( 340 ) 



39. On Myrmelastes exsul (f^d.) ami its allies. 



M)/rmen~a exsul Scl. was describeil from a specimen, collected in Panama I)}' 

 Uelattre (/-'. Z. S. ISoS. p. .'540). Two years ai'torwards Mr. Sclatcr identified some 

 examples from EsnieraUlas, Western Ecuador (c'oll. Fraser), with this species 

 (P. Z. S. 1800. p. ~04), and since that time the bird fonnd on the western slopes of 

 the Ecuadorian Andes was commonly called ^f. exsul. In 1804 Messrs. Sclatcr 

 and Salvin pointed ont the differences existing between this species and a closely 

 allied form contained in one of MacLeannan's collections from TJon Hill Sfation, 

 Paridina, and described the latter as new under the name of M. immaculutn. 

 Having always snspected that there mnst be some error as to the original locality of 

 M. exsul, I asked Dr. Forbes for the loan of the typical specimen, which was 

 obligingly sent to me. On examining it, I was really siirjirised to find that it had 

 nothing to do with M. exsul auct. of Western Ecuador, but belonged apparently 

 to the species named M. inimaculata by Sclater and Salvin! In order to be quite 

 sure of my identification, I compared Delattre's specimen with the two male types 

 of M. immaculafa in the Rritish Museum, and found the three skins alsolutely alike. 

 They agree perfectly in the dimensions, and in coloration. The upper wing-coverts 

 are uniformly rufescent brown, only the lesser series being blackish with 

 very small white apical dots.* In .1/. ersiil auct. fex W. EiuadorJ all the upper 

 wing-coverts are marked with sharply defined, rounded white apical spots, and 

 the tail is considerably shorter, as will be seen fmni the measurements given below. 



There can be no longer any doubt that the locality of Delattre's specimen was 

 quite correct, and that the name M. exsul has to be used for the Panama-form. 

 The one from Western Ecuador being thus without a name, I propose to call it 



Myrmelastes exsul maculifer nnm. uov.t 



It remains to say a few words about the proper application of the name 

 M. exsul. Mr. G. K. Cherrie distinguished two forms, which he calls 



a. M. immaculatn Scl. k Salv., having the under wing-coverts white and the 

 first primary edged with white. Hab.: from Panama to Talamanca, S.E. Costa Hica; 



b. M. intermedia 'Clherrie, having the under wing-coverts dark grey and the 

 first primary not edged with white. Hab.: from Panama along the Atlantic 

 lowlands of Costa Rica to Nicaragua. 



The type of M. exsul Scl. and the two male types of M. immaculata Scl. & Salv., 

 however, belong to M. intermedia Cherrie, having no white edge to the first 

 jirimary, and the under wing-coverts pale ashy grey, like the under-surface of the 

 quills. It follows that these three names are strictly synonymous, while the form 

 identified as M. immaculata by Mr. Cherrie would require to be renamed if really 

 distinct. From what Mr. Cherrie says, it would seem that his two forms are found 

 together over a considerable area. Two adult males from Cascajal, Panama, in the 

 Tring Museum have the basal half of the first primary distinctly edged with white, 

 while a third specimen from the same locality (No. 3 of the list given below) shows 

 no trace of this margin ; the under wing-coverts are ashy grey in all three skins. 



* This lias been well describeil in St-later's origin.il description: " tilarvm tectricihns minonhi/x 

 7ii^r!r/r}ifihit.t ad ajnrcni albo pitjtrfaflx." 



t Typo in Mus. Tring: No. 414 jj mi. I'aramba, N.W. Ecuailor, :«00 ft. C'ollecteil by K. Miketta. 



