RHODINOCICHLA.—MYIADECTES., 39 
position of this anomalous form entertained by these two ornithologists rendering the 
recognition of the two birds as sexes of one species less easy, Lesson having placed his 
bird in the genus Furnarius, Dr. Hartlaub the bird he described in the genus Turdus, 
the distribution of the colours and, to some extent, the form suggesting to his mind a 
resemblance to the African genus Cossypha. For many years Lesson’s views were usually 
adopted; but latterly its relationship to the Turdide has been recognized partly from 
a reexamination of the external form and partly from the discovery of the vocal powers 
of the bird. There can now be but little doubt that Rhodinocichla must be considered 
an aberrant Thrush or Wren, its affinity being, perhaps, nearer the latter family. 
The range of £2. rosea is somewhat singular. In the State of Panama it seems to be, 
as in Venezuela and Colombia, a very common bird. In Costa Rica its presence has 
been recorded ; and that is all that can be said concerning it. Mr. Sclater’s statement 
of the existence of a Guatemalan specimen in the Derby Museum at Liverpool is all that 
we know of the presence of the species in that country; for, of the thousands of skins 
we have examined from there, we have never met with a single example of R. rosea *. 
It has never been detected in Southern Mexico; but in North-western Mexico it has 
been noticed by both Grayson and Xantus. It is to the former of these travellers that 
we owe the chief note on the habits of the species. He says that it is found near 
Mazatlan in the thickly wooded district bordering the river, where it remains through- 
out the year concealing itself in the densest bush, its voluptuous and melodious song 
being often heard when the bird is invisible. Bridges also* speaks of having had his 
attention attracted to the single bird he obtained at David by its very peculiar note. 
Subfam. UVITADECTINA. 
MYTADECTES. 
Myiadestes, Swainson, Nat. Libr. Ornith. x. p. 182 (1838). (Type M. genibarbis, Sw.) 
The position of this group of birds was long a matter of considerable doubt; for 
though Myiadectes was placed by some systematists in the family Ampelide with 
Ptilogonys and Phainopepla, it was felt that the many points of difference from those 
genera possessed by it rendered its removal from their vicinity only a matter of time. 
In 1866 Prof. Baird made a careful and exhaustive examination of the external form 
of Myiadectes when writing his ‘Review of American Birds ;’ and though he placed it 
in the family Ampelide, he clearly pointed out the great affinity the genus has to the 
Turdide, suggesting its removal into that family in any remodelling of these groups of 
birds. This plan has now been pretty generally adopted ; and recent writers on American 
birds place Mytadectes either as a subfamily of the Turdide or in the Sylviide, two 
* Mr. Moore informs us that this specimen was purchased of Leadbeater in 1844. It bears a ticket with 
“ Guatimala” written on it in an unknown handwriting. 
