BIRDS OF NORTH AND MIDDLE AMERICA. 19 



or very faintly emarginate in C. occidental/is), the rectrices with 

 extreme tip minutely acuminate. Tarsus long and slender, much 

 more than twice as long as exposed culmen, the acrotarsium with 

 both sides undivided; middle toe (without claw) three-fifths as long 

 as tarsus or slightly less; lateral toes unequal, the inner (without 

 claw) reaching to subterminal articulation of middle toe, the outer 

 slightly beyond; hallux equal to inner toe or slightly shorter; basal 

 phalanx of middle toe united for more than basal half to outer toe, for 

 less than half to inner toe; claws normal, that of hallux shorter than 

 its digit. 



Coloration. — Above plain brown, olive, or slaty; if brown or olive, 

 the pileum sometimes grayish or more refescent, or wings and tail 

 more rufescent; if slaty, the pileum blackish; under parts whitish (at 

 least on abdomen), becoming brownish or grayish on chest, sides, and 

 flanks, or gray with olive or fulvous across chest; chest sometimes 

 spotted; sexes alike. 



Nidijication. — Nest (of C. melpomene) open above, composed 

 chiefly of moss; eggs (of C. melpomene) white or very pale bluish, 

 speckled or spotted, more or less densely, with reddish brown. 



Range. — Confined to tropical portions of American continent 

 (northern Mexico to Bolivia and northern Peru) ; apparently wanting 

 from lower Amazon district (including Guiana) and Brazilian district. 

 (About twenty species and subspecies.) 



The present genus is closely related to HylocicMa, with which it 

 very nearly intergrades through C. oceidentalis and other species. 

 Like the Hylociclilm the species, except C. melpomene, are mostly birds 

 of the mountain forests, living near the ground. All are songsters of 

 greater or less merit, the song of C. frantzii reminding one strongly of 

 that of the famed Hermit Thrush (HylocicJila guttata paJlasi) which it 

 furthermore closely resembles in its habits. C. melpomene costa- 

 ricensis, however, is a bird of the open cultivated districts and its 

 song is unattractive. 



KEY TO THE SPECIES AND SUBSPECIES OF CATHARUS. 



a. Pileum black. 



b. Black of pileum abruptly contrasted with the color of back. 



c. Back slate-grayish; chest liuffy white or buff-yellowish spotted with grayish 



or dusky. (Guatemala; Colombia? ; Cathams dryas (p. 21) 



cc. Back olive or olive-brown; chest plain gray or olive. {Catharus mexicanus.) 

 d. Under parts paler, with chin and throat whitish. (Southern Mexico to 



n. Panama.) Catharus mexicanus mexicanus (p. 22) 



dd. Under parts darker, with chin and throat gray, nearly concolor with chest. 



(Costa Rica.) Catharus mexicanus fumosus (p. 24) 



hh. Black of pileum shading gradually and haidly perceptil)ly into the dark blackish 

 slate color of back. {Catharus fuscater.) 



