BIRDS OF NORTH AND MIDDLE AMERICA. 321 



Lesser Antilles, and Galapagos Archipelago. (About twelve species, 

 not including subspecies.) 



The above diagnosis and description of external structural charac- 

 ters are drawn up from the type species and others which are evi- 

 dently congeneric, besides two South American species {A. thilms and 

 A. cyanopus)^ which, though aberrant, seem scarcely different enough 

 to warrant generic separation. In addition to these typical or nearly 

 typical species of Agelaius, Dr. Sclater includes^ six others. Three of 

 these coincide so closely with the typical Agelitii in structural details 

 that, notwithstanding great difference in their style of coloration, I 

 am for the present compelled to refer them to the same genus, though 

 of the opinion that differences maj^ be found which will warrant their 

 generic separation. One of these species {OrijilnH ■ictcnieepliidas Lin- 

 nseus) is the tj^pe of X(nitli<i»niias Cabanis. This species differs from 

 the typical Agla/'l in having the culmen less elevated basally, the 

 mesorhinium less flattened, the wing-tip shorter, the toes and claws 

 more slender, and the plumage of the adult male is uniform deep 

 black, with the whole head, neck, and chest yellow. The other two 

 species are closely allied, and one of them {Agelai.as rufcapilhiH Vieillot) 

 is the type of Erytliropsar Cassin. This has the bill quite as in typical 

 Agehtkis, but the feet are much more slender, with the claws rela- 

 tively longer, and the coloration black, with crown and throat chestnut. 

 A.forbesi Sclater I have not seen, but believe that it should be 

 expunged from this genus, since it is said to have the "feathers of the 

 head and neck lanceolate and with shining shafts," the "mesorhinium 

 much flattened," and the base of the mandible denuded and somewhat 

 tuberculate — characters which, quite apart from others that may exist, 

 are certainly not to be found in any species of true AgdnluH. A. 

 imtlmrini Sclater is so exceedingly unlike anyspeciesof^lr/^y.'^///.vthatit 

 is difficult to understand why it should excv have been placed in that 

 genus. It seems to me far more nearlj' related to QnisadiiK, and I have 

 accordingly made it the type of a new genus, Pseuilngiheux:'' The 

 remaining species, the ( hid us famis of Gmelin, has usually bivn 

 placed in Xanthosfmiva )jy those who accord the latter geiiei'ic rank; 

 but it is by no means congeneric with the type of XinitJioKtmnix, nor 

 apparently with any other species, and having been overlooked by 

 Dr. Cabanis, while Mr. Cassin, in his generous distribution of sub- 

 generic names seems to have forgotten it, I have felt compelled to 

 make a new one {Xantlwpmr) ^ for this species. 



'The first-named of these is the type ofCabanis's genus Jl^eZasiicws (Mus. Hein., i, 

 September, 1851, 188.) 

 ''Cat. Birds Brit. Mus., xi, 1886, 339-348. 

 'Proe. Biol. See. Wash., iii, Apr. 15, 1901, 155. 



3654— VOL 2—01 21 



