1883.] PROCEEDINGS OF UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 21 



t- 

 DESCRIPTION OF A NE"W SPECIES OF CONTOPUS FROM TROP- 

 ICAL AMERICA. 



By ROBERT RIlX^VTAir. 



^ Contopus pileatus, sp. nov. 



Sp. char. — Above uniform olive-gray or hair-brown, the feathers ab- 

 ruptly ash-gray beneath the surface. Entire pileum dull sooty brown, 

 much darker than the back, and in marked though not abrupt contrast 

 with the ash-gray of the postocular region and sides of occiput. Lores 

 and suborbital region dusky, like pileum, but passing gradually into a 

 lighter sooty grayish on the auriculars. Lower parts brownish gray, 

 paler on the chin and upper i)art of the throat, the abdomen dull bufify 

 whitish, the lower tail-coverts dull white with very pale brown central 

 cuneate spots. Wing coverts with barely perceptible paler margins; sec- 

 ondaries more distinctly edged with pale grayish, or grayish white; pri- 

 maries blackish brown or dusky, without perceptible lighter edges. Tail 

 even, uniform hair-brown. Wing 3.00, 2d and 3d primaries longest, 4th 

 next, the 2d shorter than the 5th ; tail 2.80, culmen .55, width of bill 

 at base .30, tarsus .60, middle toe .32. 



Hah. ignot., but probably some portion of Tropical America. 



Type in American Museum of Natural History, New York City. 



The type specimen of this new species has been compared directly 

 with examples of fifteen of the sixteen known species of the genus, but 

 does not correspond at all with apy of them. The only two which it in 

 the least resembles are 0. ardesiacus (Lafr.) and C. richardsoni (Aud.). 

 The former, however, is very much larger and altogether darker in gen- 

 eral coloration, while the latter is also decidedly larger, with emarginate 

 tail, the colors much more olivaceous above and paler beneath. Apart 

 from its peculiar proportions (being the smallest member of the genus), 

 the new species is distinguished by its quite marked sooty gray cap, the 

 absence of light edgings to the wing-coverts, and the very uniform light 

 ash-gray color of the breast, jugulum, sides of head and neck, and 

 sides. 



Unfortunately nothing is known as to the locality or origin of the 

 type specimen, the only example I have seen. 



NOTE ON THE ANSER LEUCOPAREIUS OF BRANDT. 

 ^ By ROBERT RIDOTFAY. 



Much confusion has hitherto existed regarding the white-cheeked 

 geese of North America, among which there are variations of size prob- 

 ably unequaled in any other bird in the feral state. At least four very 

 strongly characterized forms exist, which perhaps represent two distinct 

 species, each with a larger and a smaller race. These forms have been 



