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Spix' type is nnfortnnately lost, but his description run only refer to the 

 present form, as he calls the colonr of the nnder parts " cinerea," which term does 

 not fit my 77. m. ockrolaema, also found on the Amazons, where Spix and Martins 

 travelled. Probably the Bavarian ornithologist described a specimen obtained on 

 the Rio Solimoens, where the dark-bellied form might be expjected to occur, ns it is 

 found on the Peruvian Amazons near Nauta, etc. 



I can see no differences between specimens from Bogota, Eastern Ecuador, 

 the Caura River and others from Pebas and Nauta on the Amazons. The males 

 have the belly always uniform dark grey without any paler shade in the middle. 

 The ¥ ? from the north side of the Marafion are quite as dark ochraceous on the 

 under parts as those found in Bogota collections, hence H. elegans becomes a 

 synonym of II. m. myotherina. 



b. Hypocnemis myotherina melanolaema Scl. 



Ilypocnemisi melanolaema Sclater, P.Z.S. 1854. p. 254, pi, Ixxii. fig. 2. descr. orig. <J ad. ("in 



Peruvia, Chamicurros'). 

 77. melanosticta Sclater, I.e. p. 254, pi. lxxiii. descr. orig. <J jr. efc. ? (" in Peruvia, Chamicurros "). 



Hal). From Northern Peru, south of the Amazons, through Central Pern to 

 Northern Bolivia. 



cf ad. Differs from the typical form by the much paler colonr of the breast 

 and abdomen, which are whitish grey, only the flanks being monse-grey (Ridgw. 

 Nomencl. ii. f. 6). Superciliaries as in 77. m. myotherina. 



¥ ad. Like II. m. myotherina, with the under mandible yellowish grey and 

 with the throat white, but breast and abdomen much lighter, pale ochraceous buff 

 (Ridgw. v. 10), sometimes passing into buff in the middle of the belly. 



Wing 03—68 ; tail 38—45 ; bill 1GJ— 18 mm. 



Material : 4 S <5, 4 ? ? ad., S. Mateo, North Bolivia (Mns. Berlepsch) ; t? ad., 

 Chnchnrras, Huiinnco, C. Peru (Hoffmanns coll., Mus. Tring) ; S ad., ? ad., 

 Yurimagnas ; S ad., Pern (ex Verreaux — type of 77. melanolaema Scl.); 2 $ $ 

 ad., 1 $ jr., 1 ?, Chamicuros (Brit. Mus.), 1 ?, Chyavetas (Brit. Mus.); 1 S jr., 

 1 ? ad., Pern (ex Verreaux — types of 77. melanosticta Scl). 



The type of 77. melanolaema (Mus. Brit, ex coll. P. L. Sclater) agrees perfectly 

 with the series of 6"6" ad. from Bolivia and Pern ; as do also the original examples 

 of 77. melanosticta with other specimens in corresponding plumage. 



In the male sex of this form the under parts are always much paler grey than 

 in 77. m. myotherina. The females are also readily distinguishable by the consider 

 ably lighter, ochraceous-buff belly ; the throat is always pure white and bordered 

 below by some blackish spots, and the under mandible is light coloured. 



It is an interesting fact that the birds from Chyavetas, Yurimagnas and Chami 

 enros belong to the pale-bellied form, while on the north bank of the Amazons 

 another representative takes its place. 



c. Hypocnemis myotherina ochrolaema Hellm. 



Hub. Lower Amazons : Itaitnba, near Santarem. 



(J ad. Very similar to that of II. m. melanolaema , bnt nuderparts still paler 

 nearly white in the middle of the breast and abdomen ; and superciliaries purer 

 white, broader, and extended along the upper and posterior margin of the 

 ear-coverts. 



¥ ad. Breast and belly deep ochraceous, as in II. m. myotherina, bnt readily 



