Psopliia obscura of Natttrer and Peheln. 521 



Psophia obscura of Natterer^s MS. Catalogue was first 

 published in 1857 by Pelzeln in the ' Sitzungsberichte ' 

 of the Academy of Sciences of Berlin with the following 

 characters : — 



" Ps. capite, collo, alis, nropygio et corpore toto subtiis nigris ; 

 plumis colli inferioris apice nitore violaceo obsoleto 

 parum conspicuo : dorsi plumis humeralibns elongatis 

 laxis et secundariorum umbrinorum marginibus viridibus 

 in fuscum variantibus : alarum tectricibiis majoribus 

 limbis latis nunc viridibus nunc violaceis : rostro nigro 

 viridi paulum notato : pedibus nigrescentibus : scutis 

 tibiarum et interdum scutis tarsorum in marginibus 

 cinereo-virescentibus." 



Pelzeln adds the following remarks : — 



" This species comes much nearer P. viridis Spix than 

 P. leucoptera, but differs from it in the following particulars. 

 The bill in all its dimensions is rather smaller, and is arched 

 forward from the commencement of the head-feathers. 

 The nostrils converge strongly towards the middle line. 

 The colour of the bill is black, with some green spots, 

 especially in front of the nostrils and on the under mandible. 

 The feathers of the under-neck are much looser and more 

 divaricated than in P. viridis, and have only a very slight 

 and obsolete violet tinge. Again, the green, and in some 

 places violet, edges of the larger wing-coverts are much 

 less shining and noticeable. The back, the lengthened 

 shoulder-feathers, and the edges of the umber- brown are 

 green glanced with brown, so that the last-named colour in 

 certain lights predominates on the back. The general tone 

 of colour is far darker and less lively than in P. viridis. A 

 peculiar appearance is produced by the fact that the shafts 

 of the long shoulder-feathers and of the green-edged 

 secondaries appear to be very finely ringed with brown in 

 certain lights. The colour of the feet is blackish, only the 

 scales on the tibiae and many edgings of the tarsal scales 

 being of a bright greenish grey.''^ 



Natterer obtained four examples of this species, all near 

 Para. Of these three are in the Imperial Museum, and one 

 was rejected as useless. His notes are as follows : — 



