18r6.] BLUE CROWS OF AMERICA. 271 ' 



characteristic of the female of this species. The O. beecheii of Gray's 

 Hand-Ust is based upon three similar yellow-billed and white-tipped 

 specimens, in the British Museum, two of which were obtained by 

 Dyson in British Honduras. 



In the Gallery of the Jardin des Plantes are two specimens of the 

 bird. One of these, labelled " Mexique," has a yellow bill and white 

 tips to the tail. The other is a partial albino, and has the black por- 

 tions of the plumage, except the tibire, white. It agrees with the short 

 diagnosis given by Bonaparte of Cyanocitta beachii, jr. (Consp, p. 

 378), and is doubtless the bird from which it was taken. Amongst 

 the skins at Paris is one example of this species from Merida (Yu- 

 catan), with yellow bill and white-tipped rectrices. This is marked in 

 the handwriting of Jules Verreaux as the type of Bonaparte's cras- 

 sirostris ; but this is clearly an error. It is, no doubt, the specimen 

 referred to by Pucheran (Rev. Zool. 1858, p. 196) as having been 

 brought by Morelet from Guatemala. 



Cyanocitta jolyjea, Bp. Journ. f. Orn. 1853, p. 47; Tacz. 

 P. Z. S. 1874, p.524. 



Of this rare bird we have never been able to procure specimens, 

 but have examined that in the Paris Museum (probably Bonaparte's 

 type) and convinced ourselves that it is an excellent species. There 

 is likewise an example of it in the Copenhagen Museum, obtained by 

 Prof. Reiuhardt when at Lima, along with the specimen of Iridornis 

 reinhardti (Ibis, 1865, p. 495, pi. xi.). We have not seen Tacza- 

 iiowski's specimens, but have little doubt that they really belong here, 

 and that the bird is from the Junin district of Peru. Further south 

 in the Cuzco district and in Bohvia C. viridi-cyanea takes its place*. 



Cyanocitta armillata, 6. R. Gray. 



The series of this bird in our collections present three recognizable 

 forms, not including C. turcosa, Bp. These are from three diiferent 

 mountain-ranges of Columbia and Venezuela, namely the Andes of 

 Merida, the central range of Bogota and Pamplona, and the Quin- 

 diu range, between the Cauca and Magdalena valleys. They may 

 be distinguished as follows, but are hardly worthy of specific rank, 



a. MERIDANA. 



Cyanocitta armillata, Scl. et Salv. P. Z. S. 1870, p. 788. 



In this form the whole upper surface is deep blue without any 

 greenish tinge on the lower back and tail ; the head is likewise barely 

 lighter, not of a silvery blue as in No. 2. Below also the plumage is 

 of a darker blue and quite uniformly coloured except on the throat, 

 within the black neck-collar, where it is lighter, but not so bright as 

 in the Bogota bird. 



Of this form Goering obtained specimens in the upper wood-reo-ion 

 of Merida, three of which are now before us. ° 



» C/. P.Z.S. 1873, p. 185. 



