GERANOSPIZIAS, 
or 
Oo 
Geranospiza gracilis, var. niger, Lawr. Mem. Bost. Soc. N. H. ii. p. 299". 
Geranospiza cerulescens, Scl. & Salv. Ibis, 1859, p. 218"; 1860, p. 44%; Lawr. Ann. Lyc. N. Y. 
vil. p. 289°; Stone, Pr. Ac. Phil. 1890, p. 204”. 
Geranospiza cerulescens, var. niger, Ridgw. Pr. Bost. Soc. N. H. xvi. p. 857. 
Schistaceo-niger, plumis cervicis postice ad basin albis: subtus concolor, mento albo variegato, plumis 
abdominis tibiarum et tectricum caude superiorum albido stricte marginatis ; subalaribus nigris, albo 
variegatis ; remigibus subtus fasciis duabus irregularibus albidis notatis ; cauda nigra, albido terminata et 
fasciis duabus albis notata: rostro nigro, pedibus rubidis. Long. tota circa 19°5, ale 12°3, caude 9°5, 
tarsi 3°3. (Deser. femine ex Escuintla, Guatemala. Mus. nostr.) 
Juv. Loris et fronte albo intermixtis, corpore toto subtus nigricante cervino-albido transfasciato, subcaudalibus 
fere omnino cervino-albidis. 
Hab. Mexico, both coasts (Sumichrast*), Mazatlan (Grayson 12), Presidio de Mazatlan 
(forrer), Tecolapa in Colima (W. Lloyd), Cordova (Sallé1), Santa Efigenia °, 
Cacoprieto, Tonala (Swmchrast), Buctzotz and Peto in Yucatan, Meco I. 9 10 
(G. PF. Gaumer), Shkolak (Stone & Baker ©); British Honpuras, Orange Walk 
(G. I. Gaumer); Guatemata 3, Duefias! (0. S.), Savana Grande, Escuintla 
(O. S. & F. D. G.); Wonpuras, San Pedro (G. WM. Whitely +); Nicaragua, 
Chinandega, Ocotal (W. B. Richardson); Costa Rica, Pozo Azul de Pirris 
(Zeledon *); Panama, Mina de Chorcha (Arcé *), Lion Hill (M‘Leannan 1), 
This singular bird was first described? by Du Bus from a Mexican specimen, and was 
subsequently figured in his ‘ Esquisse Ornithologique’?. It has since been found to 
occur over a large part of the hotter regions of our country, from Mazatlan on the west 
coast of Mexico, and the State of Vera Cruz on the east, to Panama. Grayson 2 speaks 
of it as one of the rarest of the Falconide in Western Mexico. He only secured two 
specimens during his residence at Mazatlan. ‘These were found near ponds in the low 
ground near the Rio Mazatlan. One, shot in February, had just captured a large 
frog ; the other was obtained in April near the same place. In the stomach of each he 
found the partly digested remains of frogs, and in one a small water-snake. He 
describes the bird as having a sluggish nature, sitting listlessly for hours on the same 
branch of a tree. Mr. Stone secured a specimen near the “aguada” of Shkolak, in 
Yucatan. A specimen shot by Salvin near Duefias was in the forest of low trees which 
then skirted the hills to the eastward of the plain of Duefias. It was not near water, 
though both the Rio Guacalate and the Lake of Duefias were not far off. The stomach 
of this bird contained a small mammal. The iris was burnt-sienna colour, the outer 
portion of the ring being lighter coloured than the inner, the legs blood-orange, and 
the cere black. Duefias (4200 feet) is above the usual range of G. niger, but other 
specimens subsequently obtained by us were from the lower elevations of Savana 
Grande and Escuintla (1200 feet). All these places are on the slope of the mountains 
trending towards the Pacific Ocean. We have no record of the species being found 
6n the Atlantic side of the Cordillera in Guatemala, though it doubtless occurs there, 
