414 PROCEEDINGS OP THE ACADEMY OP 



Female. Smaller; total length 10 to 10^ inches. Colors quite similar to 

 those of the male, but of rather duller black. 



Hab. Mexico, Central America. Spec, in Mus. Acad. Philada. (since about 

 1840 !) and Mus. Smiths. Inst. Washington. 



4. Scolecophagus atroviolaceus, D'Orbigny. 



Quiscalus atroviolaceus, D'Orb. La Sagra's Cuba, Orn. p. 121 (1839). 



La Sagra's Cuba, Aves, pi. 19. 



Apparently confined to the Island of Cuba. This is another of the robust 

 species, with the bill short and thick, and tail of moderate length and rounded 

 at the end. 



About the size of, and general form very similar to the last species (S. Dives), 

 but with the wing longer {and lustre of plumage entirely different). Bill strong, 

 thick at base, and rather abruptly tapering, pointed ; wing moderate, third and 

 fourth quills longest; tail rather long, rounded ; legs and feet strong. 



Adult male. Black, the head and entire body above and below with rich 

 violet or purple lustre ; wings and tail with green lustre. Shorter quills edged 

 with violet, smaller wing coverts violet, greater coverts and quills edged with 

 green. Bill and feet black. The entire plumage having a fine silky character. 

 Total length 10 to 10.} inches ; wing 5, tail 4i inches. 



Female. Smaller ; total length about 9 to 9J inches. Black, with the lus- 

 tres of the plumage very nearly as in the male. 



Hab. Cuba. Spec, in Mus. Acad. Philada. and Mus. Smiths. Inst. Wash- 

 ington. 



5. Scolecophagus jequatorialis (Sclater.) 



Quiscalus a?quatorialis, Sclat. Cat. Am. Birds, p. 140, (1861.) 

 " Ps. cayenueusis. Amer. Merid." Label in Massena coll. 



One specimen from the Massena collection in the Acad. Mus. seems to be this 

 species, though not in all particulars corresponding with Dr. Sclater's diagno- 

 sis, as above cited. It is smaller than either of the preceding species of the 

 subgroup herein designated Dives. 



" Q. nigrosericeus unicolor, aeneo-nitens, alis intus brunnescentioribus ; long, 

 tota 9-5, alas 4-4, caudre 3 8, rostri a rictu 1-05, poll, et dec. Angl. 9 mari sim. 

 sed minor." 



" Obs. Affinis speciei prase. (Q. Sumichrasti) et quoad formam similis, sed 

 crassitie minore." 



" Hab. Babahoyo." (Sclater, as above.) 



III. Genus IDIOPSAR, nobis. 



In the collection of the Smithsonian Institution I find a specimen of a very 

 interesting and singular bird, evidently letcrine, and allied to Quiscalus and 

 Scolecophagus, but not to be referred with any considerable degree of propriety 

 to either of those or to any other genus of this group. The tail is short, nearly 

 even at the end, and emarginate, and the wings long. General form short and 

 compact, bill about the length of the head, strong, slightly curved, with the 

 commissure much inflexed in both mandibles, culmen distinct. Legs and feet 

 moderate. 



1. Idiopsar brachyurus, nobis. 



Entire plumage of the head and body bluish cinereous or plumbeous, darker 

 on the upper parts and lighter on the under parts, nearly white at the base of 

 the under mandible, quills dark ashy brown, primaries edged externally with 

 light ashy nearly white; tail feathers dark brown, nearly black, edged with 

 light ashy. Lower abdomen or ventral region light ashy nearly white. Bill 

 dark horn color, under mandible lighter, especially at the base. Tarsi and 

 toes light brown. 



Total length about 7 inches, wing 4, tail 2|, bill 1 inch. 



Hab. Bolivia. "La Paz." Mus. Smiths. Inst. Collected and presented by 

 Mr. D. K. Cartter. 

 * [Dec. 



