36 EEPORT OF THE SECRETARY. 



(2) A review of ike American species of the genus Scops Savigny (pp. 84- 

 117). — This article is an elaborate monograph of the American Scops 

 owls (species allied to the common screech-owl of the United States), 

 embracing the full synonymy and descriptions of the known species, 

 two of which, S. brasilianus cassini, from Eastern Mexico, and S. cooperi, 

 from Costa Eica, are new to science. The owls of this genus have been 

 particularly perplexing to ornithologists on account of remarkable vari- 

 ations of plumage, some species being " dichromatic," while all vary to 

 an unusual degree, according to locality, the amount of individual vari- 

 ation also being extraordinary. The present paper is an attempt, based 

 upon ample material contained chiefly in the National Museum, to clear 

 away the confusion which has hitherto existed in regard to the relation- 

 ships and nomenclature of certain forms. 



(3) Notes on the ornithology of Southern Texas, being a list of birds ob- 

 served in the vicinity of Fort Brotcn, Texas, from February, 187G, to June, 

 1878. By James C. Merrill, Assistant Surgeon, TJ. S. Army (pp. 118- 

 173). — The critical remarks and synonymy relating to the species 

 noticed in this article were prepared by Mr. Kidgway, although in sev- 

 eral instances, through an oversight of his own, his initials do not 

 appear in connection with his portion of the work. The species thus 

 treated by Mr. Kidgway, are : Thryomanes bewiclci leucogaster (p. 121), 

 Yireosylvia favo-viridis (p. 125), Molothrus ceneas (pp. 130-131), Sturnclla 

 magna neglccta (p. 134), Myiarchus erythrocercus cooperi (pp. 138-141), 

 Nyctidromus albicollis (pp. 142-145), Amazilia fuscicaudata (pp. 147-148), 

 A. yucatanensis (pp. 148-149), Buteo albicaudatus (pp. 154-156), jffichmop- 

 tila albifrons (p. 158), and Parra gymnostoma (pp. 1G0-1G8). Mr. Kidgway 

 is also responsible for the nomenclature adopted in the catalogue. 



(4) Descriptions of several new species and geographical races of birds 

 contained in the collection of the United States National Museum (pp. 247- 

 252). — The new forms described in this article are the following : Rhod- 

 inocichla rosea schistacca, from Mazatlan, Western Mexico; Umbemagra 

 rufivirgata cra:-:sirostris, from Eastern Mexico, and the E. r. verticaliSj 

 from Yucatan ; Loxigilla violacea bahamensis, from the Bahamas ; and 

 Anas aberti, from Mazatlan. A description is appended (p. 253) of the 

 adult female of Anas u-yvilliana, Sclater, a recently discovered Sandwich 

 Islam! duck, the female of which was previously unknown. 



(5) Description of tiro new species of birds from Costa Pica, and notes 

 on other rare species from that country (pp. 252-255). — The new species 

 here described are Thryophilus zeledoni and Pseudocolaptes lau-rencii. 

 The others noticed are the very rare Ca/rpodectes nilidns, the young male 

 of which is here for the first time described, and the "Zouotrichia". 

 vulcani, of Boucard, which is referred to the genus Junco, as the most 

 southern form of that genus, of which the common snowbird (J. hye- 

 malis) is the representative in Eastern North America. The Costa Rican 

 bird inhabits the almost alpine summit of the volcano of Irazu. 



(G) 4 partial list of the birds of Central California. By L. Belding, of , 



