MELANERPES. 421 
title for this bird; but this decision has been questioned by Mr. Ridgway and by 
Mr. Hargitt, who agree that it ismore probably a synonym of the Jamaican Melanerpes 
superciliaris, the locality Mexico having been wrongly assigned to the type. As this 
type is not now forthcoming, it is not possible to settle the question, but nevertheless 
we accept Mr. Ridgway’s view. 
The next title available is Bonaparte’s Centurus santacruzi®, which was given to a 
Guatemala bird obtained by Col. Velasquez in that country, and named after a 
“ Scientific Professor in Mexico.” 
Taking the Guatemalan form as typical, we find that the red of the crown joins that 
of the nape, where there is hardly any trace of the golden yellow along its lower 
margin ; the transverse white bands of the back are narrow, the central rectrices have 
ill-defined white marks on the inner web towards the base with a tendency to develop 
into cross-bands, the under surface is dusky with an olive tinge, and the nasal feathers 
and central abdomen orange-yellow. 
In the State of Vera Cruz most specimens resemble the type form; but examples 
from Playa Vicente and Sochiapa, and some, but not all, from Cuichapa, have the nasal 
feathers and the abdomen red, and thus resemble J. dudbius, except that the red is 
not so pure. As birds from Teapa appear to be typical J. dudius, Playa Vicente and 
places near are on the boundary between the ranges of MW. santacruzi and M. dubius, 
and they there apparently blend together. So, again, at Tampico there seems to be a 
transition towards M. aurifrons, as birds from that district have rather wider white 
bands on the back, the lower part of the nape is more tinged with orange-yellow, 
and the central rectrices have hardly any white at the base of their inner webs. 
Tehuantepec birds are most divergent in having much more orange-yellow on the nape, 
but in other respects resemble the typical Guatemalan form. In Honduras a form 
occurs which, besides its small size, has very narrow white bands on the back and is 
generally of a dark colour. ‘This form, which appears to be variable where it is 
found, Mr. Ridgway has separated as Centurus santacruzi pauper. With it Mr. Ridg- 
-way is inclined to associate a bird from Salvador, but which he says links M/, santacruzi 
with I. s. pauper. Our Salvador specimens are all females, and are only to be 
distinguished, if at all, from WM. santacruzi by the distinct white bars on the inner webs 
of the central rectrices, a character showing a divergence towards M. hoffmanni. 
In Guatemala WV. santacruzi is a common bird in the thinner woods of the hot and 
temperate regions from near the sea-level to a height of at least 7000 feet in the 
mountains. . 
Mr. R. Owen found on 2nd June, 1860, a pair of this species which had a nest in 
one of the high trees scattered over the plain of San Gerénimo in Vera Paz (alt. 3000 
feet), and secured one of the parents and four eggs, which were quite fresh, though 
stained with spots of foreign matter. 
