566 



PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM. 



VOL. 42. 



feathers margined with buff or ochraceous, the edge of wing broadly 

 buffy white. 



Measurements. — Probable male: ^ Wing, 165-176 (average, 171.2) 

 mm.; tail, 63-66 (64.6); exposed culmen, 54.5-60 (57.1); height of 

 bill at base, 11.8-12.8 (12.1); tarsus, 47-51 (48.4); middle toe, 39-44 

 (41.8). 



Type-locality. — Port Castries, St. Lucia Island, West Indies. 



Geographical distribution. — Island of St. Lucia, West Indies. 



This race is distinguishable from Butorides virescens dominicanus 

 chiefly by its decidedly darker posterior under parts. It differs 

 from Butorides virescens cuhanus in longer wing and tail, stouter bill, 

 and lighter, more purplish neck and sides of head. From Butorides 

 virescens cliristopliorensis it may readily be separated by its much 

 more purplish, less fulvescent neck and sides of head; darker pos- 

 terior lower parts; shorter, relatively stouter bill; somewhat shorter 

 tarsus; and smaller feet. It is still more different from Butorides 

 virescens baJiamensis, with longer wing and tail, darker posterior 

 under surface, and more deeply colored, more purplish, much less 

 fulvescent neck and sides of head. Birds of this form m ju venal 

 plumage are apparently about the same as those of Butorides virescens 

 dominicanus; but are, on the average, darker, more rufescent, more 

 heavily streaked below than the young of Butorides virescens cuhanus. 

 The color characters of adults are very uniform in the series examined. 

 All but one of the specimens is without indication of sex on the label, 

 but they are probably all, well-nigh certainly all but one or two, 

 males, and we have, therefore, considered them such in making 

 comparisons. 



This subspecies is a well marked one, and apparently confuied to 

 the island of St. Lucia. 



We have seen 11 specimens, one of these from Port Castries, the 

 rest labeled simply "St. Lucia." 



Measurements of specimens of Butorides virescens lucianus. 



Museum and number. 



U.S.N 

 M.C.Z. 

 M.CZ 

 M.C.Z. 

 M.C.Z. 

 M.C.Z 

 M.C.Z. 

 M.C.Z. 



M., 115883 2. 



,274062 



,267462 



,274022 



,274042 



.,27403 2 



,27405 s 



,274072 



Sex. 



Male 3 



[Male] ' 



...do.4. 



...do.4. 



...do.4. 



...do.4. 



...do.4. 



...do.4. 



Date. 



Dec. 1,1888 



Wing. 



mm. 



174.0 



176.0 



172.0 



170.0 



167.0 



165. 



174.0 



171.5 



Tail. 



mm. 

 66.0 

 64.0 

 66.0 

 64.0 

 64.0 

 63.0 

 64.0 

 66.0 



Ex- 

 posed 

 culmen. 



mm. 

 58.0 

 57.0 

 60.0 

 60.0 

 64.5 

 57.0 

 56.0 

 54.5 



Height 

 of bill 

 at base, 



mm. 

 12.0 

 12.0 

 12.8 

 12.3 

 11.8 

 12.0 

 12.0 

 12.2 



Tarsus. 



mm. 

 49.5 

 47.0 

 51.0 

 47.0 

 48.5 

 47.0 

 50.0 

 47.0 



Middle 

 toe. 



mm. 

 44.0 

 42.5 

 42.0 

 39.0 

 42.0 

 40.5 

 42.3 

 41.8 



1 Eight specimens, from the island of St. Lucia, West Indies. 



2 Used in measurement averages on p. 566. 



3 Type, collected by 11. E. Parmenter, at Port Castries, St. Lucia Island. 



4 Collected by J. Semper, on St. Lucia Island. 



