72 



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



extending round to the middle of each side ; the remaining or posterior portion of each side 

 with a series of quadrangular plates, corresponding nearly to the anterior ones, the series 

 meeting behind in a sharp ridge. The wings reach over the basal third of the tail. The 

 primary quills are broad and acute, the fourth longest ; the first about equal to the tertials. 

 The tail is graduated, the outer about one and a half inch shorter than the middle ones. 



The color generally is black, with steel blue reflections above, changing sometimes into 

 violet; duller beneath. The pointed feathers of the head, neck, and breast, with a bronzy 

 metallic border, appearing also to some extent on the wing coverts and upper part of back. 



The determination of the species of Crofophaga is a matter of much difficulty, owing to their 

 close relationship and the uncertainty as to the permanency of the characters usually assigned. 

 The present bird, however, agrees most closely with the C. rugirostra of Swainson, in having 

 indication of transverse wrinklings or grooves, although much less than those given in the 

 description of this author. It is much smaller than O. major, and lacks the peculiar concavity 

 of the culmen on the anterior extremity of the vertical crest, which, besides, is distinct only on 

 the posterior half of the bill. G. major likewise has a long sulcus from the nostril nearly to the 

 tip of the bill, which is but little decurved. The entire absence of longitudinal grooves along the 

 side of the crest distinguishes it from C. sulcirostris. In this latter species, also, the nostrils are 

 situated high up, their upper edge on a line midway between the culmen and commissure. In 

 C. rugirostris and ani they are considerably below this level, or on the inferior third of the side 

 of the bill. 



The differences between C. rugirostris and am' are more difficult of expression. The bill of the 

 latter is, however, entirely smooth, and the profile of the crest is more abrupt. Thus a line 

 from the highest point of the culmen, perpendicular to the culmen, falls considerably anterior 

 to the nostrils, while in C. rugirostris this line would fall through, or a little behind, the nostrils. 



The C rugirostris of Swainson has usually been considered as the same with C. casasii of 

 Lesson. A specimen of the latter, in the collection of the Philadelphia Academy, is, however, 

 very different in a much lower bill, with scarcely any crest. The size is much less. 



The 0. rugirostris probably occurs in other parts of the United States besides Florida. It is 

 an inhabitant of the West Indies, and appears to extend as fiar south as Brazil. 



List of specimens. 



CEOTOPHAGA ANI, L. 



Ani. 



Crotophaga ani, L. Syst. Nat. I, 1766, 154. — Bhrmeister, Thiere Bras. Vogel, 185G, 254. 



Bill smooth ; the culmen abruptly decurved ; the highest point anterior to the nostrils. The highest portion of the cresj 

 nearly straight, and parallel with the commissure. Length, 12 inches ; wing, 6.10 ; tail, 7.75. 

 Hab . Maritime parts of the southeastern United States, and south to Brazil . 



A Crotophaga, killed near Philadelphia, and now in the collection of the Philadelphia 

 Academy, appears to be a typical C. ani (as described by Burmeister) in the smoothness of the 



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