1915.] Miller, Three New Genera of Birds. 519 
Besides differmg even more strikingly in pattern of coloration from 
Chloronerpes than from Centurus, it differs also in shorter wings, more 
graduated tail, longer, stronger bill, which seen from above is narrower 
basally and thicker terminally, the maxillary tomium less sharply beveled 
' towards tip, the gonys less concave (and longer than in most species of 
Chloronerpes), the lower mandible less attenuated terminally. 
There is little doubt that as considered by Ridgway (cf. Bds. of N. & M. 
Amer., Pt. VI, p. 48), Chryserpes finds its nearest relation in Centurus, which 
it represents in San Domingo and Haiti; Jamaica and Cuba each being 
occupied by a species of Centurus, and Porto Rico by an isolated form now 
referred to Melanerpes. 
In the recent treatment of the Melanerpes group by Mr. Ridgway, it is 
considered as separable into seven genera, the addition of Chryserpes making 
eight. In this group style of coloration is evident y a very reliable index 
of affinities. Thus a red or yellow stain on the abdomen runs through all 
the genera except Balanosphyra. In the 18 or 20 species of Centurus the 
general pattern is remarkably uniform, and T'r:psurus while agreeing in most 
respects with Centurus has several peculiarities of its own. Asyndesmus, 
Leuconerpes, Balanosphyra, Linneopicus, Chryserpes and (to a less extent) 
Melanerpes } are all strongly characterized by coloration, in each case associ- 
ated with diagnostic structural characters. 
Judged both by color and form Chryserpes is less closely allied to Centurus 
than is the latter to Tripsurus, and while the desirability of recognizing 
Tripsurus is open to question, Chryserpes differs from both of these genera 
in so many points that they share in common that it is entitled to generic 
rank, even should Tripsurus be merged in Centurus. 
From the other genera of the Melanerpes group, Chryserpes is distin- 
guished by many peculiarities of coloration. In addition it differs trom 
Asyndesmus and Leuconerpes in the form of the bill, wing and tail; from 
Balanosphyra and Melanerpes in bill and wing, and from Linneopicus in bill 
and tail. 
There is little doubt that Chryserpes striatus consists of two or three races 
differing chiefly if not wholly in size. A series of 22 adults, 7 from Haiti 
(Le Coup and Jacmel) and 15 from San Domingo (chiefly the north and 
northeast coast) shows that the former average decidedly greater in length 
of wing and tail, the bill being relatively smaller. Within the series from 
San Domingo there is much variation in size as the figures show and this is 
1In view of the discrepancies in coloration and structure between Melanerpes erythro- 
cephalus and M. portoricensis the association of these two species does not seem a happy one, 
especially when the rather fine distinctions between the other genera of the group and the 
anomalous geographical distribution of the genus as thus constituted are considered. 
