Ridgway American Families of Oligomyodiaii Passer es. 15 



12. Culicivora Swainson. 

 (Type, Muscicapa stenura Temminck.) 



The tarsal envelope of this genus appears on first sight to be exaspidean ; 

 but, while the acrotarsium entirely crosses the outer side of the tarsus and 

 occupies the greater part of the inner side, there is interposed between the 

 two edges a continuous series of very distinct lozenge-shaped scutella. The 

 style of coloration (conspicuously streaked above) is very different from 

 that of any true Tyrannine form and recalls that of some Synallaxinae 

 (Furnariidse) or some of the smaller Formicariidse. 



PlPHIDJE. 



The diagnosis of this group as given by Dr. Sclater requires 

 no modification, all possessing an exaspidean tarsal envelope, 

 like the Tyrannidse, hut differing from the latter in having the 

 second phalanx of the middle toe at least half (usually wholly) 

 united to the outer toe or else (in the genus Piprites only) hav 

 ing the first phalanx of the middle toe wholly coherent with the 

 inner toe. Nevertheless the characters of the group necessitate 

 the exclusion of one genus (Ptilochloris* Swainson) and its trans 

 fer to the Cotingidae, and the addition (a substraction from 

 Cotingidae) of another (genus Aulia Bonaparte) . 



COTINGID^:. 



The Cotingidae are characterized by Dr. Sclater (Cat. Birds 

 Brit. Mus., xiv, 1888, 2) as Oligomyodiaii birds with pycnas- 

 pidean tarsi no other character for the group being given. 

 Nevertheless, as a matter of fact, a considerable number of the 

 genera belonging to the group as limited by Dr. Sclater have not 

 pycnaspidean tarsi, though it is equally true that none of them 

 have the tarsal envelope exaspidean. The group is an exceed 

 ingly complex one, and I have very strong doubts as to its 

 homogeneity. Rupicola I certainly would exclude as a separate 

 family, Rupicolidse; and I believe that when more is known of 

 their internal structure disintegration of the group will go farther. 



So far as external characters are concerned, I am able to 

 diagnose the Cotingidae, as a separate group from the Tyrannidae 

 and Pipridae, only by their different (non -exaspidean) tarsal 

 envelope ; but if the group were limited to those forms possess 

 ing pycnaspidean tarsi it would be very much more restricted 



* I am using the names adopted by Dr. Sclater, it being unnecessary to discuss here 

 whether Laniisoma Svvainson and Laniocera Lesson should not displace Ptilochloris and 

 Aulia respectively. 



