BIRDS OF NORTH AND MIDDLE AMERICA. 107 



Proc. Zool. Soc. Loud., 1870, 1S8 (Cordillera del Chucu). — Salvin and God- 

 man, Biol. Centr.-Am., Aves, i, 1883, 311, pi. 21, fig. 1. — Sclater, Cat. Birds 

 Brit. Mus., xi,-1886, 210.— Zeledon, Anal. Mus. Nac. Costa Eica, i, 1887, 110 

 (Costa pica). 

 \_Tachyphonus^ chrysomelas Sclater and Salvin, Nom. Av. Neotr., 1873, 23. 



Genus RAMPHOCELUS Desmarest. 



Ramphocelus Desmarest, Hist. Nat. Tang., 1805, p. 5, sub pis. 28, 29. (Type, 



Tanagra hr<isilia Linna?us. ) 

 Ehamphoccelus (emendation) Sclater and Salvin, Nom. Av. Neotr., 1873, 21. 

 Ramphopis YiEiijhOT, Analyse, 1816, 32. (Type, Tanagra jacapa L,innsens.) 

 Jacapa Bonaparte, Rev. et Mag. de Zool., iii, Mar., 1851, 178. (Type, Tanagra 

 jacapa Linnseus. ) 



Medium .sized Tanagers with outermost (ninth) primaiy shorter than 

 third, plumage of forehead still', erect, and plush-like, and with man- 

 dibular rami more or less enlarged and swollen, longer than gonys; 

 adult males richly colored Avith Ijlack and crimson, scarlet, orange, or 

 yellow. 



Bill shorter than head, elongate-conical in vertical profile; culmen 

 usuall}' about two-thirds as long as tarsus or a little more (consider- 

 ably less in H. jxisserinil and allies), nearly straight for basal half or 

 more, distinctly convex terminall}^, the tip of the maxilla obviously 

 uncinate; gonys decidedly shorter than length of maxilla from nostril, 

 less convex than terminal portion of culmen; commissure nearly 

 straight; mmidlhidar rami 'remar]<:ahly enJarged (less so in R. jxisserinii 

 and allies), much longer than gonys (except in the species mentioned), 

 developed into a broad thickened plate, more or less rounded behind, 

 usually ditferentl}' colored (whitish or pale blue) from rest of bill. 

 Nostril small, nearly concealed by plush-like frontal feathers. Rictal 

 bristles not obvious. Wing rather short (about three and one-half to 

 three and four-fifths times as long as tarsus), rounded (seventh to fifth 

 primaries longest, ninth shorter than third) ; primaries exceeding second- 

 aries by less than length of exposed culmen. Tail nearly as long as wing, 

 rounded, the rectrices rather broad, with firm webs and rounded tips, 

 less than the basal half overlaid by upper coverts. Tarsus equal to or 

 longer than middle toe with claw; lateral claws reaching about to base 

 of middle claw; hind claw shorter than its digit — all the claws well- 

 curved, sharp. Plumage soft, velvety; feathers of forehead erect, 

 somewhat stifi'ened, plush-like. 



Coloration. — Adult males black and scarlet, black and maroon, black, 

 crimson, and scarlet, or black and yellow, in large unicolored areas; 

 females and 3'oung much didler, with the black replaced by l)rown, 

 brownish-gray, or olive, the brighter colors obsolete or faintly 

 indicated. 



Range. — Continental Tropical America, from southern Mexico to 

 southern Brazil, Bolivia, and Peru. 



