DESCRIPTION OF A NEW SPECIES OF ICTERUS 

 FROM ANDROS ISLAND, BAHAMAS 1 



By J. A. Allen 



Through the kindness of Mr. John I. Northrop, of the School of 

 Mines, Columbia College, New York, I have the pleasure of making 

 known a new species of Icterus from Andros Island, one of the larger 

 islands of the Bahaman group. During four months spent recently 

 on Andros Island, Mr. and Mrs. Northrop devoted much attention to 

 birds, collecting about seventy species, among them several new to the 

 Bahamas, as well as the novelty about to be described, which adds not 

 only a new genus to the Bahaman fauna, but a new species to science. 

 The species is represented by nine specimens, three of which are adult 

 males, one immature male, one adult female, three immature females, 

 and another immature specimen of which the sex could not be deter- 

 mined. As shown by Mr. Northrop's notes given below, he found the 

 species not uncommon. It is known to the residents of the island as 

 the "Cocoanut Bird," and is said to be resident throughout the year. 



Icterus northropi, sp. no v. 



Adult Male. — Whole anterior half of the body, as far as the middle of the 

 breast below, and including the interscapulium above, together with the wings 

 (except the lesser and median coverts), and tail, deep black; rest of the body, 

 the thighs, lesser and median wing-coverts, edge of the wing, lower wing-coverts 

 and axillars, rich lemon-yellow; greater wing-coverts and primaries very narrowly 

 edged, and the outer tail-feathers very narrowly tipped with white. Bill and feet 

 black; lower mandible with the basal third bluish. In one specimen the longest 

 two lower tail-coverts are mixed yellow and black; in the other specimens they 

 are all wholly yellow. 



Adult Female. — Similar to the male, except slightly smaller, and with the 

 black a little less lustrous. 



Young. — Immature birds of probably the second year are olivaceous gray 

 above, brighter and more yellowish on the front of the head ; lesser wing-coverts, 

 lower back, rump, upper tail-coverts, and whole lower surface greenish yellow, 



1 The Auk, Vol. VII, No. 4, October, 1890, pp. 344-346. 

 66 



