iSSS.] Brewstkr on Neiv Buds from Mexico and the Bahamas. §5 



the lateral under tail-coverts marked with brown, the bend of the win"- 

 and greater under primary 'coverts mottled with black, and white; from 

 H. galapagensis'xw the rather shorter bill and distinctly brown (instead 

 of sooty black) back, scapulars, and wing-coverts, dark markings on the 

 under tail-coverts, and greater amount of white on the under primary 

 coverts ; from both falliatus and galapagensi<i in the bi-oad zone of mottled 

 black and white feathers extending across the breast. 



$ ad. (No. 14135. collection of W. Brewster. Carmen Island, Gulf of 

 California, March 6, 18S7 ; M. Abbott Frazar) . Entire head and neck black 

 with a greenish gloss most pronounced on the jugulum and hind neck; 

 back, scapulars, lesser and middle wing-coverts rich seal-brown; wing 

 quills, and tail-feathers brownish black, very much darker than the back, the 

 concealed bases of the secondaries and tail-feathers pure white; shorter 

 upper tail-coverts concolor with the back, longer ones white with broad 

 bars and spots of brown on their tips and inner webs ; under tail-coverts 

 white with large, irregular bars and spots of brown on their outer webs; 

 black of throat andjugulum extending rather farther down over the breast 

 than in either H. palliatas or H. galapagensis, and separated from the 

 immaculate white of the lower breast, abdomen, anal region and sides by 

 a broad zone of mottled black and white feathers; inner surface of prima- 

 ries and greater under wing-coverts plain drab; middle under wing-coverts 

 and contiguous exposed edge of wing mottled with dark brown and white, 

 the brown prevailing; most of the remaining under wing-coverts and all 

 the axillary feathers immaculate white; a trace of whitish at the bases of 

 the feathers of the lower eyelids. Bill dull carmine; legs and feet flesh- 

 color.* 



Measurements, extremes of three specimens, all males : wing, 9.75- 

 10.27; tail, 3.90-4.26; tarsus, 2.1S-2.30; bill, length from nostril, 2.35-2.57; 

 from feathers, 2.99-3.05; depth at angle, .49-. 53. 



Habitat. Pacific and Gulf Coasts of Lower California. 



Although in several respects intermediate between H. galapa- 

 gensis and M. palliatus., this Oyster Catcher seems to be specifi- 

 cally distinct from either. Mr. Frazar found it common and 

 evidently preparing to breed on tlie sandy islands and shores 

 of the Gulf to the northw^ard of La Paz, but, mistaking it for JV. 

 pat/iatus, secured only three specimens. These present the 

 characters above detailed, with almost perfect uniformity. A 

 fourth example in the collection of the National Museum (Cor- 

 onado Island, May 17. 1881, L. Belding) from the Pacific coast 

 of the peninsula has a rather deeper bill and less white mottling 

 on the breast. The latter difl'erence, ho\\ ever, may be apparent 

 rather than real, for the head is bent over on the back and the 

 skin otherwise so distorted that it cannot be satisfactorily exam- 



* In the dried specimen. 



