534 



D. S P. E. R. EXP. AND SURVEYS — ZOOLOGY — GENERAL REPORT. 



anus. There is a strong shade of gray on the feathers of the sides of the body and the rump. 

 The exposed surface of the closed wing and tail exhibits transverse bars going entirely across 

 the web of the feathers ; most distinct on the upper tail coverts. The bars on the tail are 

 mainly confined to the two median feathers, but may be seen on the tips of the others. The 

 outer edge of the first primary is broadly white ; a less pure shade of the same on the others. 

 The white superciliary stripe on the side of the head and nape is very distinct, and changes 

 anteriorly to red. The lower eyelid and a small maxillary spot are white. 



A single specimen of this species (4230) was obtained in San Francisco by Mr. E. D. Cutts 

 of the Coast Survey, from a collector, who asserted positively that it had been shot by him in 

 San Francisco county. It is mentioned in the " Voyage de la Venus" (Zoologie, I, 1855, 203) 

 as having been shot at Monterey by Dr. Neboux, surgeon of the expedition. There is still 

 some uncertainty, however, as to whether it be really entitled to a place in the fauna of the 

 United States, as Mr. Cutts may have been deceived by his informant, and the indications of 

 the Zoologists of the Venus as to the existence of other species of Vertebrata in California are 

 certainly erroneous, owing doubtless to accidental transposition of labels. 



The specimen sent in by Mr. Cutts agrees perfectly with those collected in Chile by Lieutenant 



Gillis, and which are considered by some to be the true Sturnus loyca of Molina. Cabanis considers 



the S. militaris of Linnaeus to be the S. defiUippii of Bonaparte, a species found in Brazil, 



Paraguay, Montevideo, &c., similar in other respects, but with the under wing coverts blackish, 



not white. Another species from Brazil, Chile, and Mexico, (?) (1794,) has the bill much 



shorter and higher at the base, (nearly half as high as long, and more like that of an oriole.) 



The red of the breast does not pass on to the belly at all, nor that of the chin on the side of the 



jaw. The white on the inside of the wing is purer. There is no median stripe on the crown. 



There are no transverse bars on the tail and its upper coverts, except faint indications on the 



edges and tips. The tibia are pure white instead of brown^ and the black of the under parts is 



clearer. This is described by Cabanis as Pezites brevirostris, and referred by him in part to the 



Trupialis loyca of Bp. Conspectus, 429. Cabanis also considers the true 8. militaris of Linnaeus 



to be the one with the black under wing coverts. It is difficult to say whether Cabanis or 



Bonaparte be correct in their determinations, but there is no question that the subject of the 



present article is found as far north on the east coast of South America as the Rio Negro, 



whence specimens were brought by the United States Exploring Expedition, There is no 



evidence that the black-winged species occurs as far south as the Falkland Islands or the 



Magellan region, from which it appears that the specimens of Linnaeus and of Bufi'on were obtained. 



The short-billed species is also found in Chile, as shown by the collections of the United States 



Exploring Expedition. The bird described by Gray as Chilian, under the name of Leistes 



americanus (on the plate as 8iurnus militaris) is said to have black under wing coverts, and 



thus relerrible to S. defiUippii of Bonaparte. As, therefore, all three species appear to be found 



in Chile, it is impossible to say what is the true 8. loyca of Molina, and it may be best to follow 



Bonaparte in his identification. 



List of specimens. 



