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Show 1873.] SCLATER AND SALVIN ON VENEZUELAN BIRDS. 511 3. On some Venezuelan Birds collected by Mr. James M. Spence. By P. L. SCLATER, M.A., Ph.D., F.R.S., and OSBERT SALVIN, M.A., F.Z.S. [Eeceived April 30, 1873.] Mr. James M. Spence, F.R.G.S., of Manchester, has been kind enough to submit to our examination a large collection of birds, partly made by himself during a recent visit to Venezuela, and partly obtained from a collector resident at Caraccas. The collection contains 23 mounted and over 300 unmounted skins, referable to about 250 species. Only two of these prove to be absolutely new to us; but there are several others of sufficient interest to induce us to offer to the Society the following notes on them. 1. TURDUS OLIVATER (Lafr.) ; Sclater, P. Z. S. 1859, p. 333. Mr. Spence's collection contains a single skin of this species, which, so far as we at present know, is confined to the neighbourhood of Caraccas. 2. LOCHMIAS SORORIA, sp. nov. Similis L. nematurae, ex Brasilia, sed paulo major, superciliis albis nullis, et maculis corporis inferioribus minoribus magis elongatis: long, tota 6*2, alee 3, caudce 1*7, tarsi 1. Hab. Venezuela (Spence). This is a northern representative of L. nematura of the wood-region of Brazil, and is closely allied to that species, although easily recognizable by the characters above given. 3. COCCYZUS LANDSBERGI, Bp. Consp. i. p. 112; Sclater, P. Z. S. 1870, p. 169. A single skin of this rare Cuckoo in the collection is the only example we have met with besides one in the British Museum (mentioned P. Z. S. 1870, p. 169). The species appears to be restricted to Venezuela and the northern coast of Columbia. 4. MICRASTUR ZONOTHORAX (Cab.). Mr. Spence brings us a fine adult specimen of this northern form of M. ruficollis, which agrees in every way with the points of distinction pointed out by Dr. Cabanis*. W e had previously only seen immature examplesf. 5. ARDEA HERODIAS, Linn. The occurrence of this northern species so far south as Venezuela is a novelty to us. The most prevalent species in South America is Ardea cocoi, which extends into Guiana (Schomb. Guian. iii. p. 752). But A. herodias occurs in the Antilles and in the Galapagos (Scl. & Salv. P. Z. S. 1870, p. 323). * Journ. f. Orn. 1865, p. 406. t Cf. P. Z. S. 1866, pp. 254, 356. |
