250 PROCEEDINGS OF UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 



LOXIGILLA VIOLACEA. 



A specimen of this species from the Bahamas differs from Jamaican 

 examples in larger bill and feet and much more intensely black plum- 

 age; the chestnut- red of the throat, etc., being also deeper and richer. 

 These differences being probably geographical, the Baharaan form seems 

 entitled to a distinctive name, and I therefore propose that of haha- 

 mensis. 



The characters of the two races may be defined as follows: — 



a. violacea. — Plumage of the body more or less decidedly slaty posteriorly ; lining of 

 the wing white. Throat, eyebrow, and crissum bright cinnamon-rufous. Wing, 

 3.00-3.30; tail, 2.90-3.20; bill, from nostril, .40-.4r); depth of bill, ,40-.48; tar- 

 sus, .70-.80 ; middle toe, .55-.60. Hah. — Jamaica. 



/3. bahamensis. — Plumage of the body lustrous black posteriorly; lining of the wing 

 dark grayish. Throat, eyebrow, and crissum rich purplish rufous. Wing, 3.25 ; 

 tail, 2.95; bill, from culmen, .45; depth of bill, S^0; tarsus, .85; middle toe, .65. 

 Baft.— Bahamas. (Type, 74,707, Nat. Mus. Bahamas; Dr. Bryant.) 



a. violacea. 



ANAS ABERTI (Ridg., MS.). 



Sp. ch. — Adult female : Size of Querquedula discors and cyanoptera, 

 but in coloration closely resembVing A. fulvigula. Prevailing color och- 

 raceous-buff, but this everywhere relieved by brownish-black spots or 

 streaks. Head, neck, and lower parts streaked, the streaks finest on 

 the neck and sides of the head, broadest on the jugulum and crissum, 

 which is somewhat tinged with rusty, and assuming the form of oblong 

 spots on the abdomen, thighs, and anal region; throat immaculate. 

 Back, scapulars, and rump with the blackish predominating; the feath- 

 ers bordered with ochraceous ; those of the back and the scapulars 

 with irregular indentations and occasional bars of the same. Lesser 

 wing-coverts brownish-slate, bordered with dull earthy-brown ; middle 

 coverts with their exjwsed portion velvety black, forming a distinct bar. 

 Secondaries widely tippeil with pure white (forming a conspicuous band 

 about .35 of an inch wide), this preceded by a velvety-black bar of 

 about equal width, the basal half or more (of the exi)Osed portion) con- 

 sisting of a metallic speculum of dark grass-green, varying to blue and 

 violet in certain lights. Tertials opaque velvety-black exteriorly, the 

 inner webs brownish-slate ; primary-coverts and primaries brownish- 

 slate, the latter edged with lighter. Tail brownish-gray, the feathers 



