68 



REVIEW OF AMERICAX BIRDS. 



[part I. 



Top of head gray ; sides whitish. 



A black frontal line extending backwards over the eye. Lateral 

 tail feather white, except at the base. Tail slightly 

 graduated. First primary much less than half the 

 second. Hab. North America ..... caeridea. 



A black crescentic line beginning at top of eye and bordering 

 the ear coverts. Lateral tail feather black for basal 

 half on inner web. Tail much graduated. First pri- 

 mary more than half the second. Hab. Cuba . . lemheyii. 



A black line above the eye, not reaching the bill or ear coverts. 

 Lateral tail feather black on nearly the whole of inner 

 web. Tail moderately graduated. First primary more 

 than half the second. Hab. Arizona . . . plumbea. 



Polioptila melaiiiira. 



Culicivora atricapilla, Laweence, Ann. N. Y. Lye. V, Sept. 1S51, 124 



(not of Swaixson). 

 Culicivora mexicana, Cassin, lUust. 1, 1854, 164, pi. xxvii (not of Bon.). 

 Polioptila melanura, Lawrence, Ann. N. Y. Lye. VI, Dec. 1856, 168. — 



Baird, Birds N. Am. 1858, 382.— Heeemaxn, P. R. R. R. vol. X 



(Williamson), 1859, 39. 

 Hah. San Diego to Fort Yuma and Cape St. Lucas. 



Specimens of this species from Cape St. Lucas differ from tliose 

 of San Diego described in the P. R. R. Report (*7191), in having 

 the whole of the outer web of the outer tail feather white, and in a 

 rather larger white tip. The colors beneath are a little less ashy, 

 though not of a pure white. The ash of the back is rather lighter 

 and purer. The lores are rather lighter. The 1st primary is a little 

 larger and broader. 



It is possible that the restriction of the white of the outer web 

 of the exterior tail feather to the outer half only is an unusual 

 circumstance, as both Mr. Cassin and Mr. Lawrence, in their de- 

 scriptions, speak of the entire outer web being white — tlie second 

 feather being of the former character. Under these circumstances 

 there will be little specific diiFerence between the tails of P. melanura 

 and j:>lumhea. The female bird will then be separated by the light 

 superciliary line and much shorter tarsi of P. plumbea — the latter 

 measuring .63, instead of nearly .70 of an inch. 



