1849.] 239 



and fourth siniiated on their outer webs; shafts slightly curved. Tail cuneiform, 

 four middle feathers equal and longest. 



Bill rather long and flat; tarsi short, slightly feathered below the knee, 

 DimeusioH.i. Total length of skin, from tip of bill to end of tail, about 11 

 inches; wing 7 J ; tail Oa inches. 



Colors. Head above, back, runnp, scapulars and wing coverts variegated with 

 black and dark fulvous, the latter in rounded spots and narrow irregular lines, 

 predominating upon the wing coverts, but the former (black) upon the head and 

 scapulars. This color disposed lo form a broad longitudinal band on the head. 

 Sides of the head, over the eyes, grayish ; every feather with transverse black 

 lines. Keck behind with a semi-collar of deep reddish fulvous ; before, with a 

 semi-collar of yellowish white, the feathers of which are tipped with black. 



Throat nearly black, breast below the collar, with deep fulvous spots and irre- 

 gular lines, belly and ventral region with a predouiinating pale fulvous white, 

 and some nearly pure white spots, every feather transversely lined and barred 

 with black, under tail coverts fulvous, unspotted. 



Wing feathers brownish black, primaries with about 10 to 12 irregular shaped 

 but rather triangular marks of deep fulvous upon their external webs, secondaries 

 with irregular bars of pale fulvous, which bars are mottled with black. 



First, second and third feathers of the tail brownish black with several obscure 

 and badly defined bands of reddish fulvous, and obliquely tipped in a very conspi- 

 cuous manner, with fine, silky white. Fourth feather of similar color, but with- 

 out the white tip, and v/ith the reddish fulvous bands more definite. Two middle 

 tail feathers brownish black, and with about 10 to 12 bars on each web of deep 

 reddish fulvous, well defined, and which are disposed obliquely from the shafts of 

 the feathers, like a pinnate leaf, those bars broad and hioUled with black, — two 

 middle feathers without white tips. 



Younger ? Funn. As above described, but with the second primary slightly 

 the longest. 



Dimensiuns. Total length of skin from tip of bill to end of tail, about lOi 

 inches, wing 7}, tail 5h inches. 



Colors. Very similar to the above, but with the grayish color extending over 

 the whole of the head. Under parts much darker but with more numerous white 

 rounded spots. Under tail coverts fulvous with black lines. The fine white tips 

 of the external tail feathers tinged M'ith fulvous. 



Hub. South America. 



Obs. The distribution of the colors upon the upper surface of the body, in this 

 handsome species resembles in some degree that of Scoloj>ax riisticola^ or oi S. 

 inxnor. 



It is not similar to any other species known to me, and can at once be recog- 

 nized by the silky white tips of the external tail feathers. These cross the fea- 

 thers obliquely, and are so arranged that when the cuneiform tail is expanded, 

 they form a continuous margin upon the ends of those three leathers. 



This is one of the few species of this family which have pretensions to beauty. 

 Two specimens are in the collection of the Academy. 



ELECTION. 



Octavus A. Norris, Esq., and Francis W. Lewis, M. D., of Philadel- 

 phia, were elected Members ol" the Academy. 



