4) TURDID. 
families of very artificial limits, no very trenchant characters being found to separate 
them. To the Muscicapide Myiadectes also has a certain resemblance, especially 
when the form of the bill and the development of the rictal bristles are considered ; 
of Muscicapide, the West-African genus Cassinia is that which Myiadectes most calls 
to mind. The characters Myiadectes has in common with the Turdide are the spotted 
first plumage of the young, the tarso-metatarsus covered with single plate in front, the 
long pointed wings, and the great vocal powers of all members of the genus. 
About ten species are included in the genus, all of which are very uniform in their 
general appearance, though differing considerably in colour. They are distributed from 
the Rocky Mountains through Central America to Bolivia; and several of the West- 
Indian Islands possess species peculiar to them. In the north MW. townsendi is found, 
a species which may cross into Northern Mexico. Mexico and Guatemala have two 
species in common; and in Costa Rica another isfound. A single species, if we except 
the aberrant M/. leucotis, ranges throughout the Andes from Venezuela to Bolivia. 
Cuba and Jamaica have each a species peculiar to them; and one is reported from San 
Domingo, but has not yet been obtained. The Lesser Antilles have three other species, 
all closely allied to the Jamaican bird. 
The peculiar songs of the various species of Myiadectes have always excited attention. 
Those of WZ. obscurus and M. unicolor, with which we are familiar, may be likened in 
tone to pouring water into a tin vessel. ‘The habit of the birds is to sit almost 
motionless on a branch in thick underwood, the males uttering their song at intervals 
chiefly in the morning and evening. J. townsendi is described as sometimes running 
on the ground*, a habit never observed by us in the Guatemalan birds. The food of 
Myiadectes seems to consist chiefly of fruit ; but I. townsendi devours insects also. 
1. Myiadectes obscurus. 
Myjiadestes obscurus, Lafr. Rev. Zool. 1839, p. 98°; Scl. P. Z. 8. 1857, p. 213 *, 1858, p. 802 *, 1859, 
pp. 363%, 876°; Scl. & Salv. Ibis, 1859, p. 14°; Ex. Orn. p. 49, t. 25"; Baird, Rev. Am. 
B. p. 480°; Sumichrast, Bost. Soc. N. H.i. p. 548°; Grayson, Pr. Bost. Soc. N. H. xiv. 
p- 277°; Lawr. Mem. Bost. Soc. N. H. ii. p. 273". 
Hypothyrius cesia, Mus. Berol.” 
Schistaceus; oculorum ambitu albo, loris et striga rictali nigris ; alis fusco-nigris, extus rufo limbatis; inter- 
scapulio pallidus rufo; dorso imo olivaceo perfuso; subtus dilute schistaceus, gutture et ventre medio 
cum crisso albicantibus; remigum macula magna interna ochraceo-alba; cauda nigricante, rectricibus 
duabus mediis cum unius utrinque proxime pogonio externo griseis ; rectricibus lateralibus albo termina- 
tis; harum unius utrinque extime dimidio apicali pallide griseo notato ; rostro nigro, pedibus fuscis. Long. 
tota 7°5, ale 4:0, caudee 4:1, rostri a rictu °75, tarsi ‘9. (Descr. exempl. ex Jalapa, Mexico. Mus. nostr.) 
Hab. Mexico!, Tres Marias Is. (Grayson 1° 11), Tonila and Jalisco (Xantus 1), Real Ariba 
(Deppe), Orizaba (Botteri?, Sumichrast®), Jalapa (de Oca*), La Parada®, Yoletepec® 
* Coues, B. Coll. Vall. i. p. 45. 
