1870. ] DR, O. FINSCH ON THE BIRDS OF TRINIDAD. 575 
Fam. Icrerip2. 
AGELAIN#. 
59. STURNELLA HIPPOCREPIS, Wagl. 
Sturnella hippocrepis, mexicana et meridionalis, Scl. Ibis, 1861, 
p- 179; Cat. Am. B. pp. 139, 841, 842, 843. 
Sturnella hippocrepis, Gundl. J. f. Orn. 1856, p. 14. 
Long. al. caud. rostr. tars. dig. med. 
3" ga” ata 13h" 17" 11" ” Chinmoerepis, Trinidad.) 
5 ga | 2 6 14 18 113 (Aippocrepis, Venezuela.) 
4 9 2 6 123 17 103 (6, magna, California.) 
4 3 2 3 13 16 10 (3, magna, California. ) 
aay 3 0 14 18 123 (N. America.) 
One specimen, similar in every respect to one from Venezuela 
(Angostura) in the Bremen Collection. Not included in Dr. Léo- 
taud’s work. 
Whether S. hippocrepis is really a species or not I am unable to 
answer with full certainty. The above-mentioned specimen differs 
from North-American ones in having the sides, the under and upper 
tail-coverts, as well as the ground-colour of the back more decidedly 
chestnut reddish ; the neck-gorget is narrower, and the wings are 
shorter. But these differences seem to be only in consequence of 
age, and referable to the bird being younger. The primaries in both 
specimens are just developing, and thus the wing is shorter. 
The separation of the Sturnelle into five localized species, as Dr. 
Sclater endeavoured to set forth (Ibis, 1861, p. 179), in which he 
was followed by Mr. Cassin (Proc. Ac. Phil. 1866, pp- 23, 24), 
seems to be inadmissible; nobody can distinguish the so-called 
species from the short diagnoses given as above cited. Mr. Baird 
has pointed out very minutely the distinctive characters between 
the eastern and western S. magna and neglecta (B. N. Am. p. 536); 
but having before me both forms, I am unable to find any constancy 
of the characters said to be of specific value. A chief character 
for S. neglecta, having the yellow of chin and throat extending on 
the side of the lower jaw (not confined strictly within the rami of 
the lower jaw as in S. magna), is not constant. One specimen from 
California shows this peculiarity ; another from the same locality 
does not do so. 
Dr. Cabanis (J. f. Orn. 1856, p. 14, et 1861, p- 10), after having 
examined specimens from North America, Cuba, Costa Rica, Vene- 
zuela, and Guiana, comes to the conclusion that there is only one 
species; and I believe this opinion is quite right. 
60. PsEUDOLEISTES MELANICTERUS, Vieill. 
Gymnomystax melanicterus, Scl. Cat. p. 137. 
Leistes melanicterus, Cass. Proc. Ac. Phil. 1866, p. 14. 
_ One specimen in the old plumage, agreeing with Brazilian spe- 
cimens. 
This species seems not to have been before recorded from Trinidad. 
