54 BULLETIN 50, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 



Bill shorter than head, strong, moderately broad basally (rather 

 narrow in H. rujigularis) but much compressed terminally, very 

 strongly decurved (much less so in H. rujigularis) ; exposed culmen 

 slightly shorter than tarsus, strongly decurved from base, rounded 

 (not ridged); gonys about as long as mandibular rami or shghtly 

 longer, distinctly concave (though slightly so in H. rujigularis), 

 sUghtly prominent at base, rounded; maxillary tomium very strongly 

 concave (especially in H. pluvialis), rather strongly deflected from 

 nostril to rictus (much less so in H. rujigularis), shghtly convex 

 basally. Nostril longitudinal or shghtly oblique, elhptical or elUp- 

 tical-oval, in lower anterior portion of nasal fossa. Wing moderate, 

 much rounded, the longest primaries exceeding distal secondaries by 

 less than distance from nostril to tip of maxilla in H. jjluvialis, by 

 more than that distance in //. rujigularis; fifth, fifth and sixth, or 

 fourth to seventh primaries longest, the eighth about equal to first, 

 the tenth (outermost) more than half as long as longest. Tail shghtly 

 more than one and a half times as long as wing, graduated for about 

 one-third to more than one-half its length, the rectrices- relatively 

 broad. Tarsus decidedly longer than middle toe without claw, very 

 stout. 



Plumage and coloration. — Orbital region mostly naked; eyelashes 

 strongly developed; no trace of bristles about base of bill; plumage 

 in general blended, rather coarse, somewhat hairhke, especially on 

 head, neck, and under parts. Upper parts plain slate-grayish to 

 olive, with a faint greenish-bronzy gloss, the primaries sometimes 

 chestnut; tail bluish black with broad white tips to rectrices; under 

 parts chestnut, v/ith throat and chest white and pale gray in //. 2>lu- 

 vialis, chestnut anteriorly, ochraceous posteriorly in H. rujigularis. 



Range. — Islands of Jamaica and Haiti, Greater Antilles. (Two 

 species.) 



There is much difference in form of the bill in the two species, that 

 of H. rujigularis being much more slender, less strongly decurved, and 

 narrower at the base than that of //. pluvialis. The former also has 

 the tail more strongly graduated. 



KEY TO THE SPECIES OF HYETORNIS. 



a. Outer webs of iirimaries olive, concolor with back, etc.; chin, throat, and malar 

 region white; chest pale gray; bill much stouter, much more strongly decurved. 



(Jamaica.) Hyetornis pluvialis (p. 55), 



aa. Outer webs of primaries deep chestnut or bay, in conspicuous contrast with oliva- 

 ceous gray of back, etc.; chin, throat, malar region, and chest chestnut or bay; 

 bill much more slender, much less strongly decurved. (Haiti.) 



Hyetornis rufigularis (p. 56). 



