702 U. 8S. P. R. R. EXP, AND SURVEYS—ZOOLOGY——GENERAL REPORT. 
List of specimens. 
| 
Catal. | Sex. Locality. ‘When collected.| Whence obtained. | Collected by—| Length. Stretch | Wing. 
No. of wings. 
10453 |....-- Cape May, N. J..--.----- ar eee J, “K? Townsend -<|si22s2.-i2e25-[e23 Sher ee 
IEG) | ESenocllessescos doesent sae Bae = oe maasocleeocod dossisacacc {eee oe ene | eee eee Baeoceos SSose 
1692 |...--- Philadelphia ...-.---.--- Cy eee BU gBagedts ee ES eco es eae oe [rb ssmhodalleee tae 
4296 |.....- Calcasieu Pass, La-..---- IMIS SA ee a aeee GolWiairdemannweae|saecesccscesce hes aeaaeae Bepeeasel| sosose 
CRS seer Brownsville, Tex --.----- posits oosass Capt? VanVilietas2|220 52sec oe oe 9. 00 | 18.00 | 6.00 
4188 ref Brazos Santiago, Tex-.--- | eee ee Milan, ne a es, ee ee a 9.00 | 18.00 5.75 
4189 Ome ioe oe eae CC ee Ses ere Se ea ea dossssSsso52 r Bel anaes ae ace 9. 50 19. 25 6.25 
1795) osaee MeraiGruzsWiexe ee ee | sean eee oe ee Sie Waird saca.c2|sect cee ease ceteeeee | | PO Se 
66368|2eeae= Shoalwater bay --------- | May 17, 1854 | Gov. Stevens: ----- Dre(Cooper =se|b=sseees|=seeee aa sommes 
STREPSILAS MELANOCEPHALUS, Vigors. 
Black Turnstone, 
Strepsilas melanocephalus, Viaors, Zool. Jour. 1V, Jan. 1829, 356.—Is. Zool. Blossom, 1839, 29.—Gampet, J. A. N. 
Sc. 2d series, Aug. 1849, 220. 
Sp. Cu.--About the size of and having the same general form as the preceding, but differing 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, 25 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 the 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 this 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. 
Catal. Sex. Locality. [When collected.| Whence obtained. Orig’] | Remarks. 
No. No 
AGQAD Lee cease San Miguel island, Cal...-| January, 1856 | Lieut. Trowbridge...|......|.--.--..------.---------- 
3946 Q Monterey, Cal==-----.=--- PAT EGA TS47 Ws iduttoness ap. ce asso Feet brown; iris hazel; bill 
black. 
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