38. CATHEErES. 281 



Thrvothorus guttulatus, Lafr. Rev. Zool. 1839, p. 99. 



Salpiuctes mexieanus, Cab. in Wiegm. Archiv, 1847, p. 324 ; Bp. 



Consp. i. p. 224 ; Cab. Mus. Hem. Th. i. p. 78 : Scl. P. Z. S. 



1855, p. 66, 1857, p. 212, and 1858, p. 297. 

 Cathei-pes mexieanus, Scl. Cat, Amer. B. p. 18; id. P.Z.S. 1864, 



p. 172 ; *S'e/. i^'- Salv. Nomencl. Av. Neotr. p. 6 ; Sumichr. Mem. 



Bost. Soc. Nat. Hid. i. p. 545 ; Coues, B. Color. Vail. p. 164, note ; 



Salv. Sj- Godin. Biol. Centr.-Amer., Aves, i. p. 72; Ridnw. Bull. 



U.S. Nat. Mus. no. 21, p. 14 (1881). 

 Cypborhiuus mexieanus, Gray, Hand-l. B. i. p. 194, no. 2674. 

 Catherpes mexieanus, var. mexieanus, Ridf/w. Amer. Nat. \i\. 1873, 



p. 603 ; Baird, Breiuer, i.^- Ridgiv. Hist. N.-Amer. B. i. p. 138. 



Adult male General colour above dark chestnut-bro-wn, obscurely 

 barred with blackish brown and spotted with white, before which is 

 a subterminal black spot ; rumj) and upper tail-coverts bright 

 chestnut, with small white dots ; tail-feathers light chestnut, with 

 transverse black bars, about nine in number ; wing-coverts like the 

 back, and with tiny white dots ; the median and greater series rather 

 lighter rufous externally, mottled with black bars and having a 

 white dot at the end of the feathers ; quills dark brown, externally 

 rufous-bi'owu barred with black, the innermost secondaries barred 

 across ; head more du.^ky browu than the back, slightly mottled 

 with blackish spots and cross bars and scantily spotted with small 

 dots of white ; eyelid rufescent ; lores blackish ; above the eve a few 

 rufous dots fonn a scarcely perceptible indication of an eyebrow ; 

 sides of face pure white ; the car-coverts blackish brown, slightly 

 mixed with white ; throat and fore neck pure white, tinged with 

 chestnut on the latter ; remainder of under surface rich chestnut, 

 varied with white spots, before which is a subterminal black bar ; 

 abdomen a little dingier chestnut than the breast, the under tail- 

 coverts brighter ; under wing-coverts dull chestnut, rather broadly 

 barred with blackish ; axiUaries dull rufous ; quills dusky brown 

 below, paler along the edge of the inner web. Total length 5-9 inches, 

 culmen I'O, wing 2-8, tail 2-5, tarsus 0-8. 



Some variation in shade of colour appears to take place in a series 

 of specimens, some being browner and others darker in general 

 appearance. Messrs. Salvin and Godman have lent me a bird from 

 Tehuantepec (Sumichrast), which is very remarkable, being blacki.sh 

 above, and having the under tail-coverts uniform deep chestnut, Avith 

 a shaft-streak of black down the centre, instead of the bands of white 

 and black seen in the other specimens. The black markings on tlie 

 abdomen are also much larger. A further examination of examples 

 may prove this to be a distinct species. 



The Mexican Wliite-throated l{ock-"\Yren is confined to Mexico. 

 The remarks on the variation in colour of this species Avithin 

 Mexican limits made by Messrs. Salvin and Godman (I. c. p. 72) 

 should be studied. 



a. Ad. sk. Mexico. Purchased. 



b. S ad. sk. Piiebla, Mexico. M. A. Boucard [C.]. 



c. Ad. sk. Mexico. J. Taylor, Esq. [P.]. 



