1887.] PROCEEDINGS OF UNITED JSTATES NATION AE MUSEUM. 531 



with facts which aro obvious from au examination of a considerable 

 series of specimens, L e., the existence of apparently transitional plu- 

 mages intermediate in almost everj^ degree between the entirely green 

 female and the most perfect i)lumage of the male. Some specimens, for 

 example, difier from the ordinary plumage of the female only in having 

 the secondaries (except tertials), inner primary, and lower greater coverts, 

 blue; others have this blue with the addition of scattered deep blue 

 feathers on the rump, or rump and under wing-coverts together, etc. 

 Such specimens occur in the collection which I have examined, as follows: 



p. passerina (Linn.). 



• 



(1) No. 10500, U. S. National Museum, "Bogota," (probably north- 

 east Brazil) W. Evans: Similar to the full-plumaged male, but blue of 

 rump and under wing-coverts, broken by admixture of several pure 

 green feathers, and lowermost greater coverts merely tinged with blue 

 on concealed (central) portion. 



P. cyanopygia Souance. 



(1) No. 37345, Mazatlan, western Mexico; A. J. Grayson : Similar to the 

 adult female, but secondaries (except tertials), innermost primary cov- 

 erts, and concealed (central) portion of lowermost greater coverts tur- 

 quoise-blue, the first margined terminally with light yellowish green ; no 

 trace of blue on lower back, rump, under wing-coverts, or inner j)ri- 

 maries. 



(2) No. 74357, Jalisco, Mexico (cage-bird!), A. Duges: Similar to the 

 preceding, but lower back and rump {hut not wider wing-coi^erts) mixed 

 with turquoise-blue feathers, the blue rather exceeding the green in 

 extent. 



(3) No. 51430, Mazatlan, February, 1SG8, F. Bischotf : Like the last, 

 but some of the axillars aud a few scattered feathers among the under 

 wing coverts turquoise-blue, and shorter primaries (fourth to tenth, in- 

 clusive) becoming blue basally. 



P. conspicillata Lafr, 



(1) No. 30905, Quito, Equador; C. E. Buckalew : Similar to the fe- 

 male, but secondaries (except tertials) rich blue, innermost primaries 

 and primary coverts lighter blue, and lowermost greater coverts dull 

 light bhio, edged with green; rump tinged with blue, and with one or 

 more deep blue feathers on one side ; a very little blue about eyes, but 

 none on lining of wing. 



(2) No. 99, Lafresnaye collection : Blue around eye nearly as dis- 

 tinct as in adult; only a few blue feathers on rump; blue on wing far 

 less rich and more restricted, the greater coverts and edge of wing 

 green ; under wing-coverts entirely green; head duller green and lower 

 parts decidedly more yellowish green than in adult. 



