iSgi-l Cory o)i Birds from the Bahamas. "^49 



Tlie variation in the dillcrent forms of Speotyto is great and 

 not at all constant, specimens from the same locality varying very 

 considerably. The absence or presence of feathers on the tarsus 

 varies much according to season and age. But there is sufficient 

 dirtcrence in series from ditiereiit localities to warrant recogniz- 

 ing two at least as subspecies. By separating the Inagua bird 

 we have the known West Indian forms distributed as follows : 



Speotyto cunicularia floridana Ridgtv. 



Tarsus iiearlv naked ; underparts marked with irregular brown bands, 

 becoming more imperfect and paler on the belly and flanks. Length, 

 8.15; wing, 6.50; tarsus, 1.75. 



Habitat. Florida, Ca_y Sal, New Providence, Eleuthera, and Andros 

 Islands, Bahamas. 



Speotyto cunicularia bahamensis Cory. 



Tarsus feathered; luiderparts marked with broad dark brown bands, 

 extending upon the belly and flanks; feathers on the tarsus showing a 

 brownish tinge. Length, S.io; wing, 6.50; tarsus 1.75. 



Habitat. Inagua, Bahamas. 



Speotyto cunicularia dominicensis Cory. 



Smaller \.h?ir\ Ji or idau a ov ba// a moists. Tarsus feathered irnther less 

 than in bakamvnsis but more than \nJlorida71a. Underparts marked with 

 dark brown bands, narrower and more regular than in either of the others, 

 some of the breast feathers showing indications of a fourth band, and 

 most of the belly feathers having three perfectly distinct bars. Length, 

 7.50; wing, 5.45; tarsus, 1.55. 



Habitat. Haiti and San Domingo, W. I. 



Speotyto guadeloupensis {R idgw .) . 



A small dark species, having the spotting on tiie upper parts \ery 

 small, often reduced to mere specks ; breast feathers often showing two 

 brown bands. Wing, 6.40; tail, 340; tarsus, 1.80. 



Habitat. Guadeloupe and St. Nevis, W. I. 



Speotyto amaura La%vr. 



Somewhat darker than guadeloupensis but similar, the spots on the 

 interscapular region somewhat longer, and the breast marking somewhat 

 heavier. Wing, 6.30; tail, 3.10; tarsus, 1.50. 



Mr. Lawrence, in his original description, writes : "In the Antigua bird 

 each feather of the breast is crossed with but one bar, while those of the 

 other {guadeloupensis^ are crossed with two." Insufficient material makes 

 it inexpedient to attempt to decide as to the standing of these forms, but 

 the two birds are very closely allied. 



Habitat. Antigua, W. I. 



14 



