16 PROCEEDINGS OF UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 



M. fjcniharhis Swains., led me into a further examination of the species 

 of this section of the genus, with the aid of additional material. The 

 inspection of the fine series of specimens, which, through the kindness 

 of the authorities of the U. S. National Museum, I have been enabled 

 to bring together, has resulted in a discovery of such interesting rela- 

 tionships between the forms in question, that I have concluded to put 

 my notes into the shape of a monograph of all the West Indian species. 



The National Museum collection, while i)robably more comi>lete than 

 any other, is still lacking in specimens from a large number of the West 

 Indian Islands.t Mr. George N. Lawrence, of New York City, has 

 kindly placed at my disposal his entire collection of species of this genus. 

 Mr. J. A. Allen, of the Museum of Comparative Zoology, Cambridge, 

 Mass., has loaned me seven specimens from the island of Sta. Lucia, 

 while Mr. C. B. Cory, of Boston, has generously put in my hands the 

 unique type of his M. montanus, from Haiti. These, together with the 

 collection of the National Museum, make a series of 35 specimens, which 

 represent very satisfactorily all the forms herein described, with the 

 exception of M. montanus. 



I desire to express my obligations to my friend Egbert Eidgway 

 for the kindness with which he has rendered me assistance in the prepa 

 ration of these pages. 



Washington, D. C, February 10, 1882. 



SYNOPSIS OP THE SPECIES. 



a'. Throat and crissum orange-brown, abruptly definetl ; breast slaty blue, a jiatcli of 

 white on under eyelid, 

 t'. Uf)per parts sooty black, back and breast difierent in color. 



1. M. sihilans Lawii. 



6^. Upper parts slaty blue; back and breast of the same color, 

 ci. Legs light yellow; no yellow armilla on tibia. 



d^. Ears streaked with white ; a white, or white and brown stripe along 

 lower part of cheeks, bordered beneath by a blackish line, 

 e'. Chin of same color as throat, not white ; whole abdomen like tho 

 crissum. 



2. M. genibarhis Swains. 



e^. Chin white, abruptly defined ; upper abdomen like the breast. 

 /'. Only the fore half of the malar stripe white, the hind part 

 brown ; tail-feathers not shorter than wing, 



3. M. sancioc-lucioi Stejneger. 



/-. Almost the whole malar strijie white, only a few feathers at 

 the lower end tinged with brown ; tail feathers not longer 

 than wing. 



,4. M. (iomjmJcawus Stejneger. 



t Of the West Indian Islands inhabited by a species of Myadcutcs, but from which 

 the National Museum possesses no specimens, are St. Domingo and Sta. Lucia. No 

 species are known to occur upon the islands of Porto Rico, Guadeloupe, or Grenada, 

 but as these islands are mountainous and resemble in other jihysical features those 

 upon which species of Myadcstcs are kuown to occur, it is altogether probable that 

 each one of these also possesses its peculiar sjiecies of the genus. 



