Recently published Ornithological Works. 283 



Island in the summer of 1895, and arrived at the Venezuelan 

 port of La Guayra by steamer from New York on June 20th, 

 and, after a short delay there, at Porlamar, in Margarita, on 

 June 30th. Margarita, only some 17 miles distant from 

 the nearest point of the opposite mainland, is about 42 miles 

 long and 20^ miles across at its greatest breadth. It consists 

 of two portions, united by a narrow isthmus. In the western 

 part some almost barren peaks attain a height of 2300 feet. 

 In the eastern portion the mountain rises to a central peak 

 of 3240 feet in elevation, and, being constantly enveloped in 

 clouds, gives birth to numerous streams, which irrigate the 

 southern slopes of the island. On these quantities of fruit, 

 sugar-cane, and corn are raised, while behind the cultivated 

 lands are heavy forests. 



Lieut. Robinson collected near Porlamar for eight days, 

 and then moved to El Valle, in the cultivated district, where 

 he spent a week, returning to Porlamar on July 15th, and 

 leaving the island on the 20th. During his 16 days' col- 

 lecting he obtained 200birdskins, getting specimens of nearly 

 every land-bird observed, except the two Vultures and the 

 Caracara. 



Of the 73 species included in Lieut. Robinson's list, 11 

 have been discriminated by Mr. Richmond as new. But 

 they are all close allies of Venezuelan forms, and their 

 claims to separation appear in most cases to be extremely 

 slender. In fact, it is plain that the avifauna of Margarita 

 has been wholly derived from Venezuela, and that no purely 

 Antillean forms are found there. 



Butorides robinsoni (sp. nov.) is '^ closely related " to 

 B. striata ; Eupsychortyx pallidus is so near to E. sonninii 

 as " not to require a separate description " ! In the same 

 sort of way Leptoptila insularis replaces L. verreauxi, and 

 Scardafella ridgwayi S. squamosa of Venezuela. The re- 

 maining (so-called) new species are named Speotyto bra- 

 chyptera, Doleromya pallida, Amazilia alicice, Dendroplex 

 longirostris, Quiscalus insularis, Cardinalis robinsoni, and 

 Hylophilus griseipes. The points of their distinctness appear 

 in most cases to be hardly more decided. 



