RIRD^^ OK NORTH AND MIDnF-K AMKIMCA. 293 



Laio-e, lono-lailed (larrulina' with wlndlv cxpo.siHl nostrils, a con- 

 spicuous recurved crest, conspicuous white tips to shorter rectrices, 

 and underparts mainly white. 



Bill stout, its depth at nostrils ore!it(>r than half the distance from 

 anterior edge of nostril to tip of maxilla; culuien and j^onys distinctly 

 convex. Nostrils wholly exposed, beveled off anteriorly, maroined 

 above and behind by the memf)ranous covering- of the nasal fossa*. 

 Nasal tufts entirelv absent {/'. coniel) or but slight! v developed 

 {C. formosa and subspecies), A long and ver}'^ conspicuous erectile 

 crest springing from foreh(^ad or anterior portion of croAvn, composed 

 of rather narrow, rather stitl', somewhat spatulate, and more or less 

 recurved feathers. Wings rather long, the primaries exceeding second- 

 aries by about the h^igth of the bill; sev(Mith, sixth, and fifth primaries 

 longest and nearly equal, the tenth more than half as long as the 

 longest. Tail very long (middle rectrices at least one and one-third, 

 soiiK^times nearly three times, as long as wing), nuich graduat(>d 

 (middle rectrices nuich more than twice as long as lateral pair). Tarsus 

 much longer than exposed culmen (about equal to length of commis- 

 sure), with planta tarsi undivided, (except on lower portion: middle 

 toe, with claw, decidedly shorter than tarsus. 



Coloration. — Above plain blue (the back, etc., sometimes grayish); 

 crest black (sometimes with white tips): four out(M-most rectrices very 

 broadly tipped with white; underparts maiidy white, the chest and 

 throat black or else chest crossed by a curved l)lack band. 



NldllTCdtioii. — Nest bulky, composed of thorny twigs. j)lac('(l in a 

 thorny tree. Eggs unknown. 



R(()Hj<\ — Western Mexico to Costa Rica. (Two species.) 



KEY TO THE SI'ECIKS AND SrBSPEC[ES OK t'AI.OCITTA . 



<t. Throat and clicst l»lack, nr iiioslly Mack; sides of head l)lack, with pale hhie 

 malar patch. 

 Ii. A pale hlue su[H'rciliarv spot; crest-feathers entirely Mack <>r with indistinct 



l)lnish tips. (Western Mexico.) Calocitta coUiei. adnlt (j). 2iH) 



lih. Xo blue su{>erciliary spot;- crest-feathers conspicuously tipjKMl with white. 



Calocitta colliei. young (j>. 1^94) 

 (lit. Throat and chest white, the latter margined below by a curved band or collar 

 of black; sides of head white, or bluish white (sometimes with a blackisli 

 triangular malar or su])orbital patch). 

 /(. .\ more or less distinct triangular malar or suborl)ital i)atcli of black; back and 

 scapulars distinctly gray, with little if any bluish tinge; occiput with more or 

 less t)f black (often wholly black). (Southwestern Mexico, from States of 



Colima and Puebla south to Oaxaca. I Calocitta formosa formosa ( p. 2H.=») 



!>}). No trace of any dusky malar or suborliital jiatch (or else back and scajtulai-s 

 distinctly bluish ); back and scajinlars distinctly bluish; iicci|>ut Itrigiit bine, 

 without any black. iCliiapas to ("osta Rica. I 



Calocitta formosa azurea ( p. !.*?»()) 



