Cory on tJtc Birds of the West Indies. 



169 



I have now before me eighteen examples of C. principalis and 

 two of C. bairdi, and have examined three other specimens of 

 the latter bird. In none of the Cuban birds docs the white cheek 

 stripe quite reach the bill and in most of them it lacks a quarter 

 of an inch or more. Some examples of C. principalis show the 

 white stripe nearly as long as the Cuban form. The length of 

 this stripe is quite variable in the series froin Florida. The 

 "black anterior feathers of the crest" do not appear to be a con- 

 stant character, as two examples of C. principalis from Florida 

 show it as much as any Cuban specimens which I have seen. 



In Dr. Gundlach's private museum at Ingenio Fermina, Cuba, 

 I had the pleasure of seeing a most curious C. bairdi^ which 

 might well be called an ornithological monstrosity. The bird 

 was perfect in every respect with the exception of the upper man- 

 dible, which had grown to the enormous length of nearly twelve 

 inches, curving downward and passing the body on the left side, 

 as shown in the accompanying figure. 



