Vireosylvia (sic) atripennis Lawrence

Vireosylvia (sic) atripennis Lawrence, 1863: 106 (Sombrero Island, W.I.).

Now Vireo altiloquus altiloquus (Vieillot, 1808) . See Baird, 1866: 330–331; Hellmayr, 1935: 146–148; Blake, 1968: 125–126; Dickinson, 2003: 485; and Brewer, 2010: 432.

HOLOTYPE: AMNH 40076, sex?, collected on Sombrero Island, 18.37N, 63.26W (Times atlas), administered by Anguilla I., Lesser Antilles, West Indies, on 19 April 1862, by A.A. Julien. From the George N. Lawrence Collection.

COMMENTS: Lawrence apparently had the single specimen and remarked that ‘‘the most distinguishing character is the black quill feathers.’’ Baird (1866: 330–331) was convinced the darker coloration was due ‘‘in part at least, to a blackish foreign matter, partly deposited in grains, which can be rubbed off, and is removable to a considerable extent by benzine, but not by water. After washing the quills on one side in benzine, I found no appreciable difference there from V. calidris [5 V. altiloquus] of Jamaica and St. Croix.’’ There remains, after Baird’s treatment, slight indication of black on the quills. The published measurements are the same as those written by Lawrence on his label, and he has marked it ‘‘Type’’ and ‘‘ Vireosylvia atripennis .’’ When Lawrence (1865a: 98) received an additional specimen from Julien, he named it as a different species (see below).