510 U S. p. R. B. EXP. AND SURVEYS — ZOOLOGY — GENERAL REPORT. 



List of speaimens. 



PIPILO, Vieillot. 



Pipilo, Vieillot, Analyse, 18I6j (Agassiz.) Type FringiUa erythrophthalmd, Linn. 

 Kieneria, Bcnap. Comptes Rendus, XL, 1855, 356. In part. 



Ch. — Bill ratlier stout ; the culmen gently curved, the gohys nearly straight ; the commissure gently concave with a 

 decided notch near the end ; the lower jaw not so deep as the upper ; not as wide as the gonjs is long ; but wider than the base 

 of the upper mandible. Peet large, the tarsus as long or a litt'e longer than the middle toe ; the outer lateral toe a little the 

 longer, and reaching a little beyond the base of the middle claw. The hind claw about equal to its toe ; the two together 

 about equal to the outer toe. Claws all stout, compressed, and moderately curved. Wings reaching about to the end of the 

 upper tail coverts; short and rounded, though the primaries are considerably longer than the nearly equal secondaries and 

 tertials ; the outer four quills are graduated ; the first considerably shorter than the second, and about as long as the secondaries. 

 Tail considerably longer than the wings ; moderately graduated externally ; the feathers rather broad; most rounded off on the 

 inner webs at the end. 



The colors vary ; the upper parts are generally uniform black or brown ; the under white or brown ; no central streaks on 

 the feathers. The hood sometimes differently colored. 



The essential characters of the genus are in the curved culmen and commissure ; the strong 

 feet; the outer toe rather longer than the inner; the wings rounded, but the primaries decidedly- 

 longer than the others ; the outer four quills considerably graduated, but the first usually not 

 shorter than the secondaries. The graduated tail longer than the wings. 



Of this genus there are three sections well marked by color in the United States species. 



In the examination of a large series of specimens of Pipilo, belonging to section A, from 

 different parts of North America, I found it very difficult to assign all of them satisfactorily to 

 their respective species. It was quite possible to select typical specimens of the four black 

 ones described, but there were intermediate forms which connected the extremes. I am, 

 however, satisfied that we have these four, and am inclined to believe that many of the uncer- 

 tain specimens are really hybrids, as appears to be certainly the case with No. 8193. 



In the following synopsis I have been obliged to go into more detail than usual with section 

 A, in order to show the exact relationship of the new P. megalonyx to its allies. 



