BIRDS OF NORTH AND MIDDLE AMERICA 51 



underneath posterior half or more of nostril occupied by naked mem- 

 brane. Wing rather large, the longest primaries shorter than longest 

 secondaries; eighth to eleventh primaries longest, the first (outermost) 

 about two-thirds as long as the longest ; the three outermost rather strongly 

 bowed, or incurved terminally. Tail decidedly longer than wing, much 

 rounded, the rectrices (12) broad, firm, with broadly rounded tips. Tarsus 

 rather long and slender, about one-third as long as wing to tips of longest 

 secondaries; acrotarsium with a single series of large, broad scutella on 

 upper portion and outer side and an additional series on the lower half 

 (approximately) of inner side; planta tarsi with two series of much 

 smaller scutella, which on lower portion become more or less indistinct 

 or obsolete ; middle toe about two-thirds as long as tarsus, the lateral 

 toes about equal in length and extending to about penultimate articula- 

 tion of middle toe; hallux about as long as basal phalanx of middle toe; 

 claws relatively rather small, not strongly curved, except that of the hallux. 



Plumage and coloration. — Feathers of pileum moderately elongated 

 (much less so than in Penelope), forming, when erected, a short bushy 

 crest ; loral region mostly covered by short feathers, and orbital region 

 nude for a narrow space beneath and behind eyes ; entire chin and throat 

 nude, the former, however, with sparse, hairlike feathers, the throat with 

 a conspicuous median compressed wattle or dewlap ; feathers in general 

 distinctly outlined, broad, with rounded tips, except on rump, abdomen, 

 and anal region, where soft, downy, and blended. Adult male uniform 

 glossy blue-black, the rump, abdomen, and anal region plain sooty ; adult 

 female and immature male with plumage variously barred and otherwise 

 variegated with black, rufous, and ochraceous. 



Range. — Highlands of Chiapas, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, 

 and Nicaragua. (Monotypic.) 



KEY TO THE RACES OF PENELOPINA NIGRA (ERASER) 



a. Plumage black (males). 



b. Plumage with more of a greenish than a bluish hue above; seminude ocular 

 area purplish in life (Chiapas, Guatemala, sw. El Salvador). 



Penelopina nigra nigra ( p. 52) 

 bb. Plumage with more of a bluish than a greenish hue above ; seminude ocular 

 area dull reddish brown in life. 



(interior of El Salvador and adjacent parts of Honduras). 



Penelopina nigra dickeyi (p. 54) 



(mountains of Nicaragua) Penelopina nigra rufescens (p. 54) 



aa. Plumage brown (females). 



b. General tone of plumage sandy brown. 



c. Ocular area dusky; lower eyelid pink in life (interior of El Salvador and 



adjacent parts of Honduras) Penelopina nigra dickeyi (p. 54) 



cc. Ocular area not dusky; lower eyelid apparently dusky in life (Chiapas, 



Guatemala, sw. El Salvador) Penelopina nigra nigra (p. 52) 



bb. General tone of plumage pale rufescent-brovv'n (mountains of Nicaragua). 



Penelopina nigra rufescens (p. 54) 



