282 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM vol.93 



it is an inhabitant of the densest coverts, where its rattling notes 

 are heard constantly but where the birds themselves keep carefully 

 under cover. The male in calling rises to full height and erects his 

 crest, while the effort of uttering the notes shakes his body visibly. 



As Peters has written,' the proper subspecific name for this ant- 

 shrike is not mexicanus Allen (1889) but int crmedius Bidgway (1888). 



TARABA MAJOR MELANOCRISSUS (Sclater) 



Thamnophilus melanocrissus P. L. Sclatkk, Proc. Zoo-1. Soc. London, Aug. 1S60, 

 p. 252 (Santecomapam, Orizaba, Veracruz). 



The six obtained were collected in the vicinity of Tres Zapotes 

 on March 24, 1939, and January 2G, February 23, March 6, 7, and 

 April 1, 1940. I saw one near Boca San Miguel. They inhabit the 

 densest of thickets and masses of vines, where it is difficult to locate 

 them when their strange notes are heard. 



It seems reasonable to follow Griscom's treatment of this form " 

 in separating it from T. m. transandeanus of distant Ecuador. The 

 three males in the present series have the under tail-coverts without 

 white. 



Family COTINGIDAE 



ATTILA SPADICEUS FLAMMULATUS Lafresnaye 



Attila flammulatus Lafkesnaye, Rev. Zool., 1S48, p. 47 (Veracruz, Mexico). 



This forest bird was fairly common, specimens coming from Tres 

 Zapotes March 19, 31, and April 10, 1939, and March 3, 7, and April 

 1, 1940, and from Cerro de Tuxtla March 11. Carriker recorded it 

 also on Volcan San Martin. One I shot as it perched in an erect, 

 flycatcherlike attitude on an open limb in the center of a tree. 

 Another rested in the dense shadow beneath a heavy mass of vines 

 in a tree top, and another in tree tops in open gallery forest 

 near water. As they often remain quiet among leaves, they are 

 easily overlooked. 



PACHYRAMPHUS MAJOR MAJOR (Cabanis) 



Bathmidurus major Cabanis, Arch, fur Naturg., vol. 13, 1847, p. 246 (Jalapa, 

 Veracruz). 



Carriker shot a male on March 4, on the trail between Tres Za- 

 potes and Hueyapa, and a female on April 17 high in a tree in 

 heavy forest between 3,000 and 4.000 feet elevation on Volcan San 

 Martin. The species apparently is rare in this region. 



•" Bull. Mus. Comp. ZoSl., vol. 69, 1929, p. 439. 



w Bull. Amer. Mus. Nat. Hist., vol. 64, 1932, pp. 232-233. 



