DESCKIPTION OF A NEW SPECIES OF GiiOUNI) WAEBLER 

 FROM EASTERN MEXICO. 



By Robert Ridciway, 



Curatoi' of the Department of Birds. 



The very interesting addition to tlie avifauna of Mexico described 

 below, was obtained by purchase from Mr. Franlv B. Armstrong, of 

 Brownsville, Texas, and w<as at first supposed to be the Geothlypis cucul- 

 laia of Salvin and Godman,' but when compared with specimens of that 

 species belonging to the division of ornithology and mammalogy of 

 the Department of Agriculture, was found to be exceedingly distinct, 

 G. cncuUata being intimately related to G. hairdi, Nutting,^ of Eastern 

 Nicaragua and Costa Rica, while the new species from Tampico is more 

 closely related to G. beldingi, Ridgway,^ of Lower California. This close 

 relationship to a Lower Californian species is remarkable, since no form 

 related to them occurs, so far as known, in the intervening territory. 



The new species may be characterized as follows: 



GEOTHLYPIS FLAVOVELATUS, new species. 

 ALTA MIRA — YELLOW-THROAT. 



Specific characters. — Similar to G. heldingi, Ridgway, of Lower Cali- 

 fornia, but much smaller, with the broad yellow band, bordering the 

 hinder edge of the black " mask," more sharply defined and deeper 

 yellow, and the coloration throughout more intense. More like G. 

 melanopSj Baird, in size, but still smaller, and readily distinguished by 

 the clear yellow instead of -white postfrontal and postauricular band. 



Geographic range. — Eastern Mexico (Alta Mira, near Tampico, State 

 of Tamaulipas). 



Ti//;e.— No. 135180, F. S. N. M. ; adult male, from Alta Mira, near Tam- 

 pico, Tamaulipas, Mexico, collected by F. B. Armstrong, December 5, 

 1891. A frontal band (about 0.27 of an inch wide), lores, orbits, malar 

 region and auriculars black, forming a sharply defined ''mask;" behind 

 this a well-defined baud (about 0.15-0.18 of an inch wide), of clear 



' Ibis, April, 1889, p. 237. Type from Cofre de Perote, State of Vera Cruz. 



2 Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., YI, p. 398, 1883. Type from Los Sabalos, Nicaragua. 



3 Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., Y, p. 344, September .5, 1882. 



Proceedings of tbe United States National Museum, Vol. XVIII— No. 1045. 



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