702 U. S, p. R. R. EXP. AND SURVEYS — ZOOLOGY — GENERAL REPORT. 



List of specimens. 



STREPSILAS MEL ANOCEPHALUS, Vigors. 



* Black Turnstone. 



Strepsilas melanoccjihalus, Vigors, Zool. Jour. IV, Jan. 1829,356. — Ib. ZooI. Blossom, 1839, 29. — Gambel, J. A. N. 

 So. 2d series, Aug. 1849, 220. 



Sp. Ch. — About the size of and having tlic same general form as the preceding, but diflering in color. Head, breast and upper 

 parts of the body fuliginous brown, lighter on the breast, and with every feather having a darker centre ; back and wing covcrtg 

 darker, frequently nearly black and with a greenish lustre ; lower part of back, rump, and upper tail coverts white, witli a largo 

 spot of black on the upper coverts. Abdomen, under tail and under wing coverts white ; tips of greater wing coverts whitej 

 forming a band across the wing ; shorter tertiaries edged externally white. Rill black ; feet dark orange. Quills brownish 

 black with their shafts white ; tail at base white, with its terminal half black, narrowly tipped with wdiite. 



Total length about 9 inches ; wing, 6 ; tail, 2i inclies. 



Ilah. — Western North America. 



Though with various specimens before us in the present collection and from the Museum of 

 the Philadelphia Academy, it is not without some misgivings that we admit this curious bird as 

 a distinct species. It is of exactly the size and the same form as the preceding, and its only 

 character is the prevalence of the dark color on the head, breast and upper parts, while 

 several of the most reliable of the specific characters of the preceding are found also in 

 tlie present bird. The lower part of the back and upper coverts of the tail and the abdomen 

 are wliite in both, with the same large spot of black on the upper tail coverts. We find also in 

 the museum of the Philadelphia Academy, a specimen from India, which is exactly this bird, 

 and others apparently from Europe which approach it very nearly. The specimen from India 

 came in the collection made by Capt. Boys, of the British army, and its locality is undoubted. 

 Tills bird appears to be, however, only abundant in western North America, 



List of specimens. 



Catal. 

 No. 



4624 

 3946 



C667 

 C6C6 

 6665 



Sex. 



Locality. 



San Miguel island, Cal. 

 Monterey, Cal 



When collected. 



January, 1856 

 Aug. 16, 1847 



Fort Stcilatoom, Cal 1850 



, do Aug. 29, 1856 



do do 



Whence obtained. 



Lieut. Trowbridge. 

 W. Ihitton 



Dr. Suckley. 



do 



do 



Orig'l 

 No. 



GOO 

 005 



llcmarks. 



Feet brown; iris hazel; bill 

 black. 



