1S90.] Recent Literature. 



271 



[74. Tyrannus albogularis Burnt. 



Tyr annus niveigularis Allen, Bull. Essex Inst., VIII, 1876, p. 79. 



A typical male of this species was taken by Mr. Williams, July 25, 

 18S3. This capture considerably extends the range of this species, which 

 has before been known only from the interior of Brazil. Through the 

 kindness ol Mr. William Brewster, I have been enabled to examine at 

 the Museum of Comparative Zoology, a number of the Linden specimens 

 on which Mr Allen's paper was based, and find the bird there recorded 

 (I. c.) as Tyrannus niveigularis Scl. to be Tyrannus albogularis Burm. 



In addition to the first example mentioned there are two other speci- 

 mens collected by Mr. Williams; one mounted in Brown University, with- 

 out indication of sex or date of capture, the other a skin of a male in Mr. 

 Riker's collection, taken in June, 1883. These birds agree very closely 

 with each other and differ so decidedly from albogularis, as represented 

 by a series of iS specimens, that for a time I had little doubt of their 

 distinctness. Certain peculiarities in coloration, however, have led me 

 to believe that these specimens may have been preserved in alcohol, and 

 I therefore simply append a comparison with its nearest ally, leaving it to 

 be decided by the acquisition of further material whether the bird is deserv- 

 ing of recognition. The male, tnken in June, is in fresh, unworn plu- 

 mage. It may be distinguished from albogularis at any season, by (1) 

 the greenish olive-brown instead of olive-green back, (2) a brownish 

 suffusion in the ashy color of the head (the crown patch remaining un- 

 changed), (3) the hair-brown (not black or blackish) auriculars, (4) the 

 brown in place of black wings. It is the coloration of the wings, however, 

 which has aroused my suspicion, and while, as has been stated, the gen- 

 eral color is brown, there is a peculiar blackish and lighter brownish 

 mottling on some of the quills which suggests a chemical change having 

 occured in the coloration. This apparent abnormality is even more 

 marked in the wings, and also the tail, of the mounted Brown University 

 specimen. In both specimens the yellow of the underparts has evidently 

 not been affected and agrees in color with that of albogularis.— F. M. C.J 

 75. Milvulus tyrannus {Linn.). — Common in lowlands and flooded 

 tracts. 



( To be continued.) 



RECENT LITERATURE. 



Ridgway on the Genus Xiphocolaptes. — Mr. Ridgway's 'Review'* of 

 thisTJifficult genus is based upon the material of the National Museum, 

 supplemented by that of the American Museum of Natural History, the 

 Boston Society of Natural History, and the Museum of Comparative 



*A Review of the Genus Xiphocolaptes of Lesson. By Robert Ridgway. Proc. 

 U. S. Nat. Mus., Vol. XII, 1889, pp. 1-20. 



