Page images
PDF
EPUB

thicker, longer, and coarser pelage and larger ears than O. palustris and its near allies.

Of this species Dr. Baur writes me as follows: "On Barrington Island the small Rodent was pretty common; it was found between the bushes near the shore, and also high up between grass and the lava rocks."

Of O. galapagoensis Darwin writes (Zoöl. Voy. Beagle, I, ii, p. 66): "This mouse or rat is abundant in Chatham Island, one of the Galapagos Archipelago. I could not find it on any other island of the group. It frequents the bushes, which sparingly cover the rugged streams of basaltic lava, near the coast, where there is no fresh water, and where the land is extremely sterile."

The only other species of mammals thus far reported from the Galapagos Islands are two species of Eared Seals, namely, Otaria jubata (Forst.) and Arctocephalus australis (Zimm.), specimens of which were obtained in 1872 by the Hassler Expedition (see Allen, Mon. N. Am. Pinnipeds, 1880, pp. 208 and 211). The list of known indigenous species thus numbers only five.

Article V.-NOTICE OF SOME VENEZUELAN BIRDS, COLLECTED BY MRS. H. H. SMITH.

By J. A. ALLEN.

The present small collection, which has recently come into the possession of the Museum, was made by Mrs. H. H. Smith during a brief vacation trip to the northern coast of Venezuela.

The localities visited were Carúpano, on the coast, and El Pilar, a little way in the interior, the time spent at these points being less than ten days-Oct. 30 to Nov. 6, 1891. Although the collection numbers only about 60 specimens, 48 species are represented, several of which appear to be undescribed, and others not previously recorded from Venezuela. For this reason it seems desirable to give a complete list of the species, since the specimens are labeled with the locality and date of capture. It will be of further interest for comparison with Messrs. Sclater and Salvin's list of birds collected at the same points and at the same season of the year by Mr. A. Goering in 1866 (P. Z. S., 1868, pp. 165-173).

1. Merula fumigata (Licht.).—El Pilar, & ad., Nov. 3.

2. Polioptila leucogastra (Wied). — Carúpano, & ad.,

Nov. 5.

3. Dendroica æstiva (Gmel.).-Carúpano,, Nov. 5. 4. Setophaga ruticilla (Linn.).-El Pilar, ad., Nov. 3. 5. Euphonia trinitatis Strickl.- & ad.

6. Tanagra glaucocolpa (Cab.).-Carúpano, 3, Nov. 5.

7. Ramphocœlus atrosericeus capitalis, subsp. nov. Adult Male. Similar to R. atrosericeus but smaller, the crimson of head, neck and breast much lighter, and extending much lower on the chest, with a distinct wash of crimson over the whole dorsal and ventral surfaces, nearly as in very dull-colored examples of R. jacapa; wings and tail velvety black, darker than in R. atrosericeus.

Adult Female. Similar to the female of R. atrosericeus, but the lower parts and rump of a much stronger, clearer red, and the dusky portions of the plumage darker.

Measurements.-Male: Length, 6.55 in.; wing, 3.15; tail, 3.05; culmen, .60. Female Length, 6.80 (skin evidently too long); wing, 3.15; tail, 3.08; culmen, .62.

Types, No. 56,195, & ad., and 56,196, ad., El Pilar, Venezuela, Nov. 5, 1891; Mrs. H. H. Smith.

This subspecies is in some respects intermediate between R. jacapa and R. atrosericeus, agreeing with the former in size, and somewhat in the faint wash of crimson over the whole dorsal and ventral surfaces, but in general features is more decidedly allied to R. atrosericeus, with the differences of coloration distinguishing this species from R. jacapa more strongly emphasized. The red of the throat and head is much lighter (scarlet rather than crimson), giving greater contrast between the color of the head and back, thus suggesting the name capitatis selected for its designation. Its close affinity with R. atrosericeus is thus unquestionable, the color differences in other respects suggesting an exceedingly high-colored, small R. atrosericeus. The coast of Venezuela, however, is far to the northward of any point whence any form of atrosericeus has hitherto been reported, the habitat of this species being given as Bolivia and southern Peru. It also extends eastward into Matto Grosso, Brazil.

8. Tachyphonus rufus (Bodd.) = T. melaleucus auct. (See Bull. Am. Mus. Nat. Hist., III, No. 2, 1891, p. 359.) Carúpano, ad., Nov. 1, ad., Oct. 31; El Pilar, Nov. 3.-These specimens differ from our large Chapada (Matto Grosso) series in being much smaller with an absolutely larger bill; the male is more lustrous, with the white at the base of the inner webs of the wing-quills much more restricted. Doubtless a large series would show a well-defined average difference.

9. Nemosia guira (Linn.).—El Pilar, 3 ad., Nov. 3.
10. Buarremon, sp. nov.?-Carúpano, juv., Nov. 5.
II. Saltator olivaceus Cab.-El Pilar, 3, Nov. 5.
12. Saltator albicollis Vieill.-Carúpano, ?, Nov. 1.
13. Euetheia bicolor (Linn.).-Carúpano, 8, Nov. 5.
14. Cardinalis phoeniceus Bon.-Carúpano, 9, Nov. 5.

15. Coryphospingus pileatus (Wied). Carúpano, two females, Nov. 1.

16. Cassicus persicus (Linn.).—El Pilar, ♂ ad., Nov. 6. 17. Icterus xanthornus (Gmel.).—Carúpano, 8 and 9 ad., Nov. I.

18. Lampropsar tanagrinus (Spix).—El Pilar, “z" and "9," Nov. 5.

These specimens measure as follows: Length (skin), 7.50-7.75; wing, 3.50-3.55; tail, 3.40; culmen, .68. Two specimens labeled "Napo," in the Lawrence Collection (the only other specimens I have), measure as follows: Length (skin), 8.50; wing, 4.20-4.45 ; tail, 4.25-4.30; culmen, .80. The El Pilar birds are thus nearly one-third smaller than the Napo specimens (wings and tail nearly one inch shorter); they also differ in color, the El Pilar birds being nearly uniform deep black, with a slight greenish tinge, instead of the slight purplish cast seen in the Napo specimens. The tail also is much less graduated. There is thus about the same difference in size, and much more difference in color, between these two forms as there is between Molothrus cabanisi and C. atronitens. Whether these differences are simply individual, or perhaps sexual, or whether they characterize wellmarked geographical forms, can not be determined without access to much additional material. Should the two forms prove separable, the Napo form will require a new name, as Lampropsar guianensis Cab. is without doubt a synonym of L. tanagrinus.

19. Lophotriccus subcristatus, sp. nov.

Allied to L. spicifer (Lafres.) of upper Amazonia, but much smaller (wing 1.65 instead of 2.00, tail 1.40 instead of 1.60), elongated blackish crest feathers shorter and edged with grayish green instead of grayish white, and the general coloration more greenish above, and more greenish yellow below. One specimen (sexed) El Pilar, Nov. 3.

20. Hapalocercus fulviceps? (Scl.).

One adult specimen, sexed, in molt, Carúpano, Nov. 5. Size of H. fulviceps or slightly smaller; wing-coverts and quills more broadly edged with fulvous, but apparently not otherwise

different. If the same as H. fulviceps it extends the known range of the species far to the eastward and northward of previous records (western Ecuador and Peru).

21. Mionectes oleagineus (Licht.).-Two males, El Pilar, Nov. 5. Apparently not different from Bogota specimens.

22. Ornithion pusillum (Cab. & Heine).-Carúpano, Nov. 5. Two specimens, adult and young, both rather larger than the measurements usually given for this species. Wing, 2.12 and 2.25; tail, 1.90 and 1.92; culmen, .34 and .38; tarsus .66. The younger specimen is the larger, and differs much from the other in color, the general color above being more brownish olive, and the wing bars very much broader, and strong buff instead of clear whitish. The adult is in worn plumage, the young bird in fresh unworn plumage, which apparently satisfactorily explains the difference in coloration. The bill in the young bird, however, is much broader and deeper than in any example of Ornithion I have seen (compared with a series of 26 specimens).

23. Sublegatus glaber Scl.-Two specimens, Carúpano, Nov. 1 and 5. Provisionally referred to this species. Throat and whole breast pure deep gray, scarcely appreciably lighter on the throat; whole belly, crissum and under wing-coverts bright sulphur yellow; above with a strong wash of olive; wingcoverts and quills and outer tail-feathers edged with olivaceous gray, the former very broadly. These specimens are in fresh plumage, which may account for their strong tints, both above and below. The gray of the breast and throat and the yellow of the under parts is much purer and deeper than on the corresponding parts of Elanea affinis Burm.

24. Myiozetetes texensis (Giraud).-El Pilar, 8, Nov. 5. 25. Rhynchocyclus sulphurescens (Spix).—El Pilar, ¿, Nov. 5.

26. Pitangus sulphuratus (Linn.).—El Pilar, 9, Nov. 5. 27. Myiodynastes audax (Gmel.).—El Pilar, Nov. 5, one specimen.

28. Contopus brachytarsus (Sc.).—Carúpano, &, Oct. 30.

« EelmineJätka »