17. MICRASTUR. 77 



Ilerpetotheres xanthothorax, Kmip, Cuntr. Orn. 1850, p. 71. 

 Cliinacocerciis xanthothorax, Burm. Th. Bras. ii. p. 85 (1855j. 

 Climacocercus riiMcollis, Cab.J.f. O. 1865, p. 40. 

 Micrastiir gilvicollis (ad.), Bek. 'Beis. Nov. Vog. p. 10 (1865, teste Scl. 



4'-'S'rt/r.). 

 Nisus nificollis, Sckl. 3Ius. P.-B. R<;vue Accipitr. p. 98 (1873). 



Younrj. Head uniform dull brown, a distinct eyebrow and sides 

 of face whitish ; the hinder margin of ear-coverts distinctly brown, 

 below which a circular line of whitish feathers forming an imperfect 

 ruff; sides of neck dull rufous brown, the nape much mottled with 

 white ; upper surface of body dull rufous brown, with numerous 

 spots and half bars of white or rufous white, more distinct on the 

 wing-coverts, and very large on the upper tail-coverts ; quilLs brown, 

 barred on both webs with dull rufous, inclining to white on inner- 

 most secondaries ; under surface of quills with broad white bars on 

 inner webs, tinged with rufous on the primaries ; tail black, tipped 

 with white and crossed with four irregular but distinct bars of 

 white; under siuface of body huffy white, crossed with numerous 

 wavy lines of brown, gradually disappearing towards the abdomen, 

 a little broader on upper breast, where they are tinged with rufous ; 

 under wing-coverts uniform white. 



Adult male {M. leucauchen). Above dull slate-colour, the sides 

 of the face and neck also slaty grey, but a Httle paler than the 

 upper surface ; quills brown above, ashy brown below, barred with 

 white on inner web; upper tail-coverts slate-colour, like back; 

 tail blackish, tipped with bufiy white, and crossed with three 

 whitish bands, these shaded with ashy on the external feathers ; 

 under surface of body greyish white, the throat unbarred; but 

 all the rest, excepting the fore neck, which is duU orange-rufous, 

 with numerous bars of greyish black, becoming narrower on thighs 

 and abdomen. Total length 13 inches, wing 6-9, tail 6-8, tarsus 

 2-45. 



_ Adult female. Head uniform greyish brown, with a slight olive 

 tinge on the forehead; rest of upper surface brownish rufous, 

 brighter and more orange-coloured on the back and sides of neck, 

 thence extending across the chest ; sides of face dull rufous, the 

 cheeks brownish, the ear-coverts whitish at base and washed with 

 grey along their upper margin ; an imperfect ruff of circular feathers 

 dull rufous also ; throat whitish, washed with rufous ; rest of imder 

 surface, including under wing- and tail-coverts, white, numerously 

 barred with greyish black, the bars on the u])per breast broader 

 and tinged with rufous ; quills brown, with rufous shafts, and ex- 

 ternally washed with rufous, and broadly barred on the inner web 

 with white ; tail dark brown, washed with rufous near the base, 

 tipped with wliite and crossed with four narrow and not strictly 

 conterminous white bars. Total length 13-5 inches, culmen 0-9, 

 wing 7-65, tail 7-4, tarsus 2-6. 



Hah. Eastern South America ; Venezuela and Guiana ; Central 

 Brazil as far as Rio, between about 10° S. lat. and the Tropic of 

 Capricorn. 



