TURDUS HERMINIERI, Laf. 
L'HERMINIER'S THRUSH. 
Turdus l'herminieri, Lafr. Rev. Zool. 1844, р. 167. 
Cichlherminia herminieri, Bonap. Compt. Rend. xxxviii. p. 2 (1854); Sharpe, Cat, Birds Brit, 
Mus. vi. p. 327 (1881); Cory, B. West Ind. p. 21 (1889). 
Cichlherminia bonapartii, Scl. P. 7. S. 1859, p. 335. | 
Margarops herminieri, Scl. & Salv. Nomencl. Av. Neotr. p. 2 (1873); Lawr. Proc. U.S. Nat. 
Mus. i. pp. 452, 486 (1879). 
T. mandibulà flavà: pedibus flavidis : regione ophthalmicá пада flavá: remigibus intus vix rufescenti-fulvis : 
р 5 р 5 
gutture minimé nigro maculato: појео rufescenti-brunneo: regione paroticá brunneä, angusté albido- . 
lineatá : preepectore rufescente, plumis gastreei rufescenti-brunneo marginatis, sicut squamatis, 
P Д 5 › 
L’Herminter’s Тивовн and its immediate allies have, until quite recently, been considered to be 
members of the family Mimide or Mocking-birds. Dr. Stejneger, however, in 1883, in a very 
clever paper entitled * Remarks on the Systematic Arrangement of the American Turdide” (Proc. 
U.S. Nat. Mus. vol v. pp. 449—483), has conclusively shown that the genera Cichlherminia 
and Mimocichla are Thrushes, with a booted, not scutellated, tarsus. Seebohm appears to have 
considered them to be true members of the genus Turdus, and has lettered the plates accordingly, 
but in my opinion the genus Cichlherminia should be retained. Ав to the spotted young 
birds, which would help to fix the position of the genus Cichlherminia as an undoubted member of 
the Zurdide, Dr. Stejneger writes :—“ Unfortunately I have not been able to procure a young 
specimen, and consequently I cannot tell whether its markings agree with the young of the other 
Turdide, although I have but little doubt that this will be found to be the case." 
This species was described in 1844 by Lafresnaye from specimens from the Island of Guadeloupe, 
and was named after Dr. L'Herminier, whose list of the birds of this West Indian island is published 
by Mr. G. N. Lawrence in the first volume of the * Proceedings of the United States National Museum.” 
It is the type of the genus Cichlerminia of Bonaparte, and in 1859 received the name of Cichlherminia 
bonapartii from Dr. Sclater, but the reason for this additional synonym is not quite clear. 
In Guadeloupe, according to Mr. F. Ober (cf. Lawrence, 1. c.), this Thrush is called the ** Pied 
jaune.” He writes :—“ A resident of the wooded hills and mountains; found in Dominica in the 
same localities as the Perdrix, woods sufficiently free from underbrush to afford places for scratching. 
The places where they have disturbed the earth by scratching are frequently seen in the paths, where 
the woods are thick, and in the open forest. "They will come quickly at the call if within hearing, 
but are shy, flying cautiously from tree to tree, never long at rest." 
The following description is taken from the sixth volume of the British Museum * Catalogue 
of Birds’ :— 
Adult male. General colour above russet-brown, the feathers of the crown with obscure 
dusky margins, the wing-coverts like the back; quills light brown, externally reddish-brown, 
the greater coverts also slightly more reddish-brown than the back; tail-feathers reddish-brown ; 
lores like the head ; ear-coverts russet-brown, narrowly streaked with fulvous shaft-lines, a few of 
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