34 Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington. 



Myiobius modestus Todd, Ann. Carnegie Mus., VIII, 1912, 207 (Upata 

 [type-locality], San Felix, and Altagracia, Venezuela; orig. descr.; type 

 in coll. Carnegie Mus.; crit.). — Cherrie, Mus. Brooklyn Inst. Sci. Bull., 

 II, 1916, 242 (Caicara and River San Feliz, Venezuela). 



Subspecific characters. — Similar to Myiobius atricaudus atricaudus, but 

 upper parts paler, and lower parts duller, more uniformly buffy, less yellow- 

 ish. 



Measurements. — Male (two specimens): wing, 60-62; tail, 59-60; bill, 

 10.5-11; tarsus, 17-18. Female (six specimens): wing, 57-58 (57); tail, 

 54-57 (56); bill, 10-10.5 (10); tarsus, 15-16.5 (15.5). 



Range. — Eastern Venezuela, south of the Orinoco River, east to the 

 Sierra Imataca. 



Remarks. — "This form is based upon two adult [male] and three imma- 

 ture [ = female] birds from San Felix, Altagracia, and Upata, localities in 

 the region lying immediately south of the Orinoco east of Ciudad Bolivar. 

 These are evidently the same as the two skins from Caicara (farther up 

 the Orinoco) doubtfully referred to Myiobius barbatus atricaudus Lawrence 

 by Messrs. Berlepsch and Hartert (Novitates Zoologicce, IX, 1902, 49). 

 Upon comparison with an ample series of the latter from Costa Rica, 

 however, they prove to be very distinct, being decidedly paler olivaceous 

 above, and more uniform below, with less of the buffy suffusion on the 

 breast and sides, and the tibise and under tail-coverts much paler, more 

 buffy. From true M. barbatus, of which I have three examples before me, 

 they are still more different, and may be distinguished at a glance by their 

 deep black tails" (Todd, 1. c). 



With a much larger series of true atricaudus at hand than was available 

 when the above remarks were penned, it is evident that some qualifications 

 are required. M. modestus is more closely related to M. atricaudus than 

 at first was thought, and should stand as a subspecies thereof. It differs 

 in its lighter, duller coloration, the lower parts appearing less yellowish, 

 and more uniformly buffy, with the upper parts a shade paler also. In the 

 original description it is stated that there is "less of the buffy suffusion on 

 the breast and sides" than in atricaudus, but the fact is that this is only 

 apparent because of the dullness of the yellow color. 



Since the respective ranges of M. barbatus and the present form are 

 known to approach each other very closely in Venezuela, if, indeed, they 

 do not actually overlap, without any signs of intergradation in the area 

 involved, we feel justified in keeping them specifically distinct. Two 

 specimens from Caicara, collected by Mr. Cherrie, and examined by the 

 writer in this connection, confirm his suspicions as to the identity of the 

 birds from this locality referred to by Messrs. von Berlepsch and Hartert. 



Specimens examined. — Venezuela: San Felix, 2; Upata, 2; Altagracia, 1; 

 Caicara, 2; La Cascabel, Rio San Feliz, 1. Total, 8. 



Myiobius atricaudus suflfusus Todd. 



Myiobius modestus suffusus Todd, Proc. Biol. Soc. Washington, XXX, 

 1917, 4 (Turbaco, Colombia; orig. descr.; type in coll. Carnegie Mus.). 



