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Show 328 MR. P. L. SCLATER ON NEW AMERICAN BIRDS. [May 12, 6. Notices of some new or little-known Species of South- American Birds. By P. L. SCLATER, M.A., Ph.D., F.R.S., Secretary to the Society. I beg leave to offer to the Society some remarks on new or rare American birds that have lately come before me, including the description of the fine new Woodpecker of the genus Melanerpes. The species of which I have to speak are four in number, namely :- 1. THRYOTHORUS RUFIVENTRIS. Thryothorus rufiventris, Natt. M S. Thryothorus galbraithi, Pelzeln, Orn. Bras. p. 47. Murino-brunneus, uropygio rufescente lavato : alis extus et cauda nigro distincte transfasciatis ; superciliis elongatis, albis auriculari alba nigro striato : subtus gutture albo, abdomine rufescente, medialiter paulo dilutiore: long, tota 5*alee 2*6, caudee 1*7, rostri a rictu '85 poll. Angl. Hab. Brasil. prov. Goiaz et Matto-Grosso (Natt.). Similis T. longirostri, sed rostro breviore, rectiore, et colore corporis supra minus rufescente distinguendus. Herr von Pelzeln has referred this Wren, of which I have a single Nattererian specimen, received in exchange from the Imperial Cabinet, to Thryothorus galbraithi of Lawrence. But the latter bird, of which I possess several Panama examples, is in my opinion nothing more than a slight local form of Thryothorus leucotis, Lafr. (T. albipectus of my American Catalogue), a wide-ranging Guianan and Amazonian species. I have examined skins of it from Cayenne, the Island of Marajo, near Para (Wallace), the Ucayali, Bogota, and S. Martha, New Granada. I cannot distinguish between those from the last-named locality and Fraser's specimens from Western Ecuador and the Panama bird, upon which Mr. Lawrence's name galbraithi was founded, and regard the examples from all the localities above mentioned as referable to the same species. Under these circumstances, I propose to restore to the present bird (which is wholly distinct from T. leucotis, and much more nearly allied to T. longirostris) the name by which it was designated in Natterer's M S . 2. PHILYDOR CONSOBRINUS, sp. nov. Supra brunneus, pileo toto cum fronte et cauda tota castaneo-rufis, pileo paulo obscuriore : alis nigricantibus, extus dorso fere concolori, marginatis, intus, prcecipue ad basin, subalaribus pallide castaneis: subtus magis dilute brunneus, lateraliter obscurior, in pectore et gutture medio dilutior nigricante, mandibula versus apicem corylina : pedibus fuscis: long, tota, 7*0, alee 3*4, caudee rectr. ext. 2*3, med, tarsi 1*85, rostri a rictu 1*0. Hab. in Nova Granada int. |