VIREO. 



363 



Virtu mudentus, Sclateu. (Jamaica.) 



nest more broadly, this color gradually changing to bright olive on the 

 secondaries and tertials. Two distinct bands on the wing, and the outer 

 edges of inner tertials are 

 yellowish-white. The 

 tail feathers are edged 

 externally with olive 

 green, the outermcst 

 having a narrow edge of 

 whitish. Under parts 

 pale yellow, palest on 

 throat, and with a tinge 

 of buff on the belly and 



crissum. Sides of neck, breast, and flanks tinged with olive, which also 

 washes the front of the breast. Under wing covers whitish, the axillars 

 sulphur yellow. Bill light horn color above, whitish beneath; legs plumbe- 

 ous. Loral region light olive yellow, in slight contrast with the forehead. 

 There is little or no concealed yellow on the feathers of the rump. 



The tail about the length of the wings, or a little shorter, rounded ; the 

 lateral feathers .16 of an inch shorter than the middle. The wing is concave ; 

 the primaries .35 longer than the secondaries ; the 1st primary rather more 

 than half the 2d, which is about as long as the secondaries ; the 3d is rather 

 shorter than the 7th, the 4th and 5th longest. The bill is compressed ; the 

 tarsus is rather more than one and one-third the length of middle toe and claw. 



(No. 22,143, % .) Total length, 4.75 ; wing, 2.30 ; tail, 2.21 ; difference be- 

 tween 10th and longest quills, .34; exposed portion of first primary, .78, of 

 2d, 1.41, of longest (4th and 5th), (measured from exposed base of 1st pri- 

 mary), 1.75 ; length of bill from forehead, .50, from nostril, .26, along gape, 

 .60 ; tarsus, .75 ; middle toe and claw, .55, claw alone, .17 ; hind toe and claw, 

 .41, claw alone, .20. 



The specimen described above agrees very well with the descrip- 

 tion and figure of Dr. Sclater. Four others are all smaller, one of 

 them (received from Dr. Sclater), No. 23,323, more olivaceous be- 

 neath, brighter green above ; another, Jso. 22,159, grayer above, 

 belly without buff tinge, and the whitish edging of lateral tail feather 

 wanting. In these differences, however, there is hardly enough to 

 warrant a separation into two sj^ecies. 



This species is readily distinguished from V. gundlachi by the 

 smaller size, longer wings, more olive back, less clearly defined yel- 

 low belly, and in having light markings on the wings and tail. V. 

 bahamensis is larger, the bill much larger, the tail proportionally 

 shorter ; the third quill but little shorter than the fourth. V/'reo 

 noveboracensis has much longer wings, a white throat and belly, 

 and yellow front. Its nearest relative is V. hidiovi. This, how- 

 ever, has a smaller liill, longer wings, even tail with brighter olive 

 edging ; the lower back and rump considerably brighter than the 



