Systematic Position of Zeledonia coronata. 3 



'Bulletin of the British Ornithologists' Club'"*, he was 

 enabled to state definitely that Zeledonia could have nothing 

 to do with Xenicus, inasmuch as it had a typical Oscinine 

 syrinx. Acting on this, Dr. Sharpe, in vol. iv. (p. 183) of 

 his ' Hand-list/ placed Zeledonia in the subfamily Sialiinee, 

 which contains the genera Catharus, Zeledonia, Sialia, 

 Grandala, and Ridgwayia. 



It was to decide, if possible, whether the position assigned 

 to Zeledonia by Dr. Sharpe, on the evidence of external 

 characters, was at least approximately correct that I was 

 asked to continue the work which I had commenced in 1900. 

 Although, as the sequel will shew, I have been able to confirm 

 Dr. Sharpe's decision in this matter, several points still 

 remain to be settled, while a great number of new questions 

 have arisen. All of these, unfortunately, must for the present 

 remain in abeyance, partly on account of the pressure of other 

 work and partly from lack of material. The latter circum- 

 stance has hampered me much during the preparation of 

 the present paper — how much may perhaps be gathered from 

 the fact that I had but a single damaged specimen in spirits 

 and a few skins of Zeledonia, and two skeletons of Sialia. 

 Grandala, Ridgwayia, and Catharus (the remaining genera 

 of the subfamily in which Zeledonia has been placed) I have 

 only been able to study from skins, and these have proved 

 to be of no help whatever in the matter. 



II. Pterylograthy. 



Pteryla capitis (text-fig. 1, pt.cap., p. 4). — This is inter- 

 rupted only by a small bare space (apt. cap.), arising above 

 the external aperture of the ear, slightly above the level of 

 the posterior canthus of the eye, and passing backwards and 

 downwards and finally forwards to end below this aperture 

 at the base of the mandible. The interramal space is feebly 

 developed. 



At the gape are a few short weak rictal bristles. 



* Bull. B. 0. C. xi. p. 12 (1900). 



b2 



