284 TUKDIDJE. 



more rounded than others — in some species the bastard primary 

 being small, in others about half the length of the second. The legs 

 vary in colour from yellow to brown, and the tarsus is not scu- 

 tellated. 



None of the species are known to bo migratory. They frequent 

 forests, where they are described as seeking their food on the ground. 

 They are fair songsters. 



Three species are found in South Mexico, one of which ranges as 

 far south as Costa Eica and one to Panama. One species is peculiar 

 to Guatemala. Two species are peculiar to Costa Rica, and another 

 ranges from Costa Rica to Ecuador. One species is peculiar to 

 Panama, two to Colombia, one to Yeuezuela, and one to Bolivia. 



Key to the Species. 



a. Head black or grey. 



«'. General colour of upper parts nearly uniform 

 dark slate-grey. 



a". Throat slate-grey fuscater, p. 285. 



b" . Throat brownish grey meiitalis, p. 285. 



b' . Back russet- or olive-brown. 



c". Head bhick mexicanus, p. 286. 



d". Head grey. 



a'". Bill slender, both mandibles black . . gracilirostris, p. 292. 

 b'". Bill stout, under mandible pale. 



a*. Back dark olive-brown phesopleurus, p. 287. 



b^. Back russet-brown griseiceps, p. 287. 



b. Head russet-brown, sometimes suffused with 



olive, 

 e'. Back olive-brown. 



e". Head russet-brown alticola, p. 291. 



f". Head olive-brown aurantiirostris, p. 289. 



d' . Back russet-brown. 



g". Outer ■^^•eb of wing-coverts rusty brown . melpomen^, p. 288. 

 Ii". Outer web of wing-coverts russet-brown 

 as back. 

 c'". Chin and throat pale olive-brown, with 



obscure darker spots occidentaUs, p. 291. 



d'". Chin and throat pale slate-grey, nearly 

 uniform, 

 c*. Head nearly uniform in colour with 



the back ' hirchcdli, p. 289. 



d>. Head much more chestnut than the 



back fi-antzii, p. 290. 



[Catharus fuscater and Catharus mentalis.] 



I am unable to decide, with the small series of South-American 

 skins at my command, whether these very closely allied forms are 

 specifically or subspecifically distinct. In my opinion the balance of 

 evidence available is slightly in favour of their being conspecific. The 

 northern form is more decidedly slate-grey in colour on the chin, 

 throat, wings, and tail, which are more or less suffused with olive- 

 brown in the allied species. 



