338 PTEK<iprocmi>.K. 



The ranp^c of the germs Sc>/talopns, wliiuli embraces the smallest 

 and most Wren-like of the Ptcroptoi-hidcf, extends from the Andes 

 of Venezuela and Colombia, through the highlands of Ecuador, Peru, 

 and Bolivia to Chili aud the Magellan Straits, where it descends to 

 the sea-level. The form also occurs in the interior of S.E. Brazil. 



Mucli more is required to be known of this difficult group, which 

 is very imperfectly represented in European collections, before the 

 species can bo considered to be accurately determined and the varia- 

 tions of the sexes and ages understood. At present I am able to 

 rocognize provisionally nine species. 



As regards the nesting of Scytalopus, see Mr. Salmon's notes, 

 P. Z. S. 1879, p. 528. 



Key to the Sjiecies. 



A Bill weaker ; feet not so strong. 



a. Upper surface nearly uniform. 

 a'. Smaller. 



a''. Breast dark plumbeous, as body above. 1. viaf/ellaiiicus, -p.SSS. 



b". Breast light cinereous 2. sjielimccB, p. 339. 



b'. Larger. 



c". Wholly cinereous 3. senilis, p. 340. 



d". Belly with obsolete cross bars 4. obscurus, p. 340. 



b. Rump rufous. 



c'. Flanks rufous o. griseicuUis, p. 340. 



d'. Flanks rufous, with black cross bars. 



Throat aud breast slaty 6. sylvestris, p. 341. 



Throat aud breast white 7. indigoticus, p. 341. 



Throat white ; breast grey 8. superciliaris, p. 342. 



B. Bill larger ; feet stronger 9. ancdis, p. 342. 



1. Scytalopus magellanicus. 



Magellanic Warbler, Lath. Syn. ii. p. 464. 



Motacilla magellanica, Gm. S. N. i. p. 979 (1788). 



Sylvia magellanica, Lath. Ind. Oni. ii. p. 528. 



Scvtalopus magellanicus, Dane. Zool. Voy. ' Beaqle,^ iii. p. 74 ; Gay, 



'Faun. Chili, i. p. 307 ; Bridqes, P. Z. S. 1843, p. Ill (Chili) ; 



Sd. P. Z. S. 1860, p. 385 (Falkland 1.), et 1867, pp. 325, 338 



(Chili) ; id. Ibis, 1874, p. 193 ; Sd. et Salv. Ibis, 1868, p. 187 (Str. 



of Magellan) ; iid. Nomend. p. 76 ; iid. P. Z. S. 1878, p. 433 (Porto 



Bueno), et 1879, p. 528 (Antioquia) ; Cab. et Reich. J. f. O. 1876, 



p. 323 (Str. of Magellan) ; Tacz. P. Z. S. 1880, p. 202 (N. Peru) ; 



Perl, et Tacz. P. Z. S. 1884, p. 303, et 1885, p. 102 (Ecuador). 

 Scvtalopus fuscus, Gould, P. Z. S. 1836, p. 89 (Chili) ; Jard. et Selby, 



111. Oni. n. s. pi. 19 ; Bridges, P. Z. S. 1841, p. 94 (Chili) ; Bonap. 



Cons]).!. p. 206; Jardine, Contr. Orn, 1851, p. 116, pL 77; Sd. 



Cat. A. B. p. 168. 

 Platym-us niofer, Sic. An. in Menaq. p. 323 ; Pucher. Voy. au Pole 



Slid, Zool. iii. p. 91, Atl. pi. 19. fig. 5. 

 Scytalopus uiger, B2). Consp. i. p. 206. 

 Pteroptochus albifrons, Landb. Wiegm. Arch. 1867, p. 273 ; Allen, 



Bidl. A. M. N. H. ii. p. 99. 

 Scytalopus albifrons, Phil. An. Univ. CJiil. xxxi. p. 255. 



