116 CASSIN'S MONOGRAPH OF THE GENERA 



Ohs. — This large species may readily be distinguished by its very long forked tail, 

 the feathers of which are graduated, the shortest being those in the middle. In the 

 latter respect it differs from the preceding species, {R. torquatus,) to which, however, 

 it bears little resemblance. 



Several specimens of both sexes are in the collection of the Academy. I have met 

 with no figure of this species. 



It is not in my power at present to say that H. creagra, Bonap. is identical with 

 this bird. A gentleman of this Academy who has recently seen the specimen in the 

 Leyden Museum, which is the type of Bonaparte, informs me that the wings and 

 tail very closely resemble those of H. limhatus, but that the body presents some differ- 

 ence in size and colors. The original description is as follows: "Hydropsalis 

 creagra, Bp. Mus. Lugd. ex Brasilia. Medius : alis longioribus" (compared with H. 

 furcifer, Vieill.) " acutis ; remige prima omnium longissima : cauda sesquipedali ; 

 rectricibus extimes rectis, apicibus divergentibus, secundas pede et ultra excidentibus." 



My opinion is that it is the same bird in a different stage of plumage. 



3. Hydropsalis lyra. Bonaparte, Conspectus Avium, p. 59. (1850.) 

 " Hydropsalis lyra. Gould." Bonaparte, ut supra. 



PL 13. (Sections of tail feathers.) 



Form. — 5 adult. Wings rather short, two external tail feathers excessively long, 

 much exceeding the others, and with their apices converging, head and body rather 

 broad and robust, tarsi short. External webs of outer tail feathers very narrow. 



Dimensions. — Total length of skin from tip of bill to end of external tail feathers 

 about 34 inches ; wing 1\ ; tail to end of external tail feathers 27^ inches. 



Colors. — Neck encircled by a collar of rusty red. Entire plumage of the head 

 and body above and wing coverts brownish black, every feather with more or less 

 numerous rounded spots and irregular lines of reddish, paler on the head. Under 

 parts with the breast much the same as the back, but with the rusty red color more 

 predominating ; abdomen and under tail coverts pale reddish white, every feather 

 with several distinct lines of black. 



Quills brownish black externally, edged and spotted with rusty red, especially the 

 secondaries, which are also tipped with pale reddish white. Two outer tail feathers 

 deep black, tipped with white and with a very narrow edging of dull white on their 

 inner webs, other tail feathers black, obliquely barred and irregularly marked with 

 rusty red of the same shade as that of the collar and back. 



6 young ? Tail deeply emarginate, but with the external feathers only slightly 

 longest. Colors much like those of the male, but with the tail feathers of uniform 

 brown and black. 



Hah. — South America. 



