 ft., 1; Little Onion Valley, 7500 ft., near Kearsarge Pass, 1; Cottonwood Lakes, 11,000 ft., 7. Tulare County (not typical): Whitney Creek, 11,000 ft., 3; Whitney Meadows, 9800 ft., 14; Olancha Peak, 10,000 ft., 1.

Nevada: Pine Forest Mts., Humboldt County, 13.