136 MNIOTILTID A. 
12. Dendreeca decora. (Tab. X. fig. 1.) 
Dendreca gracie, var. decora, Ridgw. Am. Nat. vi. p. 608’; Baird, Brew. & Ridgw. N. Am. B. i. 
p- 2407; Coues, B. Col. Vall. i. p. 292°. 
Dendreca gracie, Salv. Ibis, 1873, p. 428°; Lawr. Bull. U.S. Nat. Mus. no. 4, p. 16°. 
Dendreca decora, Salv. Cat. Strickl. Coll. p. 92°. 
Supra cinerea, pilei antici plumis in medio nigris; alis et cauda fusco-nigris cinereo limbatis, illis vix pallide 
cinereo bifasciatis, hujus rectricibus tribus utrinque externis plaga alba gradatim latius notatis; superciliis a 
naribus, ciliis ipsis, macula suboculari et gutture toto lete flavis; corpore reliquo lactescenti-albo, hypo- 
chondriis cinerascentibus vix nigro striatis; rostro nigricante, pedibus corylinis. Long. tota 4, ale 2:2, 
caude 1°8, rostri a rictu 0°55, tarsi 0°6. (Descr. exempl. ex Guatemala. Mus. Acad. Cantabr.) 
Hab. Mexico, near Zapotitlan (Sumichrast >); British Honpuras, Belize (C. Wood !*), 
GuaTEMALA (Constancia ®, Mus. Soc. Econ.*). 
Dendreca decora is a near ally of D. graciw, a species of New Mexico and Arizona 
discovered some years ago by Dr. Coues. The differences observable between the two 
birds are slight, and have been treated by American ornithologists as indicating that 
their possessors are varieties only one of another and not distinct species. This may 
prove to be the case ; but at present no intermediate links have been discovered blending 
the two races, nor do we think it very probable that such now exist ; and for this reason 
we prefer to treat D. decora as distinct. 
Though D. gracie has been fully described by the eloquent pen of Dr. Coues 3, nothing 
is known of its relative beyond the bare record of the capture of specimens. Its presence 
in Central America was first noticed by Mr. Ridgway, who described Belize specimens 
obtained by Mr. C. Wood!. About the same time we discovered a stuffed specimen in 
the Museum of the Sociedad Economica de Guatemala‘. But long before (in 1848) 
these notes were published, the late Sefor J. Constancia had sent to Strickland a 
specimen from Guatemala, which is still in his collection at Cambridge, and is the bird 
from which our figure has been drawn. 
e. Gula nigra aut nigro niata. 
13. Dendreca nigrescens. 
Sylvia nigrescens, Towns. Journ. Ac. Phil. vii. p. 191°. 
Sylvicola nigrescens, Bp. Consp. i. p. 808°; Dugés, La Nat. i. p. 141°. 
Dendreca nigrescens, Scl. P. Z. 8. 1858, p. 298*; 1859, p. 374°; Baird, Rev. Am. B. i. p. 186°; 
Sumichrast, Mem. Bost. Soc. N. H.i. p.547"; Baird, Brew. & Ridg. N. Am. B. i. p. 258°; 
Coues, B. Col. Vall. i. p. 263°. 
Supra cinerea, interscapulii et uropygii plumis in medio nigris, capite cum gula nigris; loris flavis, super- 
ciliis posticis, stria utrinque gule et abdomine medio albis, hypochondriis nigro striatis; alis et cauda 
nigricantibus cinereo limbatis, illis albo bifasciatis, hujus rectricibus utrinque tribus externis parte apicali 
