on the Ornithology of Guatemala. 43 



like another : they begin and end almost without one being aware 

 of it. Nothing is easier than to strike a fresh path and to take 

 a new guiding " barranco," instead of the one first chosen. 



A wide detour to reach, the horses or a night passed in the 

 forest may be the consequence of a mistake. From the com- 

 mencement of the lofty trees one seems to be leaving 'the orni- 

 thological world, and few birds are to be seen or heard ; but the 

 hour of our visit was ill-chosen, the morning and evening being 

 the times when the feathered denizens of these forests show 

 themselves in greater numbers. It was here, however, that I 

 saw Lamprolama rhami, and a little lower down Selaqjhorus he- 

 loisce, two species of Humming-birds not easily matched for 

 brilliancy, even by members of their own family. It was here 

 that the first specimen of the Oreophasis derbianus was shot, 

 Mr. Wyld being present on the occasion. Here occurs Trogon 

 inexicanus, and last, but not least, Pharomacrtis paradisfius, the 

 emblem of royalty in the times of the old monarchy of Quiche. 

 I was not fortunate enough to see this most brilliant of Trogons, 

 but in the region here described it certainly does occur, though 

 perhaps sparingly. I cannot speak accurately of the elevation 

 of this forest, but, if I may hazard a conjecture, I should say 

 that Chirostemon platandides begins to replace the evergreen oaks 

 at about 7000 feet above the sea- level, and that the forest where 

 that tree forms the most marked feature extends to perhaps an 

 elevation of 10,000 or 11,000 feet, it then being itself succeeded 

 by pines. 



Fam. CUCULID^. 



68. Piaya thermophila, Sclater, P. Z. S. 1 859, p. 368: sp. 224. 

 Coban and Yzabal. This species has a wide climatic range. 



I have observed it at an elevation greater than that of Duenas. 

 The same remark applies to Geococcyx affinis and Crotophaga 

 sulcirostris. 



69. CoccYzus AMERiCANUs (Gm.) : Baird, Rep. p. 76. N. A. 

 Coban. 



Fam. PICID^. 



70. Centurus pucheranii (Malh.) : sp. 235. 

 Coban and Yzabal. 



