218 BULLETIN 50, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 



convex but sometimes straight. Anterior outline of cere strongly 

 sinuated, the upper (prenasal) portion strongly convex, the lower 

 part concave and drawn backward nearly or quite to the loral 

 feathering; cere with at least the circunuiasal portion naked, often 

 with small bristles or nmiute, scattered, feathers beneath or in front 

 of nostrils. Wing rather large and rounded, the longest primaries ex- 

 ceeding distal secondaries by one-fourth to (rarely) one- third the length 

 of wing; seventh, eighth, and ninth, eighth and ninth, or seventh 

 and eighth primaries longest, the tenth (outermost) not longer than 

 seventh, sometimes (in A. imperialis) shorter than fifth. Tail half 

 as long as wing (A. xantJiolora) to more than three-fifths as long 

 (A. imperialis) , very slightly to distinctly rounded, the rectrices broadly 

 rounded at tip. Tarsus shorter than outer hind toe without claw. 



Plumage and coloration. — Head normally feathered except orbital 

 region (sometimes including posterior portion of lores), cere (at 

 least circunuiasal portion), chin, and extreme anterior portion of 

 malar region (the latter concealed by feathering of cheeks) ; feathers 

 of head sometimes blended, sometimes distinctly indicated; feathers 

 of neck decidecUy longer and broader than those of head, sometimes 

 (as in A. vinacea and A. imperialis) greatly developed, forming a con- 

 spicuous erectile ruff. Coloration very variable, but prevailing color 

 usually green, this always relieved by red on some part of the 

 plumage (never on under tail-coverts) ; inner webs of rectrices usually 

 with more or less of red on proximal portion of inner webs; wings 

 sometimes without any red, but usually the distal secondaries red 

 with dark blue tip, forming a conspicuous "speculum"; one species 

 with lower back and rump red, another with prevaiUng colors 

 orange-brown and yeUow. 



Range. — Whole of ^Tropical America, except Galapagos Islands 

 and part of the West Indies. (Nearly fifty species.)** 



KEY TO THE SPECIES AND SUBSPECIES OF AMAZONA. 



a. Outer webs of distal secondaries with basal half (approximately) red or orange. 

 6. Bend of wing without more than a trace of red or yellow, usually with none, 

 c. Tail dark pui'plish brown, including inner webs of rectrices; under parts of 

 body purplish; neck blackish. 

 d. Without yellow on wings. (Dominica, Lesser Antilles.) 



Amazona imperialis (p. 222). 



a The above generic description is based on examination and comparison of a 

 majority of the known species, among which the variations in details of form, etc., 

 are very considerable. It is possible that the genus, as generally accepted, may 

 require subdivision; but I have not been able to do tliis satisfactorily. There cer- 

 tainly is a great difference between the great J., imperialis, larger than some Buteones, 

 with its well-defined neck-ruff and the little A. xantholora, smaller than most species 

 of Pionus; or between eitlier of these and many other species. A. agilis is peculiar 

 in its short and broad-tipped bill, wliile A. vinacea, with its very conspicous neck-ruff 

 is approached in tliis character only by A . imperialis. Evidently some one who is able 

 to get all the species of tliis group together would find a critical investigation of the 

 matter interesting, at least. 



