574 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM. vol. 42. 



Measurements. — Male:^ Wing, 157.5 mm.; tail, 56.5; exposed cul- 

 men, 60.5; height of bill at base, 11; tarsus, 47; middle toe, 41. 



Tyjje-locality. — St. Patrick, Curasao Island, West Indies. 



Geographical distribution. — Island of Curasao; possibly also the 

 neighboring islands of Aruba and Bonaire. 



Although the type is the only available specimen, it appears to rep- 

 resent an easily distinguishable subspecies. It differs from all of the 

 other subspecies in the narrow barring of the breast, a character not 

 present, even slightly, in any specimen of any form of Butorides 

 virescens examined; and also in the distinctly barred effect of the 

 long, pointed, glaucous, plume-like feathers of the back and scapu- 

 lars. The latter character is discernible on close examination in 

 some specimens of all the other races, but is m them scarcely obvious 

 enough to be worth mentioning in either diagnoses or descriptions, 

 and in no specimen of any of these other forms is it nearly so con- 

 spicuous as in the type of Butorides virescens curacensis. In addition 

 to the two characters just mentioned, the present new race differs 

 from Butorides virescens cuhanus, with wliich in general appearance 

 it bears closest resemblance, in smaller size (except bill), and also 

 duller, less purplish (more fulvescent) neck and sides of head. From 

 Butorides virescens grenadensis it may be distinguished in the same 

 way, and in size still more decidedly. Additional characters separat- 

 ing it from Butorides virescens maculatus are much smaller size 

 (except length of culmen), and darker, duller, more fulvescent (less 

 purplish) neck and sides of head; from Butorides virescens lucianus, 

 smaller size (except length of culmen), and darker, less purplish neck; 

 from Butorides virescens dominicanus, smaller general size, longer bill, 

 darker, duller neck and jugulum, and more deeply colored posterior 

 lower parts; and from Butorides virescens Tiypernotius, of the main- 

 land of South America and Costa Rica, much smaller size (except 

 bill), and lighter, duller, less purplish (more fulvescent), neck and 

 sides of head. 



The type of Butorides virescens curacensis bears still some slight 

 indications of immature plumage in the whitish and buffy spots 

 on the lesser, greater, and primary coverts, broad edgings of median 

 coverts, and in the dull fuscous greater coverts and a few of the inner 

 secondaries; but in other respects it seems to be fully adult. 



This may well be the form of Butorides virescens occurring on 

 the near-by islands of Aruba and Bonaire,^ but we have seen no 

 specimens from those localities. 



KEY TO THE SUBSPECIES OF BUTORIDES VIRESCENS. 



a. Colors deeper; posterior lower parts slate color or darker. 



b. Size smaller (wing averaging less than 170 mm.); white on median portion of 



f oreneck usually much reduced Butorides virescens margaritophilus. 



b^. Size larger (wing averaging more than 170 mm.); white on median portion of 

 foreneck much more extensive. 



' One specimen, the type, from Curasao Island. 

 » Hartert, Ibis, 1893, p. 307. 



