106 PROCEEDINGS OP THE ACADEMY OP 



fold to vent, \V & /// vent to end of tail, 33" ; posterior extremity, 13" 4'". 

 Above, light-greyish olive, with or without some transverse yellowish 

 shades. Three or four black blotches cross the crest, the anterior smallest, 

 the second also only a spot, but larger, the third transverse, the last largest, 

 extending behind the axillar round the thorax, which, with the gular region 

 and anterior extremities, is also black. A black line on each side the nape. 

 Posteriorly pale, vermiculated and speckled with black, the hinder extremi- 

 ties coarsely. Abdomen olivaceous grey or yellow, sparsely speckled. Tail 

 yellowish-browu, with broad brown annuli posteriorly. 



Habitat. Cape St. Lucas. One of the most interesting discoveries of Mr. 

 Xantus, (Xantus Col., No. 789.) This very distinct species belongs to the 

 same section as C. teres and C. pectinata. Its remarkably short crest 

 and peculiar coloration are distinguishing features which immediately strike 

 the eye. 



Descriptions of New Species of Birds of the Families YIRE0NID2E and 



RALLIDiE. 



BY GEO. N. LAWRENCE. 



Fam. VIREONIDiE. 



1. VlREOSYLVIA ATRIPENNIS. 



First primary absent, third and fourth equal and longest, fifth nearly as 

 long, second and sixth shorter and equal. 



Upper plumage olive-green, brownish on the crown of the head ; a broad 

 line of greyish-olive runs from the bill over and beyond the eye ; under this 

 line is a blackish mark, occupying the lores and a space behind the eye, in- 

 cluding the eyelids ; cheeks greyish-olive, bordered by a well-defined blackish 

 line, running from the lower mandible down the side of the neck ; tail greyish- 

 black, broadly margined on the outer webs above with olive-green, and with 

 the inner webs underneath edged with pale yellowish-white ; quills black, 

 edged with olive-green ; under wing coverts pale yellowish white, inner mar- 

 gins of quills greyish-white ; throat greyish-white ; breast and abdomen pale 

 yellowish-white, olivaceous on the sides ; under tail coverts pale yellowish- 

 white ; upper mandible dark horn-color, the under paler ; tarsi and feet black. 

 Length of skin 6| in. ; wing 3 3 ; tail 2 ; bill $ ; tarsi f . 



Habitat. Sombrero Island, W. I. 



It somewhat resembles V. altiloqua, but is apparently a stouter species, the 

 bill is rather larger and stronger, although not so broad at the base, the throat 

 is grey instead of white, but the most distinguishing character is the black 

 quill feathers. 



This species was the only land bird in a small collection put in my hands 

 for examination by Prof. C. A. Joy, of Columbia College, N. Y. These birds 

 were collected by Mr. Alexis A. Julien, on the Guano Island of Sombrero, one 

 of the easternmost of the group, known as. the Virgin Isles. I expect to re- 

 ceive from him a more extended series of the birds inhabiting that island, and 

 to give a catalogue of them, should they prove of sufficient interest. 



Fam. RALLIDiE. 



2. CORETHRURA GaUTEMALENSIS. 



Adult. Upper plumage brownish-rufous, brighter on the wings, and more 

 brown on the head ; tail dark rufous-brown ; quills dark liver-brown, with 

 faint edgings of rufous ; the under plumage is of a deeper and brighter brown- 

 ish-rufous, lighter on the chin ; sides dusky ; under wing coverts dusky-brown ; 

 bill dark horn-color, pale at the end ; the legs appear to have been flesh-color. 



[April, 



