BIRDS — PKNELOPIDAE — ORTALIDA M'CALLI. 



611 



Comparative measurements of species. 



ORTALIDA McCALLl, Baird. 



Chiacalncrn. 



Ortatida rrlula, Lawrence, Ann. N. Y. l,yc. V, IBril, 116. (Not Prndope rtlnln, WAcii.F.R, Ibis, 1830, 1112, and 



1831.517.) 

 Orta/ida po/iocrpAa/o, Cassin, Illtist. I, i.Y, 1855, 267 ; pi. xliv. (Nol Penelope polioctphala,WAGi.zti,lai», 1830, 1U3.) 



Sp. Ch. — Body above dark greenish olive ; beneath browiii.sh yellow, tinged with ohve. Head and upper part of neck 

 pluinbeotia. Tail feathers lustrous green, all lipped with white, except the middle one. Feathers along tho middle of the 

 throat black ; outer edge of primaries tinged with gray. Kyes brown. Kill and feet lead eolored. Length, 23.50 ; wing, 8.50 ; 

 tail, 11. 



The bill of this species is rather long and considerably decurved anterior to the nasal groove ; 

 the commissure curved almost as much as the culmen. The tarsus is about et^ual to the middle 

 toe ; the anterior half covered by a series of large transverse scutellae, with another series on 

 each side meeting behind in a sharp ridge, except superiorly. Tliese lateral series are separated 

 from the anterior by a narrow strip of skin. The outer toe is rather longer than the inner ; the 

 claw falling considerably short of the middle claw. Hind too without its claw about one-third 

 the middle toe and claw ; it is situated on the same level with the others. 



The feathers of the head are lengthened and pointed, producing a decided full crest. The 

 side of the head is naked to behind the eyes ; the chin is naked, with rather more than the 

 central third longitudinally covered by black feathers, with stiffened shafts and abbreviated 

 vanes. The tail is longer than the wings, broad and graduated ; the lateral feather about 

 three-fourths the middle. The secondary (juills are long and broad, fully as long as the 

 primaries. The wing is concave and much graduated ; the first and second quills much shorter 

 than the secondaries. 



I feci considerable uncertainty as to the specific name of the subject of the present article. 

 The 0. velula^ is said to be olivaceous ; the head and ears slaty gray ; the flanks, crissum, and 

 tibia, brownish ; the epigastrium and belly somewhat rufous ; the tail feathers above bronze 

 green, with white tips. The length, 18 inches ; longest tail feathers, 9.17 ; the shortest, G.F>0. 

 The adult 0. poliocephala" is olive gray ; the head and upper part of neck slate color ; the 

 epigastrium, middle of bell}', and tibia, white ; the flanks and crissum fulvous ; the tail 

 feathers bronzed black, tipped with fulvous. The young has the head and occiput slate gray • 

 epigastrium, belly, and tibia brownish rufous ; the tail like the adult, (tipped with fulvous.) 

 Length, 23 inches ; tail, 11 inches. 



The specimen before me agrees with neither species as described by Wagler. It is most like 

 the young of 0. polioccphala as to size and general color, but the tail is tipped with white in all 



' Penelope vetula, Wagler, Isis, 1830, II12, No. 14. Mexico. 



' Penelope poliocephala, Wagler, Isis. 1830, 1112, No. 15, Mexico. 



