iSgi-] Allkn, Desicriplion of a Ncm MimocicJila. 2 17 



DESCRIPTION OF A NEW SPECIES OF MIMO- 

 CICHLA, FROM THE ISLAND OF DOMIN- 

 ICA, WEST INDIES. 



BY J. A. ALLEN. 



Through the kinchiess of Professor A. E. Verrill, of Y;ile Col- 

 lege, New Haven, I have had recently an opportunity to exam- 

 ine a very complete collection of the land l)irds of the Island of 

 Dominica, West Indies, made hy Professor Verrill's sons, 

 Messrs. Alpheus H. and George E. Verrill, who collected in 

 Dominica for several months during 1S90. 



Among the rarities of the collection are two specimens of a 

 Mhnocichla^ new to science, and forming the first specimens of 

 the genus known from the Lesser Antilles. 



Mimocichla verrillorum, sp. nov. 



Thrush? Lawrence, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus. I, 1878, p. 53. 



Similar to AI. ardosciacea of San Domingo and Porto Rico, but much 

 smaller, with much more white on the tail, and with the abdomen strong 

 buff instead of plumbeous fading into white. 



Adult male. (Collector's No. 102, Lasswa, Dominica, April 11, 1S90; G. 

 E. and A. H. Verrill.) — Above general color nearly uniform dark slate- 

 gray, the feathers of the head with slightly darker centres; lores black; 

 wings black, the coverts and all of the quills broadly edged with slate- 

 gray, lighter than the color of the back, especially on the greater coverts 

 and primaries; tail black, the basal half of the middle feathers externally 

 edged with gray, and all broadly tipped with white except the middle pair, 

 which shows only a faint trace of white at the extreme tip; the outer 

 feather on each side has the inner vane white for more than iialf its 

 length, the amount of white regularly diminishing on the inner pairs to 

 the fifth, on which it forms a central triangular patch at the end about 

 half an inch in length. Chin, cheeks and throat white, broadly streaked 

 with black; breast and flanks slate gray, much lighter than the back; ab- 

 domen white, strongly washed with buff; crissum pure white. Bill and 

 feet bright yellow. 



Length (from skin) about 10.50 in. ; wing, 4.60; tail, 4.50; culmen, .85; 

 tarsus, 1.50. 



Adult female. (Collector's No. 103, Lasswa, Dominica. April 11, 1890.) 

 — Slightly smaller than the male, with the breast paler, and the abdomen 

 more deeply tinted with yellowish bulf. 



