CRECISCUS. B25 
differs from its South-American allies, C. enops and C. melanopheus, in having the 
front of the neck and breast chestnut. C. alfari, from Costa Rica, has been described 
as a distinct species on account of the broader black bars on the flanks, but this is a 
variable character. 
4, Creciscus cinereiceps. 
Porzana cinereiceps, Lawr. Ann. Lyc. N. Y. xi. p. 90'; Ridgw. Pr. U.S. Nat. Mus. i. p. 252°; 
vi. p. 409, note’; x. p. 111*; Zeledon, An. Mus. Nac. Costa Rica, 1887, p. 181°; Richm. 
Pr. U. S. Nat. Mus. xvi. p. 528 °. 
Creciscus cinereiceps, Sharpe, Cat. Birds Brit. Mus. xxiii. p. 141, note’. 
Porzana albigularis (nec Lawr.), Scl. & Salv. P. Z. 8. 1867, p. 280 *; Sharpe, Cat. Birds Brit. Mus. 
xxill. p. 140 (part.)’. 
Porzana leucogastra, Nutting, Pr. U. S. Nat. Mus. vi. p. 408 °; Ridgw. op. cit. x. p. 111”. 
Creciscus leucogaster, Sharpe, Cat. Birds Brit. Mus. xxili. p. 140, note ™*. 
C. albigulari similis, sed facie laterali clare cinerea distinguendus. Long. tota circa 5°5, alee 3°05, caudee 0°85, 
culm, 0°85, tarsi 1-1. (Descr. femine adults ex Eseondido River. Mus. nostr.) 
Hab. Nicaragua, Greytown (U. 8S. Nat. Mus.®), Blewfields (Wickham *, Richardson), 
Rio Escondido (Richmond *), Los Sabélos (Nutting 1°); Costa Rica, La Barranca, 
Nicoya (Arcé7), Talamanca (Gabb1), Pacuarito, Desamparados, Jiménez, 
Reventazon, Sipurio, Juan Vinas, Azahar de Cartago, Carrillo (Underwood in litt.), 
Pacuare (Zeledon®), Rio Frio (Richmond °). 
C. cinereiceps is easily distinguished from C. albigularis by its grey face. When 
Dr. Bowdler Sharpe wrote the ‘Catalogue of Birds,’ the series in the British Museum 
was very small, and we had in our collection only a young bird from Costa Rica, so 
that it was impossible to judge respecting C. cinereiceps. We have now, however, 
seen several Nicaraguan specimens collected by Mr. Richmond, as well as some from 
Costa Rica sent us by Mr. Underwood. Our series exhibits considerable variation as 
regards the extent of the rufous colour on the underparts, the width of the black 
bars on the flanks, and the presence or absence of light bars on the wing-coverts. 
We find the observations of Mr. Richmond on these points borne out by the series 
before us, and it is evident that the characters brought forward by Mr. Ridgway for 
the sepatation of his Porzana leucogastra from P. cinereiceps are not of specific value. 
Mr. Richmond: procured many specimens on the Escondido River, Nicaragua, where it 
was very plentiful in the tall grass. 
He states that the nest is almost globular and has a small entrance at the side, and 
is placed about a foot from the ground. The bird is rarely found on the nest, as it 
skulks off in the grass at the approach of danger, uttering a sharp cry. Specimens 
were frequently caught in traps set on the river-bank for small mammals. The eggs 
are pale creamy-white, spotted, chiefly at the larger end, with cinnamon-rufous mixed 
with lavender. Nests were found from early in May till late in August °. 
