( 347 ) 



No. 947. ? ad., Marnins, Rio Machados, 27. vi. 1908. " Iris yellow, feet grey, 

 bill black."— Wing 54 ; tail 4.5 ; bill 14 mm. 



The type is an immature bird, while the specimen sent by Mr. Hoffmanns is 

 perfectly adult. It differs from the former in having the upper parts duller and 

 less rufescent brown ; the upper tail-coverts brown like the back (instead of 

 cinnamon-rufoas) ; the tail duller, rufescent brown, less cinnamon ; the edges to 

 the remiges more olive-brown, less reddish ; and the belly decidedly paler 

 ochraceous. Moreover, the median and greater wing-coverts are deeper black, with 

 the large apical spots better defined, as well as of a clearer ochraceous buff. These 

 trifling differences are, no doubt, due to age. 



As pointed out by me (I.e.), M. leucophtkalma is very nearly related to 

 M. sororia Berl. & Stolzm.,* so closely indeed that the latter will have to be 

 considered as only subspecifically distinct. The females of both forms agree in 

 having the median and greater wing-coverts black with large rounded spots of 

 ochraceous buff, while, in the allied M. gutturalis Scl. & Salv.,t from British 

 Guiana and Cayenne, they are light russet-brown with minute apical dots of buff. 

 However, M. Uvirnphthalma may be distinguished from M. sororia by the deeper 

 colour of the under parts, deeper ochraceous bufl' apical spots to the wing-coverts, 

 and by its rufescent brown or cinnamomeous (instead of dark brown) tail. 



An adult male from Bom Lugar, Rio Purus, J with the thi'oat black spotted 

 with white, differs in the same way — viz. decidedly rufescent brown tail — from a 

 male of M. sororia (Mus. H. v. Berlepsch ; Rio Tigre, N.E. Peru, J. Hau.xwell 

 coll.). Besides, the back is conspicuously lighter brown, the outer aspect of the 

 wings less rufescent, and the cinereous of the breast paler. In both skins the apical 

 spots to the wing-coverts are buff, whereas in the male of M. (/uttiiralis the much 

 smaller spots are pure white. The Purus bird undoubtedly represents the hitherto 

 unknown male sex of M. leucophthalmi. I have also e.xamined the i ad. from 

 Marajo mentioned by Miss Snethlage, noticing several small differences, which, 

 however, must be confirmed by additional specimens before attempting any 

 separation. 



I think it useful to .append a condensed review which may help naturalists in 

 the determination of these difficult birds. 



(«) M. leucophtkalma leucopkthabna (Pelz.). 



Tijpe local it 1/ : Sal to do Girao, Rio Bladeira. 



Hab. Brazilian Amazonia : Macujubim, Island of Marajo (Hagmann — S in 

 Mus. Paraense) ; Arumatheua, Tocantins (Snethlage) ; Rio Madeira : Salto do 

 Girao (Natterer), Marnins, Rio Machados (Hoffmanns) ; Bom Lugar, Rio Funis 

 (c? in Mus. Paraense). 



S ad. Upper parts pale olive-brown, tail light rufescent brown ; lesser upper 

 wing-coverts greyish olive, dusky at base ; median and greater series black with 

 large, rounded apical spots of deep buff: wings exteriorly edged with rufescent 

 olive-brown. Throat black with large, wedge-shaped white spots ; cheeks, malar 

 region, foreneck, and breast pale cinereous ; lower abdomem, sides, and under tail- 

 coverts pale olive-brown. 



• Ibin 1S94. p. .S96 (La Gloria, La Mercetl, Central Peru). 



t Ibis 188L p. 269 (Bartica Grove, British GuiaDa). 



X M. guilvralis leucopMhalvia (sic I) Snethlage, Joiini.f. Orn. 1908. p. 15. 



