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Show 1870.] MR. D. G. ELLIOT ON NEW BIRDS. 243 6*. Upper part of head blackish ; throat, ear-coverts, and upper part of breast intensely black. Back and lower part of breast very dark slate-colour, almost black. Tail brownish black. A concealed white spot in the centre of the back. The feathers of the rump very long and soft. Primaries blackish brown ; secondaries lighter brown. Bill large, very straight on the culmen, black on the upper mandible; under mandible with a very strong upward curve, commencing at the base, and, in the specimen, extending beyond and above the point of the upper mandible, dark lead-colour. The form of the lower mandible in this specimen is probably abnormal, as it shows no indication of protruding in the bill of the young male before me. Legs and feet black ; claws very long and slender, black. Total length 6| inches ; wing 3|, tail 2f, bill at gape 1, tarsus \^. A young male, just commencing to throw off the colours of the female has the head and upper of neck and throat rich chestnut-brown interspersed with the black feathers of the adult. Back and underparts lead-colour, the tips of the feathers reddish brown. Tail black. Bill like the male, but slightly broader, the under mandible not extending beyond the upper. Feet and tarsus black, claws long and slender. Total length 6 inches; wing 3, tail 2\, bill at gape 1, tarsus \jj. Hab. Rio Napo. This extraordinary form of Formicariidae is apparently an exaggeration of Mr. Sclater's genus Neoctantes*, to which it seems to be nearest allied. In many respects resembling the members of the genus Thamnophilus, it yet differs greatly from them in the form of the bill, and shape and size of the feet and claws. In appearance it resembles Neoctantes niger, but is more of a plumbeous colour than that species ; and the bill is larger, straighter upon the culmen, and the under mandible more decidedly and abruptly curved upward. The feet are larger, and the claws much longer and more curved. I have named the species after Dr. Alix, of Paris, well known for various scientific publications. The examples from which m y description was taken are contained in the fine collection of the Museum of Natural History of New York. CALAMOHERPE SUBFLAVESCENS. Olivaceo-brunneus : subtus flavescens ; linea superciliari flava hypochondriis et pectore superiore olivascentibus; tectricibus alarum et remigibus brunneis; mandibula flava, maxilla brunnea. Hab. Dahouria. Entire upper parts olive-brown ; a line over the eye yellow ; underparts yellow, brown upon the flanks. Wings and tail dark olive-brown. Lower mandible yellow ; upper dark brown. Tarsi and feet flesh-colour. Total length 6h inches; wings 3, tail 3, tarsus 1, bill j6^. This bird, which is apparently undescribed, comes from Dahouria, * Described P. Z. S. 1868, p. 572. |
