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Show 1870.] DR. O. FINSCH ON THE BIRDS OF TRINIDAD. 575 Fam. ICTERID^E. AGELAIN^. 59. STURNELLA HIPPOCREPIS, Wagl. Sturnella hippocrepis, mexicana et meridionalis, Scl. Ibis, 1861, p. 179 ; Cat. A m . B. pp. 139, 841, 842, 843. Sturnella hippocrepis, Gundl. J. f. Orn. 1856, p. 14. Long. al. 3" 9|'" 3 11 4 9 4 3 4 7 caud. 2" 4'" 2 6 2 6 2 3 3 0 rostr. 1 3 1" 14" 12-| 13 14 tars. 17'" 18 17 16 18 dig. med 11'" " * 10| 10 12| (hippocrepis, Trinidad.) (hippocrepis, Venezuela.) ( S, magna, California.) ( cS, magna, California.) (N. America.) One specimen, similar in every respect to one from Venezuela (Angostura) in the Bremen Collection. Not included in Dr. Leo-taud's work. Whether S. hippocrepis is really a species or not I am unable to answer with full certainty. The above-mentioned specimen differs from North-American ones in having the sides, the under and upper tail-coverts, as well as the ground-colour of the back more decidedly chestnut reddish; the neck-gorget is narrower, and the wings are shorter. But these differences seem to be only in consequence of age, and referable to the bird being younger. The primaries in both specimens are just developing, and thus the wing is shorter. The separation of the Sturnella? into five localized species, as Dr. Sclater endeavoured to set forth (Ibis, 1861, p. 179), in which he was followed by Mr. Cassin (Proc. Ac. Phil. 1866, pp. 23, 24), seems to be inadmissible; nobody can distinguish the so-called species from the short diagnoses given as above cited. Mr. Baird has pointed out very minutely the distinctive characters between the eastern and western S. magna and neglecta (B. N. A m . p. 536); but having before me both forms, I am unable to find any constancy of the characters said to be of specific value. A chief character for S. neglecta, having the yellow of chin and throat extending on the side of the lower jaw (not confined strictly within the rami of the lower jaw as in S. magna), is not constant. One specimen from California shows this peculiarity; another from the same locality does not do so. Dr. Cabanis (J. f. Orn. 1856, p. 14, et 1861, p. 10), after having examined specimens from North America, Cuba, Costa Rica, Venezuela, and Guiana, comes to the conclusion that there is only one species; and I believe this opinion is quite right. 60. PSEUDOLEISTES MELANICTERUS, Vieill. Gymnomystax melanicterus, Scl. Cat. p. 137. Leistes melanicterus, Cass. Proc. A c . Phil. 1866, p. 14. O n e specimen in the old plumage, agreeing with Brazilian Specimens. This species seems not to have been before recorded from Trinidad. |
