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



List of specimens. 



STREPSILAS MELANOCEPHALUS, Vigors. 



Black Tamstone. 



Strepsilas melanoceiihalus , Vigors, Zool. Jour. IV, Jan. 1829, 356. — Ib. Zool. Blossom, 1839, 29. — Gameel, J. A. N. 

 Sc. 2d series, Aug. 1849, 220. 



Sp. Ch. — About the size of and having the same general form as tlie preceding, but difTering in color. Head, breast and upper 

 parts ef the body fuliginous brown, lighter on the breast, and with every feather having a darker centre ; back and wing covertg 

 darker, frequently nearly black and with a greenish lustre ; lower part of back, rump, and upper tail coverts white, with a large 

 spot of black on the upper coverts. Abdomen, under tail and under wing coverts white ; tips of greater wing coverts white^ 

 forming a band across the wing ; shorter tertiaries edged externally white. Bill black ; feet dark orange. Quills brownish 

 black with their shafts white ; tail at base white, with its terminal half black, narrowly tipped with white. 



Total length about 9 inches ; wing, 6 ; tail. Si inches. 



Hab. — Western North America. 



Though with various specimens before us in the present collection and from the Museum of 

 the Philadelphia Academy, it is not without some misgivings that we admit this curious bird as 

 a distinct species. It is of exactly the size and the same form as the preceding, and its only 

 character is the prevalence of the dark color on the head, breast and upper parts, while 

 several of the most reliable of the specific characters of the preceding are found also in 

 the present bird. The lower part of the back and upper coverts of the tail and the abdomen 

 are white in both, with tlie same large spot of black on the upper tail coverts. We find also in 

 the museum of the Philadelphia Academy, a specimen from India, which is exactly tliis bird, 

 and others apparently from Europe which approach it very nearly. The specimen from India 

 came in the collection made by Capt. Boys, of the British army, and its locality is undoubted. 

 This bird appears to be, however, only abundant in western North America. 



List of specimens. 



