196 Wetmore, The Palate in Icteridce. I April 



Andriopsar Cassin. 1 



Type. — Ps[arocolius] gularis Wagler, lsis, 1829, p. 754 (type local- 

 ity, Tehuan tepee, Oaxaca). 

 Diagnosis. — Medium-sized Icteridce with short, heavy bill ; a 

 prominent knob-like projection on the posterior median portion 

 of the palate, broad and somewhat flattened in general form, with 

 abrupt sides, truncated in front, sometimes with a tooth or notch 

 at the anterior ventral angle, about 2 millimeters broad and from 

 1.2 to 1.5 millimeters high in front; depth of culmen at base nearly 

 equal to one-half length of culmen (varying from slightly more to 

 slightly less); tarsus slightly longer than culmen from base; middle 

 toe with claw equal to two-thirds, or slightly more, of length of 

 tarsus. 



One species in which three subspecies have been described is at 

 present known to belong in this genus. These will stand as follows: 

 Andriopsar gularis gularis (Wagler) 

 Andriopsar gularis tamaulipensis (Ridgway) 

 Andriopsar gularis yucatanensis (Berlepsch) 

 At present there is no information on the feeding habits of these 

 orioles available but it seems certain that they will show some 

 striking peculiarity in choice of food or in manner of securing and 

 handling it when the life history of the species is better known. 



In conclusion I desire to give a brief summary of the condition 

 of the palate in other Ictcridev where comment is necessary. In 

 Euphagus carohmis and E. cyanocephalus there is a slight elongate 

 ridge of low elevation, rounded posteriorly more acute in front, 

 and not projecting as far as the level of the tomia. This raised 

 line is slightly more pronounced in E. earohnus than in E. cyano- 

 cephalus in spite of the fact that the latter has a heavier, stronger 

 bill. The species known as Ptiloxena atroviolacea has an elongate, 

 narrow, slightly elevated ridge on the posterior portion of the palate, 

 rounded behind and more or less acute in front, but with too low 

 an elevation to be considered a highly specialized structure. Sumi- 

 chrast's Blackbird (Dives dives) has a palatal structure somewhat 

 resembling that of the genus Holoquiscalus save that the entire 

 ridge is shorter. 



• Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Philadelphia, Vol. XIX, 1867, p. 49. 



