1887.] PROCEEDINGS OF UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. Ill 



DESCRIPTION OF A NEW SPECIES OF PORZANA FROM COSTA 



RICA. 



By ROBERT RIDOVI'AV. 



Porzana alfari, sx). uov. 



Sp. chak. — Similar to P. albigularis Lawr., but darker, with the black 

 bars ou tiauks, &c., much broader, aud the white interspaces corre- 

 spondiugl^" narrower. 



Adult female (specimen in " Coleccion del Museo Nacional de Costa 

 Eica," Las Trojas, Pacific coast, February, 188G). — Pileum deep bistre- 

 brown, becoming- lighter and more of an umber tint along the hind neck; 

 rest of upper parts deep bistre anteriorl}^, deepening gradually into 

 blackish brown posteriorly, the tail almost black. Sides of head, neck, 

 aud breast cinnamon-rufous, most intense laterally, much paler along 

 the middle line, the chin and throat being almost white. Lores dull 

 light grayish brown, bordered above by a very indistinct rusty streak 

 on each side of forehead ; ear-coverts tinged with grayish brown. En- 

 tire sides. Hanks, thighs, under tail-coverts, anal region, and belly dis- 

 tinctly and regularly barred with black and white, the bars^of the latter 

 color everywhere much narrower than those of the former. Bill dusky 

 olive-greenish ; legs and feet olive-blackish. Length (skin), 5.50 inches; 

 wing, 3.00; culmeu, 0.70; tarsus, 1.20; middle toe, 1.25. 



EemarTcs. — This new species is most nearly related to P. albigularis 

 Lawe., of which there are two specimens, from the Isthmus of Panama, 

 before me. In the very broad black bars of the lower parts, however, it 

 is much more like P. cinereiceps Lawr., from Talamanca, but the latter 

 ditters consi)icuously in the color of the head. These three species, to- 

 gether with P. leucogastra Eidgw., from Nicaragua (Los Sabalos), may 

 be distinguished as follows: 



a'. Head without any gray. 



6^ Belly and anal region white ; the black bars on adjacent portion of sides nar- 

 rower than the white interspaces; uj^per parts paler aud more rusty. Hab., 

 Isthmus Panama P. aJbiguIaris Lawr.' 



5^ Belly aud anal region heavily barred with black, the black bars everywhere 

 broader than the white interspaces ; upper parts darker, more sooty. Hab. 



Costa Kica (Las Trojas) P. alfari Kidgw.-* 



a^. Head partly gray. 



6-. Breast entirely deep rufous; throat pale rufous, approaching white onlj' on chin. 

 Eab. Costa Rica (Talamanca) P. cinereiceps Lawr.^ 



¥. Breast white, tinged with cinnamon, passing into pale cinnamon-rufous on 

 cheeks, the throat again white. Hab., Nicaragua (Los Sabalos, Atlantic 

 side) P. leucogastra EiDGW.^ 



^Corethrura albigularis Lawr., Ann. Lye. N. Y., vii, 1861, 302.— Forzana albigularis 

 Sol. & Salv., P. Z. S., 1867, '280. 

 ^New species. 



^Porzana cinereiceps LAwai., Ann. Lye. N. Y., xi, Feb., 1875, 90. 

 *Porzana leucogastra Ridgw., Proc. U. S.Nat. Mus., vi, Apr. 11, 1884, 408. 



