PLATYCICHLA — SEMIMERULA. 33 



to find a name generic or specific, and which difi"ers so very con- 

 siderably from any other I have met with as to be w^ell entitled to 

 a new generic appellation. It was obtained by Dr. G R. Horner, 

 U. S. N., during the cruise of the Delaware many years ago, on the 

 coast of South America, probably in Brazil. Two specimens similar 

 to it are in the Philadelphia Academy. This may possibly be the 

 Cichlopsis leucogenys, Cab. Mus. Hein. 1850, 54, or an allied species ; 

 but I cannot reconcile it with the description of either genus or 

 species by Cabanis. 



With the general appearance of a Planesticus, it differs markedly 

 in having a short and very broad deeply cleft bill, much depressed 

 at the base, and with moderate bristles. The diameter of the jaw 

 across the base of lower mandible is .42, much greater than the 

 length of gonys (.31), and at least equal to the distance from 

 nostrils to end of bill, very different from what it is in Turdus migra- 

 torius. The feet are weak. The tarsi are very short, being less 

 than the middle toe and claw ; they are booted, or without transverse 

 divisions. The wings and tail are much as in Turdus viigratoi'ius. 



In external form this bird exhibits c{uite an approach to the Ampe- 

 lidae, especially to Myadestes, although evidently a Thrush ; but its 

 short broad bill and weak feet, with short tarsi, distingui-sh it from 

 all others. 



SEMIMERULA, Sclatee. 

 Semimerula, Sclatek, P. Z. S. 1859, 332. (Type Turdus gigas.) 



Size large. Wings rather short and rounded, decidedly, but not 

 considerably longer than the tail, which is slightly rounded. First 

 quill in T. gigas nearly one-half the 2d, in aurantius two-fifths ; 2d 

 about equal to the 8th, or shorter than 7th ; 5th longest. Bill large, 

 in some specimens as long as the head. Legs stout and strong. 

 Tarsi decidedly longer than the head. Color dusky all over. Sexes 

 similar. 



parts are yellowish-olive ; crissum paler ; tlie middle of belly and anal region 

 whitish, ash ; the throat feathers with shaft streaks and arrow spots of dusky, 

 obscurely indicated on the jugulum; under wing coverts cinnamon; middle 

 coverts with an occasional cinnamon spot. Total length, 8.40 ; wing, 4.45 ; 

 tail, 3.80 ; exposed portion of first primary, .95 ; of second, 3.05 ; of longest 

 (fourth, measured from exposed base of first primary), 3.30; bill: length 

 from forehead, .80; from nostril, .43; along gape, .95; width of gape, .55; 

 legs: tarsus, .95 ; middle toe and claw, 1.00 ; claw alone, .29 ; hind toe and 

 claw, .68; claw alone, .35. 

 3 July. 1S64. 



