60 [| APRIL, 
April 27th. 
Vice President Bripaus in the Chair. 
The Committee on the following paper by Dr. Woodhouse, reported 
in favor of publication in the Proceedings. 
Descriptions of new species of Birds of the genera Vireo, Vieill., and Zono- 
trichta, Swains. 
By S. W. Woopuouse, M. D. 
The specimens described in the present paper were procured by me in Texas, 
whilst attached to the expedition under the command of Captain L. Sitgreaves, 
Topographical Engineer U. 8S. Army, which explored the rivers Zuni and Colo- © 
rado of the West. 
Vireo atricapilla, nobis. 
Form. Robust, wings short and slightly rounded, first quill short, third long- 
est; tail extending about one inch beyond the closed wings. 
Dimensions.—Total length, 4 5-10, extent of wings, 7}, from flexure, 2 1-10, 
length of tail 1 6-10 inches. 
Colors. Head above black, which color extends over the cheeks and ears to 
the base of the lower mandible; a white ring encircles the eye, and then forms 
a broad band extending to the nares. The plumage of the back is dark olive 
green, slightly tipped with black, and gradually becoming lighter over the rump 
and tail-coverts. Wings and tail dark brown, inclining to black, with their 
outer margin light olive; greater and lesser wing-coverts broadly tipped with 
dingy white. 
The primaries have a white line extending along their inner edge. Throat, 
belly, and feet white. Sides very light yellow. Iris bright red. Bill, tarsi and 
feet, black. 
Habitat. Western Texas. 
Obs. I procured this bird on the 26th of May, 1851, on the Rio San Pedro, 
two hundred and eight miles from San Antonio, on the road leading from that 
place to EK] Paso del Norte. 
I was first attracted by its singular note, which I am unable to imitate. It 
was feeding in the dense cedars, and resembled in its habits our Sylvias, being 
continually in motion, which rendered it rather difficult to shoot. I procured 
two specimens, both of which, on dissection, proved to be males. 
Zonotrichia Cassiniz, nobis. 
Form. Bill slender and conical, with a well marked ridge between the nos- 
trils, extending about half way down the bill; wings short and rounded, first 
quill shortest, third and fourth about equal. Tail long and rounded. 
Dimensions. Total length of skin from tip of bill to end of tail 5 5-10 inches, 
wing from flexure 2 6-10 inches. ‘Tail extending beyond the closed wings about 
15-10 inches. Total length, 2 5-10 inches. Bill along the ridge 54-10 inches. 
From gap to tip 5-10 inch; tarsus 12-10 inches. 
Colors. Head and back cinereous brown; throat and breast very light cine- 
rous brown; sides light brown, with longitudinal brown stripes next the shafts, 
and at their extremities and the surrounding portions of the feather, brownish 
white. Belly and vent dingy white, a strip of dingy whitejextending from the 
base of the upper mandible, over and behind the eye. Primaries brown, with 
their outer edges light brown; secondaries and scapulars brown, witha white- 
ened band encircling them ; wing at the flexure light yellow; the tail, with 
the exception of the two middle feathers, brown, tipped with white, the mid- 
dle feathers light brown and slightly barred; inthe outer feathers the white 
