702 U. S. P. R. K. EXP. AND SURVEYS — ZOOLOGY — GENERAL REPORT. 
List of specimens. 
Catal. 
No. 
Sex. 
Locality. 
When collected. 
Whence obtained. 
Collected by — 
Length. 
Stretch 
of wings. 
Wing. 
10453 
10452 
1692 
4296 
4187 
4188 
4189 
1795 
6636 
Cape May, N.J 
do 
J. K. Townsend 
do 
Philadelphia 
1843 
1854 
S. F. Baird 
Brownsville, Tex 
Capt. Van Vliet 
o.no 1 is nn 
6.00 
5.75 
6.25 
3 
3 
9. 00 
9.50 
18.00 
19. 25 
do 
do 
Vera Cruz, Mex 
May 17, 1854 
S. F. Baird 
Gov. Stevens 
STREPSILAS MEL ANOCEPHALUS, Vigors. 
Black Turnstone. 
Strepsilas melanocephalus, Vigors, Zool. Jour. IV, Jan. 1829, 35G.— Ib. Zool. Blossom, 1839, 29.— Gambel, J. A.N. 
Sc. 2d series, Aug. 1849, 220. 
Sp. Ch. — About the size of and having the same general form as the preceding, but differing in color. Head, breast and upper 
parts of the body fuliginous brown, lighter on the breast, and with every feather having a darker centre ; back and wing covertg 
darker, frequently nearly black and with a greenish lustre ; lower part of back, rump, and upper tail coverts white, with a large 
spot of black on the upper coverts. Abdomen, under tail and under wing coverts white ; tips of greater wing coverts white, 
forming a band across the wing ; shorter tertiaries edged externally white. Bill black; feet dark orange. Quills brownish 
black with their shafts white; tail at base white, with its terminal half black, narrowly tipped with white. 
Total length about 9 inches ; wing, 6 ; tail, 2| inches. 
Hab. — Western North America. 
Though with various specimens hefore us in the present collection and from the Museum of 
the Philadelphia Academy, it is not without some misgivings that we admit this curious bird as 
a distinct species. It is of exactly the size and the same form as the preceding, and its only 
character is the prevalence of the dark color on the head, breast and upper parts, while 
several of the most reliable of the specific characters of the preceding are found also in 
the present bird. The lower part of the back and upper coverts of the tail and the abdomen 
are white in both, with the same large spot of black on the upper tail coverts. We find also in 
the museum of the Philadelphia Academy, a specimen from India, which is exactly this bird, 
and others apparently from Europe which approach it very nearly. The specimen from India 
came in the collection made by Capt. Boys, of the British army, and its locality is undoubted. 
This bird appears to be, however, only abundant in western North America. 
List of specimens. 
Catal. 
No. 
4624 
3946 
6667 
6666 
6665 
Locality. 
San Miguel island, Cal. 
Monterey, Cal 
Fort Steilacootn, Cal.. 
do 
do 
When iv!h< ted 
January, 1856 
Aug. 16, 1847 
1856 . 
Aug. 29, 1856 
do 
Whence obtained. 
Lieut. Trowbridge . 
W. Hutton ... 
Dr. Suckley, 
do.... 
Orig'l 
No. 
Remarks. 
Feet brown; iris hazel; 
black. 
566 
565 
