474 THE GENUS PHiENOPEPLA 



some of them may be found at any time of the year, while 

 others are off in Mexico, Central America, or the West Indies. 

 In the Colorado region, as in the West at large, there are com- 

 paratively fewer Cedar-birds than in the eastern parts of the 

 United States, doubtless because fruit is, on the whole, less 

 abundant, and not on account of any geographical considera- 

 tions. 



So they lead their idle, uneventful lives — these debonnaire 

 birds, sociable but not domestic, even a trifle dissipated, good- 

 natured enough to a friend in a scrape, very reliable diners- 

 out, and fond of showing off their dressy top-knots, on which 

 so much of their mind is fixed. 



Genus PH-ffiNOPEPLA Sclater 



Pbainopcpla, Scl. PZS. 1858, 543. (Special paper : Note on the Genus Cichlopsis of Cabanis. 



< PZS. xxvi. 1858, pp. 541-543.) 

 Phsenopepla, Coues, Ibis, 1865, U3.—Bd. Rev. AB. 1866, 415. 

 Ptilogoofs p., Cichlopsis p., Lepturus p. of So7ne. 



Chars. — Bill somewhat as in Ampelis, but slenderer for its 

 length ; nostrils naked, scaled ; antise bristly, reaching to 

 nostrils ; a few short rictal bristles. Tarsus scutellate anteri- 

 orly, and slightly subdivided on sides below. Hind toe very 

 short; middle toe and claw about as long as tarsus; lateral 

 toes a little unequal, outer the longer, reaching a little beyond 

 base of middle claw, its basal joint adherent to middle ; inner 

 lateral toe nearly free to the base ; claws all much curved. 

 Wings not longer than tail, rounded, of ten primaries, the 1st 

 spurious, though more than half as long as the 2d, which 

 about equals the length of the secondaries; point of wing 

 formed by the 4th, 5th, and 6th quills. Tail long and fan- 

 shaped, not emarginate, of broad plane feathers widening to 

 their obtuse ends. Head with a long, thin, occipital crest. 

 Sexes dissimilar : S glossy black, with large white wing-patch; 

 $ dull-colored, young not spotted or streaked. 



A notable genus, established upon the Ptilogonys nitens of 

 Swainson, our only representative of a group which includes 

 true Ptilogonys^ though having nothing to do with the species 

 of 31yiad€8t€s, which have often been called " Ptilogonys ^. 



