PTEANGA. 287 



The genus Pyranga is usually made to include several rather diverse forms, but these 

 are perhaps scarcely separable. P. erythromelcena and P. erythrocephala are most 

 aberrant, and vpe are not sure that they have not a closer relationship to one another 

 than is here admitted, the form of the bUl being very similar in both birds. 



The notch or dentate process on the middle of the cutting-edge of the mandible is a 

 variable feature in this genus, and, though of value in a specific sense, hardly serves to 

 group the different species. 



The bill in Pyranga is stout, subcorneal, the culmen more or less depressed, and the 

 cutting-edge of the mandible rather strongly curved in P. erythromelcena and its allies, 

 less so in P. rubra ; there is nearly always a projection like a tooth in the middle. In 

 P. cestiva the edge is simple, but a slight vpave in the curve sometimes shows where it 

 is present in other species. In P. hidenfata, P. hepatica, and P. testacea it is most 

 developed, and in some there is an indication of a second projection on the proximal 

 side of the large one. 



The wings of Pyranga are well developed and (especially in the migratory species) 

 rather long, the second primary being usually the longest, but the first, second, and 

 third are nearly equal. In P. roseigularis the primaries are short and the wing rounded, 

 the second, third, and fourth quills being nearly equal. The tail is of moderate length, 

 nearly square at the end or but slightly forked. The tarsi and toes are of moderate 

 size and suitable for birds of arboreal habits, which all the species of Pyranga have. 



A. Alee haud fasdUtoB. 



a. Alee nigree. 

 1. Pyranga rubra. 



Tanagra rubra, linn. Syst. Nat. i. p. 314'. 



Pyranga rubra, Gosse, B. Jam. p. 235 ^ Scl. P.Z.S. 1856, p. 133'; 1858, p. 73 ^ Jones, Nat. 

 Berm. p. 31 '; Scl. & Salv. P. Z. S. 1864, p. 350"; 1879, pp. 501', 601 ^ Dresser, Ibis, 

 1865, p. 479'; Lawr. Ann. Lye. N. Y.viii.p. 331 "; ix. p. 99"; v. Frantz. J. f. Orn. 1869, 

 p. 399"; Sumichrast, Mem. Bost. Soc. N. H. i. p. 550"; Salv. P.Z.S. 1870, p. 187"; 

 Ibis, 1873, p. 316"; Baird, Brew. & Ridgw. N. Am. B. i. p. 435'"; Tacz. P. Z. S. 1874, 

 p. 514"; Gundl. Orn. Cub. p. 73". 

 Coccinea, alls caudaque nigris, subalaribus albis ; rostro pallide eorneo (ave vivo viridi !) ad basin obseuriore ; 

 pedibus obscure corylinis (ave vivo obscure csemleis). Long, tota 6-3, alse 8-8, caudae 2-7, rostri a rictii 

 0-8, tarsi 0-8. (Descr. maris ex Lion Hill, Panama. Mus. nostr.) 

 $ olivacea, subtus flavicans, alis et cauda fuscis. (Descr. feminse ex Washington Smiths. Inst., no. 28842. 

 Mus. nostr.) 



Eab. NoBTH Ameeica, eastern Province i«, Texas », Bermuda 5.— Mexico (Bullock^), 

 State of Vera Cruz (Sumichrast ^^) ; Guatemala, Vera Paz [Mus. nostr.) ; Nica- 

 BAGUA, Chontales (Pelt i^) ; Costa Rica, San Jose (v. Frantzius ii ^^), Irazu (Sogers) ; 

 PAifAMA, Calovevora (ArcS ^^), Lion Hill [M'Leannan^ lo) _Colombia3 7 ; Ecuaiwe^ ; 

 Peru ^^ ; Bolivia ^ ; Antilles, Cuba ^^, Jamaica ^. 



