NORTHWESTERN MEXICO.' 291 



This has been confonnded with T. inelanoceplialus from Eastern Mexico and Honduras, 

 but they may easily be distinguished from each other by the extent of white in the hxteral 

 tail feathers ; in T. melanocephalus, the white occupies about an inch of the end of each 

 of the outer three feathers, and is evenly separated from the black of the rest of the 

 feather ; whereas the exposed portion of the outer lateral feather in T. ciireolus is entirely 

 white, the next nearly so, and the third featlier irregularly white at the end. Numerous 

 specimens are in Prof. Sumichrast's collection from Tehuantepec. 



Fam. Caprimulgid^. 



141. Chordeiies iexensis Lawr. 

 Mazatlan, Grayson. 



"This I have founil to be a common species in Western Mexico, particularly in the vicinity of San Bias and 

 Mazatlan. I also found it in Tehuantepec. Like all the birds of this genus, it rests quietly during the day 

 npon the ground, or some old moss-covered log, darkly shaded, and in the most gloomy and secluded jjarts of 

 the forest. They will suffer themselves to be almost trodden upon .at times before taking wing, .and were they 

 to remain quiet they could scarcely be perceived, so nearly are they of the color of the withered leaves or 

 the mossy log on which they rest. 



" Its flight is easy and graceful, at times skimming low to the earth, and at others soaring to a great height 

 whilst in pursuit of nocturnal insects, upon which it chiefly subsists ; they usually make their appearance a 

 little after sunset in considerable numbers. 



" The egg is deposited on the withered leaves without the least appearance of a nest, in some retired spot 

 in the woods ; there are sometimes two eggs, but usually one, of a cream color." 



142. Nyctidromus alhicollis (Gm.). 



Proc. Bost. Soc. of N. H., xiv., p. 273. 

 Mazatlan, Plains of Cohma, Xantus ; Tres Marias, Grayson. 



Fam. Ctpselid^. 



. There are no specimens of this Family in any of the collections from Western Mexico, 

 but on Col. Grayson's list there are the English names of three species, viz. — 



Chimney Swift, Black SAviffc, Largest Swift. 



In the absence of specimens these cannot be identified. 



Fam. Trochilidje. 



143. Thahirania lucice Lawr. 



" Proc. Bost. Soc. of N. H., xiv., p. 284. 

 Tres Marias Islands, Grayson. 



144. Florisuga mellivora (Linn.). 



" " Proc. Bost. Soc. of N. H., xiv., p. 284. 



Tres Marias, Xantus. 



145. Ccdothorax lucifer (Sw.). 



Trochilus " Finsch, Abh. nat. Ver. zu Bremen, 1870, p. 329. 

 Sierra Madre, Grayson ; ex Finsch. 

 Dr. Finsch has this species in his list of some birds obtained from Col. Grayson's collec- 



