76' PROCEEDINGS OP THE ACADEMY OP 



edges of a few primaries, the inner edges of which, however, show 

 it a little more plainly. For the rest, the secondaries and coverts 

 are evidently ochrey-whitish margined. The bird will average 

 smaller than lawrencii, bnt the difference in size is not marked. 



The three specimens examined, one of them the basis of Mr. 

 Lawrence's remarks upon the proposed " brunneiceps," which he 

 has since abandoned, are absolutely identical. Having no doubt 

 that nigriceps is simply a geographical representative of lawrencii, 

 I fear that troublesome specimens will yet occur from intermediate 

 localities. But the differentiation has become perfectly tangible, 

 and I have seen no connecting links, so that I can indorse the 

 species, upon the principles already laid down for my guidance in 

 this paper. 



8. MviARcnus STOLIDUS. 



Notandum : species flexibilis, per insulas Antillarum singulatim 

 diffusa, in stirpes locorum varios secreta, characteres tamen com- 

 muniter prcebentes, ut sequuntur. Statura maxima inter species 

 minores generis ; long. tot. 6.50-7.50, aloe et caudaa 3.00-3.50, 

 rostri .65 .75, tarsi .70-80. Rostrum elongatulum, quodammodo 

 coarctatum. Xotaeum fusco-olivaceum, in pileo statim aut sensini 

 fuscescens. Gula ex albido cinerascens. Venter ex albido flaves- 

 cens aut flavus, rariore albidus. Remiges primarii et rectrices 

 fusci, et extus et intus rufo-marginati, rarissime innotati. Tectrices 

 alarum superiores et remiges secondarii flavidalbido-marginati. 



I admit none of the man} T nominal species established upon 

 this elastic type ; for they all run into each other. But I can 

 distinguish three local races, the extremes of which are readily 

 characterized, though their mutual intergradation as perfect as 

 we ever see in stationary insular birds renders it impossible to 

 put them on substantial specific bases. 



Compared with the only large insular species (validus), these 

 birds of the stolidus- pattern fill the same position that lawrencii 

 holds in relation to the larger continental species and varieties 

 with which it is associated, though they are perfectly distinct 

 from lawrencii. In the lengthened and constricted bill stolidus 

 differs from the flatter-billed laivrencii, and copies a noticeable 

 feature of cinerascens. 



[July 16, 



