NOVITATES ZOOLOGICAE XXT. VMi. 161 



represented in Sontli America. Tlie two Ecuadorian specimens of tbe Vienna 

 Museum and several others from tiie same country in the Munich Museum are 

 unquestionably conspecific with B. nigrocristatus (Lafr.) * sometimes placed in a 

 separate genus, ih/iothh/pis. In fact, Pelzeln's type agrees in every detail of 

 coloration with an adult male from Lloa, Ecuador, in the Munich Museum. 

 However, it appears that the inhabitants of Ecuador are not quite identical with 

 typical B. nigrocrisfatus, of which we have a fair series from Colombia (Bogotd) and 

 West Venezuela (Mecida). 



The birds from Ecuador are constantly smaller, with a decidedly narrower liill, 

 and the black crown-patch is more restricted and does not extend down the middle 

 of the nape, as in B. n. 7iigrocristatiis. By the latter character the Ecuadorian form 

 apj)roaches the North Peruvian B. nigrocristatus nigrirerfex Salv.,t which, however, 

 is as large as the Colombian race, and differs from both by its lighter, purer green 

 back. The other points of distinction indica.ted by Salvin are not borne out by the 

 series examined by me. 



It appears, therefore, desirable to recognise three different races : 



(a) B. nigrocristntus nigrocristatus (Lafr.), Colombia (Bogota, Antioqnia, etc.) 

 and Western Venezuela (Andes of Merida). 



Black of crown extended down over the middle of the nape. Larger: wing 

 03-68 ; tail 61-66 ; bill 12 mm. [Nine specimens examined.] 



(h) B. nigrocristatus meridionalis (Pelz.), Western and Central Ecuador. 



Black of pileum restricted to crown and occiput. Smaller : wing 57-59^ ; tail 

 55-57 ; bill 12 mm. [Six specimens examined.] 



(f) B. nigrocristatus nigrivertex Salv., Northern Peru (Cajabamba, Succha, 

 Huamachuco). % 



75. Ostinops alfredi (Des Murs). 



Cassk-iis Alfredi Dos Murs in Castelnau, Vnijiiije Ainer. Slid, Oiseau.x, p. 67. tab. 19. fig. 2 (Juni 



185(5. — No locality given ; tlie type is from Santa-Ana, Eastern Peru). 

 OstitiiijK alfredi Taczanowski, Orii. Prroii, ii. 1884. p. 407 (Yelota, Cliirimoto, Huambo, Huayabamba, 



etc. N. Peru ; Carabaya, Guadalupa (near Cosnipata), S.E. Peru ; SalTadori & Festa, Boll. 



}[ux. Zool. Torino 14. No. 357. 1899, p. 29 (Santiago, Zamora, Cuchipamba, S. Jos^, Eastern 



Ecuador). 



No. 1 . Mas. d'Hist. Nat. Paris No. 5978, mounted : " Pe'rou, Vallee de Santa 

 Ana, de Castelnau at Deville 1847, No. 543, $. Ostinops Alfredi Des Murs. Type." 

 —Wing 245 ; tail 205 ; bill 63 mm. 



The late Dr. Sclater, at one time, § considered 0. alfredi to be doubtfully 

 referable to the West Ecuadorian species, named 0. atrocastane.tis by t!abanis,|| 

 but later 1 he united the latter with the Peruvian form under Des Murs' term. 

 Although the distinctness of the two " species " has already been pointed out by 

 Taczanowski (I.e.) I think it advisable to treat once more of this subject, as the 

 statements of that excellent ornithologist do not seem to be generally known. 



• Triehas niijro-cristatwx Latresnaye, Ecv. Zool. iii. p. 230 (1840.— Santa-Fe de Bogotd). 



•f Basileuterus nigrmrtcr Salvin, A'oo. Zool. ii. p. 3 (1895. — Cajabamba, Succha, Huamachuco, 

 N. Peru). 



X Goodfellow (/ii*, 1901, p. 315) erroneously recorded this species from Western Ecuador (Intac, 

 Gualea. Milligalli). The specimens now in the Tring Museum, which have been examined by me, are 

 all referable to B. nigrocristatus meridionalis (Pelz.). 



§ lUs. (5) i. 1883, p. 154. 



II Journ.f. Ornitli. 21, p. 309 (1873.—" Equador," Eraser coll.). 

 t Cat. B. Brit. Mus. 11, p. 318. 

 11 



