34 BULLETIN 50, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM, 



Genus HYLOCICHLA Baird. 



Hylocichla Bairu, Review Am. Birds. June, 1864, 12. (Type, Turdns mustelinus 

 Gmelin.) 



Small, slender-billed, brown, spotted-breasted Turdidae, with wing 

 never more than three and a half times as long as tarsus ; tail not more 

 than three-fourths as long as w^ing and less than three times as long 

 as tarsus ; middle toe (without claw) not more than three-fifths as long 

 as tarsus, and outermost primary usually shorter than primary coverts. 



Bill about half as long as head (or less), slender (stouter in H. 

 mustelina), slightly broader than deep at frontal antiae; exposed 

 culmen decidedly shorter than middle toe without claw, straight 

 basally," gradually and increasingly decurved terminally, the tip 

 more or less distinctly uncinate; gonys faintly convex, ascending 

 terminally, slightly longer than mandibular rami; maxillary tomium 

 faintly convex posteriorly, faintly concave anteriorly, distinctly 

 notched subterminally. Nostril more or- less oval or ovate, narrower 

 anteriorly, posteriorly in contact with frontal feathering, overhung 

 by broad membrane. Rictal bristles distinct; loral feathers mthout 

 distinct (if any) bristle-like tips. Wing rather long and pointed; 

 outermost (tenth) primary very small, shorter than primary coverts 

 and less than one-fourth as long as ninth (except in H. guttata) ; 

 ninth primary longer than fifth (equal, or nearly equal, to seventh in 

 //. alicise .and H. fuscescens), the eighth, or eighth and seventh, 

 longest; eighth, seventh, and sixth with outer webs sinuated (only 

 the eighth and seventh in H. ustulata) ; longest primaries exceeding 

 longest secondaries by length of tarsus, or more. Tail equal to or 

 longer than distance from bend of wing to end of secondaries (except 

 in H. mustelina), even or (in H. ustulata) very faintly emarginate, 

 the rectrices (when not worn) slightly acuminate at extreme tip. 

 Tarsus long and slender, less than one-third as long as wing, less than 

 half as long as tail, the acrotarsium with both sides undivided; middle 

 toe (without claw) three-fifths as long as tarsus or very slightly less; 

 lateral toes unequal, the inner (without claw) reaching to subtermi- 

 nal articulation of middle toe, the outer somewhat longer; hallux 

 slightly shorter than inner toe; basal phalanx of middle toe united 

 for more than basal half to outer toe, for less than basal half to inner 

 toe; claws rather small, but well curved and sharp, that of hallux 

 decidedly shorter than its digit. 



Coloration. — Above plain brown or olive, sometimes more rufescent 

 on pileum or tail; beneath whitish (usually more or less buffy ante- 

 riorly), the chest with triangular spots of brown, dusky, or black; 

 young essentially like adults, but with pileum, back, etc., streaked 

 with whitish, buffy, or pale rusty, longer wing-coverts tipped with 

 the same, and (except in H. mustelina) spots on under part more 

 transverse and extended backward over sides and flanks. 



a Sometimes (especially in H. alidse Ucknelli) the culmen is slightly depressed or 

 concave immediately above the anterior end of nasal fossse. 



