28. LEPTOPTILA. 559 



d. Skeleton. Jamaica. Purchased. 



.-. Skeleton. W. Indies. Purchased *. 



12. Leptoptila wellsi. 



Engyptila wellsi, Lawr. Aid;, i. p. ISO (1884) (Grenada) (type exa- 

 mined) ; Cory, List B. W. Ind. p. 23 (1885) ; Wells, Pr. U.S. Nat. 

 Mus. 1886, p. 624 (Grenada) ; id. List B. Grenada, p. 7 (1886) ; 

 Cory, Auk, 1887, p. Ill ; id. B. W. Ind. p. 212 (1889). 



Adult male. Upper parts gloss}' olive ; forehead white, scarcely 

 tinged with vinous and slightly changing into grey on the crown ; 

 hind part of the head and nape dark olive-brown ; chin and upper 

 part of the throat pure white, well defined from the dull vinous 

 colour of the cheeks, lower throat, and upper breast ; lower breast, 



* I :im not acquainted with the following two species, doubtfully distinct 

 from L. )'a?naicensis : — 



Leptoptila collaris. 



Engyptila collaris, Cory, Auk, 1886, pp. 498, 502 (Grand Cayman), 1887, 

 p. 112; id. B. W. Ind. p. 213 (18S9). 



" Forehead dull white ; top of the head dark grey, showing a metallic tinge 

 of purple on the nape; a cape of metallic purple showing greenish-red reflec- 

 tions where it joins the back; back dark brownish olive ; throat dull white ; 

 breast dull vinaceous, shading into dull white on the belly ; sides dull red- 

 brown ; under wing-coverts and under surface of wing rufous brown; primaries 

 brown, having the inner webs heavily marked with rufous brown ; tail slaty 

 brown, two or three outer feathers tipped with white; feet red : bill black; 

 iris dull white. Length 9'50 inches, wing 5*75, tail 3'50, tarsus 125, bill 075." 

 (Con/.) 



Hab. Grand Cayman. 



Mr. Cory, writing to Mr. Salvin, says that this species is similar to L. jamai- 

 censis, but seems to represent a fairly good insular race. From the description 

 ii is impossible to say how it differs from L. jamaicensis. 



Leptoptila neoxexa. 



Engyptila neoxena, Cory, Auk, 1887, p. 179 (St. Andrew's Is., Caribbean 

 Sea). 



•• Resembles Engyptila collaris, but is more olive on the back, and lacks the 

 violet-metallic collar, which is apparently replaced by green ; the general colour 

 of the upper parts more closely resembles that in E. jamaicensis, bu< ti 

 mens of the latter bird now before me have the top of the head purplish, 

 showing a greenish gloss on the occiput, while in 11. neoxena the top of the head 

 is white, shading to ash-grey. 



'■ Adult male. Top of the head white, shading into grey on theocciput; chin 

 and throat white, becoming purple or violet on the breast; sides of the neck 

 and breast showing metallic purple mixed with metallic green when held in 

 the light ; feathers of the upper back showing metallic green, faintly tinged 

 with purple; hack dark olive; belly dull white; rest of plumage resemblin" 

 that of E collaris. Length '.) inches, wing 4'7">, tail 4, tarsus 1." (Cory.) 



Hab. St. Andrew's Island. 



Obs. " But two specimens of this interesting bird were taken, and both were 

 badly prepared. It is possible that a larger series would show it to be not 

 specifically separable from E. jamaicensis.'' (Cory.) 



