49. MELANOPTIIA. 331 



1871, p. 266 ; Semper, P. Z. S. 1872, p. 648 ; Scl. Sf Salv. Nomencl. 

 Av. Neotr. p. 2 (1873) ; Laivr. Proc. U.S. Zool. Mtcs. pp. 62, 187, 

 351, 453, 486 (1879) ; Listei; Ibis, 1880, p. 39. 



Adult. General colour above uniform dusky brown, the lower 

 rump and upper tail-coverts margined with ashy white ; wing- 

 coverts like the back, with paler margins to the median coverts, more 

 distinct on the greater series, the outermost of which are whitish at 

 the tip of the outer web ; bastard wing and primary-coverts uni- 

 form dark brown ; quills dark brown, externally lighter brown, the 

 feathers narrowly edged with whity brown on the extreme margins ; 

 tail-feathers dark brown, margined with lighter brown and tipped 

 with white, which increases in extent towards the outer feathers ; 

 lores, sides of face, and ear-coverts dusky brown, the cheeks slightly 

 varied with ashy bars ; under surface of body ashy whitish, mottled 

 with light brown, the feathers being light brown in colour, margined 

 with white, before which the feather becomes subterminaUy darker 

 brown ; sides of body more uniform brown, the light margins to the 

 feathers less conspicuous ; centre of abdomen white ; under tail- 

 coverts brown at the base, white at their ends ; under wing-coverts 

 and axillaries pale brown, tipped with white and obscurely barred 

 with dusky brown ; quills dark brown below, with very pale ashy 

 rufous edges along the inner web ; " feet dark green ; iris light 

 yellow " (Semper). Total length 9-3 inches, culmen 0-9, wing 4-5, 

 tail 3-5, tarsus I'l. 



In some individuals the secondaries are tipped with white, being 

 apparently somewhat young birds. 



The Black-billed Mocking-Thrush inhabits the Lesser Antilles, 

 being found in the islands of Dominica, S. Yincent, Martinique, 

 Guadeloupe, and Santa Lucia. 



a. cJ ad. sk, Guadeloupe. M. Verreaux. 



49. MELANOPTILA. 



Type. 

 Melanoptila, Sclater, P. Z. S, 1857, p. 275 M. glabrirostris. 



Range. Confined to the coast of Honduras. 



1. Melanoptila glabrirostris. 



Melanoptila plabrirostris, ScMer, P. Z. S. 1857, p. 275 ; id. P. Z. S. 



1859, p. 337 ; Scl. ^- Salv. Ibis, 1859, p. 7 ; Moore, P. Z. S. 1859, 



p^ 55 ; Scl. Cat. Amer. B. p. 7 (1862) ; Sah. Ibis, 1864, p. 380; 



Baird, Review Amer. B. p. 55 (1864) ; Scl. 8f Salv. Nomencl. 



Av. Neotr. p. 3 (1873) ; Salv. 8f Godm. Biol. Centr.-Ainer., Aces, i. 



p. 27, tab. iii. %. 2 (1879). 

 Tardus glabrirostris. Gray, Hand-l. B. i. p. 258, uo. 3774 (1869), 



Adult. General colour above and below purplish black, the lores 

 and feathers at base of lower mandible and base of chin velvety 

 black ; scapulars and lesser wing- coverts like the back, the median 

 and greater coverts dark steel-green, slightly edged with purple ; 



