Page:The Auk 1884 Volume 1 (IA auk1884amer).pdf/20

From Wikisource
Jump to navigation Jump to search
This page needs to be proofread.



4
Cory on New Birds from Santo Domingo.
[January

extending upon the carpus; eye encircled by a very narrow line of bright yellow, and a spot of yellow in front of the eye at the base of the mandible; upper mandible dark brown; lower mandible yellowish-brown, darkest at the base.

Length, 8.00; wing, 3-50; tail, 3.50; tarsus, 1.00; middle toe, .82; bill, .70.

The female is perhaps somewhat duller, and some specimens appear slightly smaller, but otherwise resembles the male.

Rupornis ridgwayi.

Rapornis ridgwayi Cory, Journ. Boston Zoöl. Soc., II, No. 4, Oct. 1883, p. 46.

Female: Top of the head and neck brownishi-ash, becoming darker on the back; the feathers of the back and tertiaries edged with rufous; underparts dark rufous, the feathers narrowly handed with white; thighs showing the rufous much brighter, the feathers banded with very fine pale lines; crissum white, with rafous bands near the tips; under part of breast slaty, shading into dull white on the throat: the shafts of the leathers on the throat and breast dark brown, showing in hair-like lines; wings and tail dark brown, imperfectly banded with white, and showing various shadings of dull rufous; all the primares imperfectly banded with white, gradually becoming fainter on the outer webs, until just perceptible on the sixth; the rest of primaries and secondaries with the outer webs dark brown and the inner webs thickly banded with white, showing traces of rufous.

Length, 14.50; wing, 10.00; tail, 6.30; tarsus, 2.75; bill, 1.25.

Male: Since the above description was written I have received two mates from the same locality. In general plumage they are similar to the female, with the exception that there is much less rufous on the underparts, where this color is replaced by a slaty cast; the thighs have the rufous somewhat brighter, and the bird, as would be expected, is smaller.

Length, 13-75; wing, 9.00; tail, 6.00; tarsus, 2.75; bill, 1.20.

Immature male: In general appearance much like Buteo pennsylvanicus; underparts dull white, the feathers slightly tinged with rufons, the centre of the surface feathers showing a stripe of brown, giving the body a striped appearance: thighs rufous, but paler than in the adult; above much resembling the adult; the white wing and tail bands replaced by rufous bands on the terminal half of the feathers. I have named this species in compliment to Robert Ridgway, Esq., of Washington, D. C.

Œdicnemus dominicensis.

Œdicnemus dominicensis Cory. Journ. Zoöl. Soc., II, No. 4, Oct. 1883, p. 46.

Male: Top of the bead, back, wing-coverts, and tail brown; feathers with very pale edgings, giving a mottled appearance to the back; the tail