BIEDS — PAEIDAE — POLIOPTILA CAEEULEA. 



381 



more conspicuous than in eastern specimens, althougTi some from Illinois come quite near to 

 it. Skins from the Mimhres, however, appear precisely similar to eastern ones. Occasionally, 

 especially in winter skins, (7194,) the hlack advances further along the inner weh of the second 

 tail feather, and has a more transverse outline. This is the case in one specimen from Fort 

 Thorn, while another is like eastern ones. The same is the case in Nos. 7193 and 7194, from 

 the Organ mountains. These specimens are smaller than usual, with shorter wings; hut I 

 am unable to observe any other characters of difference. 



In the collection before me is a specimen from the Colorado river, California, (4593,) which 

 i^very similar to eastern specimens, although it is of large size, and has rather more black on 

 the tail. It is, however, in too imperfect condition (in addition to being probably a female) to 

 exhibit its complete characteristics. 



A female Polioptila, probably P. bilineata of Bonaparte,^ labelled, by Mr. Yerreaux, P. 

 mexicana, Bonap., and atricapilla, VieilL, and received from him, is very similar to the female 

 of P. caerulea, but differs in having the sides of the head as white as the throat ; this coloj 

 seen above the eye as a well marked line. Nothing like it is seen in the female of the other 

 species, where there is a narrow whitish ring round the eye but no superciliary white, the 

 whole sides of the head plumbeous, nearly as dark as the crown. The outer two tail feathers 

 are white, as in caerulea. The spurious primary is much larger than in caerulea, being more 

 than half the second quill. It is unquestionably distinct from any of the known species of the 

 Uuited States. It differs from P. melanura and plumbea in the white outer tail feathers, and 

 from caerulea in the white cheeks and large first primary. It agrees pretty well with O. bili- 

 neata of Bonap. 



Gundlach describes a Oulicivora (Poliopfila) lembeyi from Cuba, (Annals N. Y. Lye. Feb. 

 1858,) differing from the caerulea, in having a black line extending from behind the eye around 

 the ear coverts. The outer tail feathers have more black on them. 



List of specimens. 



' POLIOI'TILA BILINEATA, Sclater. 



CvXiwrna, bilineata, Bonap. Consp. 1850, 316. 

 PolioptUa bilineata, Sclater, Pr. Zool. Soc. 1855, 12. 



