244 TURDiDj;. 



Meriila gigas and Memla gigantodes. 



This Ouzel has two extreme forms, which appear to be connected 

 by a complete series of examples in every intermediate stage of 

 colour. The synonymy of the Northern form is as follows : — 



11. Meriila gigas. 



Turdus gigas, Fraser, P. Z. S. 1840, p. o9 ; Grm/, Gen. B. i. p. 219 

 (1847); Bp. Consp. i. p. 275(1850); Licht.Nomencl.Av. p. 26 (1854); 

 Sclater, P. Z. S. 1855, p. 144 ; id. P. Z. S. 1858, pp. 451, 550 ; 

 id. P. Z. S. 1859, p. .332 ; id. Cat. Amer. B. p. 5 (1862) ; Scl. S^ Salv. 

 Ex. Orn. p. 139, pi. Ixx. (1868) ; Gray, liand-l. B. i. p. 258. 

 no. 3760 (1869) ; Scl. ^- Salv. Nomencl. Av. Neotr. p. 2 (1873) ; iid. 

 P. Z. S. 1875, p. 234 ; Salv. Sf Godm. Ibis, 1879, p. 198. 



In the c(cbilf male the colour of the upper parts is an almost 

 neutral dark brown, slightly suffused with olive on the back, rump, 

 and upper tail-coverts. Underparts greyish brown, darkest on the 

 throat and under tail-coverts, and occasionally slightly suffused 

 "with ferruginous on the axillaries. Bill bright yellow above and 

 below. Wings with the fourth and fifth primaries nearly equal 

 and longest, second primary about equal to the tenth, bastard 

 primary 2-0 to 1-4 inch. Tail with the outside feathers 0-6 to 0'4 

 inch shorter than the longest. Length of wing 6-15 to 5*65 inches, 

 tail 5-8 to 5-2, culmen 1-3 to I'Oo, tarsus 1-85 to 1"68. Legs, feet, 

 and claws yellow. 



It is not known that there is any difference in the colour of the 

 plumage of the seres. Birds of the year, which have not quite lost 

 tlieir first plumage, have dark-brown tenninal bars and pale-brown 

 subterminal bars across the feathers of the throat and breast. 

 Young injirst plumage appear to be unknown. 



The typical form of the Great Brown Ouzel is found in Jfew 

 Granada. Intermediate forms appear in Colombia and Ecuador. 



a. Ad. sk. Bogota, New Granada, Purchased. 



b. Ad. st. Bogota. Purchased. 



c. d ad. sk. Snnta Elena, U.S. Colombia. T. K. Salmon, Esq. [C.]. 



d. Ad. sk, Ecuador (Fraser). Eyton Collection. 



The synonymy of the Southern form is as follows : — 



12. Merula gigantodes. 



Turdus gigantodes. Cab. Jovrn. Orn. 1873, p. 316; Tacz. P. Z. S. 

 1874, p. 503 ; Scl. ^- Salvin, P. Z. S. 1874, p. 677. 



This differs from the typical form in being much darker and 

 browner. The head, wings, and tail are almost black ; the back, 

 ramp, and upper tail-coverts, throat and under tail-coverts are 

 dark rich brown, slightly paler on the breast, belly, and flanks. 

 BiU deep yellow. AVing-formula as in the preceding species ; bas- 

 tard primary 1-8 inch. Length of wing 5-8 inches, tail 5-5, culmea 

 1-28, tarsus 1-6. 



