804 



NORTH AMElllCAN BIRD'S. 



In the shape of the bill and the shortness of tiie primaries, compared 

 with the broad tertials and secondaries, there is much resemblance to 

 A'anfhoitra. The nostrils are, however, uncovered, the legs much stouter 

 and shorter, being shorter than the liead instead of longer ; the tail-feathers 

 are broader, etc. 



Fsilorhinus morio, Gkay. 



BBOWN JTAT. 



Pica morid, Waoleu, Isis, 182!), vii, 751. — Ib. l.sis, 1831, .'!27. — Voyiige.de la Favorite, 

 V, 1839, i)i (.said to have been killed at San Francisco, Cal., by liotta). Psilorhinua 

 morio, Okay, List, genera, 1841, 51. — Bcinap. Consp. 1850, 381. — Cab. Mus. Hcin. 

 1851, 226. — Baiiii), Birds N. Am. 1858, 592, pi. Ixviii, f. 1, 2. " Pica fuliyimsa, 

 Lksson, Traite d'Orn. 1831, 333." Fsilorhinus mcxiamus, Kiii'iucLL, Mus. Senck, 1837, 

 pi. xi, f. 2. 



Sp. Char. Tail much graduated; the lateral featlicr.s about two indies sliorte.st. 



Secor.;! (|uill equal to the sicoondaries; third 

 and fouriii longctit. General color dark 

 snioky-lirown, becoming almost black on 

 the head ; the brea.'jt brownish-gray ; nearly 

 white about the anus ; under tail-coverts 

 tinged with brown ; the expo.^ed portion of 

 the tail with a decided glo.-s of blue; bill 

 and feet, in some specimens yellow, in 

 othera black. Length, 16.00; wing, 8.00; 

 tail, 8.25; tarsn.s, 1.80. 



IL\n. Rio Grande Valley, north-ea.stern 

 Mexico, southward. Cordova (Scl. 1856, 

 300); ? Guatemala (Scl. Ibis, I. 22); Hon- 

 duras (Scl. II, 113); Costa Rica (CAnAN. 

 J. 1801, 8.3); Vera Cruz, hot and temjierate 

 regions (Su.Micii. Alem. Bost. Soe. I, 554). 



The difference in the color of the 

 bill appears to be inde])endont of sex. 

 The feet of tlie yellow-billed birds 

 are not oi' the same pure yellow. 

 The P.'^i/orliiitiin mcnvanvs of Riippell is described as having white tips to 

 the tail-featliers ; of tliese there is no trace in the adult specimens, male and 

 female, from tlic Ifio Grande, before us. He speal<s of a supijosed young 

 bird sent from Tamauli])as, I)y Lindheimer, as being without these wliite 

 tips. 



A series of specimens of this species exhibits considerable diversities. 

 Some skins from Mirador, :\Iex., imt far from Vera Cruz, ])erhaps best rep- 

 resent the species as first described l)y Wagler. In these the head and neck 

 are sooty-brown, becoming lighter on tlie jugulnm and on the back. The 

 wings and tail show a trace of dull l)luish. In Xo. 23,9ir) the under parts 

 are sooty-gray, the bill and legs black; in 23,;J16 the colors are similar. 



I'sihrhinus mnrin. 



