58 PROCEEDINGS OF UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 



skiu in Laving " no rufous at all on the crissum, and the superciliary 

 mark shorter ". 



Five males in the collection from Dominica have the under tail coverts 

 rufous, of the same shade as that of the throat; the rufous line running 

 from the bill is darker, and extends over the eye as far as upon a line 

 with its centre. Probably the Dominica and Martinique birds are alike; 

 but if other examples from St. Lucia prove to be without rufous cris- 

 sum s, it would seem to be a well marked variety. 



The female from Dominica is, above, a brownish-olive, having the 

 face, sides of the head, and upper tail-coverts tinged with rufous; the 

 wing-coverts and tertials are edged with bright rufous; the under 

 plumage is of a dark ashy-olive; the under tail-coverts are pale rufous. 



Specimens of a LoxlgiUa collected in Guiana by Mr. A. H. Alexander 

 (taxidermist), though similar in color and markings to examples of L. 

 noctis from Dominica, are so much less in all their measurements that 1 

 think, at least, it may be considered a variety. The bill of the Guiana 

 bird is much smaller, the under mandible of a brownish horn-color, be- 

 ing black in the West Indian bird ; the under tail-coverts are of a paler 

 rufous ; the rufous of the throat more restricted, and the superciliary 

 line extending beyond the eye. 



The measurements of the two are as follows : — 



Dominica bird, ^, length, 5i in.; wing, 3; tail, 2|; tarsus, f. 



Guiana bird, <?, length, 4i in.; wing, 2§ : tail, 2; tarsus, §. 



Viewed together, the skin of the West Indian bird appears to be 

 nearly twice the bulk of the other. 



I propose to distinguish the South American form by the name of 

 LoxUjilla noctis var. propinqua. 



Mr. Alexander obtained quite a number of this small species in 

 Guiana, but he had disposed of most of them before they came under 

 my notice. Three males examined were alike in size and coloring. I 

 was unable to find a female among the birds collected by him: this is 

 easily accounted for ; his object in making collections being to secure the 

 more showy and saleable males. 



Mr. Alexander informed me that they were not uncommon along the 

 Essequibo Eiver, and that he saw them also at Berbice. 



The only citation of Guiana as a locality for L. noctis that I have 

 noticed is by Bonaparte (Cons. Av. i, p. 493), viz, " Surinam'"; he also 

 gives Martinique. 



19. Phonipara bicolor (Linn.). 



"SiSiYerbe; Grass-bird. 



"Abundant everywhere; breeds in great numbers in Shawford Valley, 

 three miles from the coast ; nests in lime-trees. 



"One with three eggs taken April, 1877; another with four eggs." 

 "Length, ^, 4a in.; alar extent, C^-; wing, 2i. 

 "Length, 9,4iin.; alar extent, Gi ; wing, 2i." 



