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Show 18i6.] BLUE CROWS OF AMERICA. 271 characteristic of the female of this species. The C. beeeneii of Gmy's Hand-list is based upon three similar yellow-billed and white-tipped specimens, in the British Museum, two of which were obtained by Dyson in British Honduras. In the Gallery of the Jardin des Plantes are two specimens of the bird. One of these, labelled" Mexique," has a yellow bill and white tips to the tail. The other is a partial albino, and has the black portions of the plumage, except the tibire, white. It agrees with the short diagnosis given by Bonaparte of Cyanocitta beachii, jr. (Consp. p. 378), and is doubtless the bird from which it was taken. Amongst the skins at Paris is one example of this species from Merida (Yucatan), with yellow bill and white-tipped rectrices. This is marked in the hand writing of Jules Verreaux as the type of Bonaparte's erassil'ostris; but this is clear! y an error. It is, no doubt, the specimen referred to by Pucheran (Rev .. Zool.I858, p.196) as having been brought by Morelet from Guatemala. CYANOCITTA JOLYlEA, Bp. Journ. f. Orn. 1853, p. 47; Tacz. P. Z. S. 1874, p. 524. Of this rare bird we have never been able to procure specimens, but have examined that in the Paris Museum (probably Bonaparte's type) and convinced ourselves that it is an excellent species. There is likewise an example of it in the Copenhagen Museum, obtained by Prof. Reinhardt when at Lima, along with the specimen of Iridornis 1'einltal'dti (Ibis, 1865, p. 495, pI. xi.). We have not seen Taczanowski's specimens, but have little doubt that they really belong here, and that the bird is from the Junin district of Peru. Further south in the Cuzco district and in Bolivia C. viridi-eyanea takes its place*. CYANOCITTA ARMILLATA, G. R. Gray. The series of this bird in our collections present three recognizable forms, not including C. turcosa, Bp. These are from three different mountain-ranges of Columbia and Venezuela, namely the Andes of Merida, the central range of Bogota and Pamplona, and the Quindiu range, between the Cauca and Magdalena valleys. They may be distinguished as follows, but are hardly worthy of specific rank. u. MERIDANA. Cyanoeitta armillata, ScI. et Salvo P. Z. S. 1870, p. 788. In this form the whole upper surface is deep blue without any greenish tinge on the lower back and tail; the head is likewise barely lighter, not of a silvery blue as in No.2. Below also the plumage is of a darker blue and quite uniform ly coloured except on the throat, within the black neck-collar, where it is lighter, but not so bright as in the Bogota bird. Of this form Goering obtained specimens in the upper wood-region of Merida, three of which are now before us. * OJ. P. z. S. 1873, p. 185. |