BIRDS OF NORTH AND MIDDLE AMERICA. 731 



low; no lighter markings on wing, but lateral rectrices more or less 

 extensively white terminally; sexes alike. 



Nidification. — Unknown . 



Range. — The whole of continental tropical America. (About 

 twelve species.) 



This is a very natural and homogeneous group, in this respect 

 strongly contrasting with Badleuteru-s. The eleven species examined ' 

 agree very closely in structural details, the slight departures from the 

 normal type consisting almost wholly in inmiaterial ditferences in rela- 

 tive length of the wings and tail. The latter is usually a little shorter 

 than the former; in MJ imniata fiarnmea and M. «75//rw;.y the wing 

 and tail are of the same length, while in M. vertical Is (a close ally of 

 the former, with identical color-pattern) the tail is decidedly shorter 

 than the wing, the other species ranging between these extremes. The 

 wing-formula is remarkably uniform, and the variations in the pattern 

 of coloration are confined almost wholly to the head. 



All the Central American and Mexican forms have a large patch of 

 chestnut or chestnut-rufous on the crown, the forehead and sides of 

 the crown being black. 



KEY TO THE SPECIES AND SUBSPECIES OP MYIOBORUS. 



a. Throat black or blackish slate; sides of head slate color or slate-gray. 

 h. Under parts of body red or reddish orange, 

 c. Third rectrix with a large terminal spot of white; red of under parts usually 

 bright vermilion or pinkish vermilion. ( Highlands of Mexico.) 



Myioborus miniatus miniatus, adults (p. 731) 

 cc. Third rectrix entirely black; red of under parts usually orange red or flame 

 scarlet. ( Highlands of Guatemala and Chiapas.) 



Myioborus miniatus flammeus, adults (p. 733) 

 hh. Under parts of body orange-yellow. (Highlands of Costa Rica and Chiriqui. ) 



Myioborus aurantiacus, adults (p. 733) 

 aa. Throat and sides of head lemon yellow, like under parts of body; a dusk}' or 

 slaty band across chest. (Highlands of Costa Rica and Chiriqui.) 



Myioborus torquatus, adults (p. 735) 



MYIOBORUS MINIATUS MINIATUS (Swainson). 

 RED-BELLIED REDSTART. 



Adult male. — Forehead, anterior portion of crown, sitperciliary 

 region, lores, suborbital and malar regions, chin, and throat uniform 

 black; posterior portion of crown and occiput chestnut, the feathers 

 elongated; postocular region, posterior portion of auricular region, 

 hindneck, sides of neck, back, scapulars, lesser wing-coverts, and rump 

 uniform slate color; wings darker with slate colored or slate-gra}' 

 edgings; upper tail-coverts and tail black, the three outermost rectrices 



' Of those given in vol. x of the Catalogue of the Birds in the British Museum 

 (pp. 410-430) all have been examined in the present connection except M. brun- 

 neiceps and M. castaneicapilla. 



