Todd-Carriker : Birds of Santa Marta Region, Colombia. 413 



378. Thryophilus rufalbus minlosi von Berlepsch. 



Thryothorus rufalbus (not of Lafresnaye) Sclater, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 

 1855, 143 ("Santa Marta"). — Sclater, Cat. Am. Birds, 1861, 20 ("Santa 

 Marta "). 



Thryophilus rufalbus Salvin and Godman, Ibis, 1880, 116 (Minca). — von 

 Berlepsch, Journ. f. Orn., XXXII, 1884. 281, in text ("Santa Marta," in 

 range). 



Thryophilus minlosi Bangs, Proc. Biol. Soc. Washington, XII, 1898, 144 

 (" Santa Marta ")■ 



Thryophilus rufalbus castanonotus (not of Ridgway) Allen, Bull. Am. Mus. 

 Nat. Hist., XIII, 1900, 179 (Bonda, Cacagualito, and Minca; crit.). — 

 Ridgway, Bull. U. S. Nat. Mus., No. 50, III, 1904, 633 (Santa Marta lo- 

 calities and references). — Hellmayr and von Seilern, Arch. f. Naturg., 

 LXXVIII, 1912, 41, in text ("Santa Marta," ex Ridgway; crit.). 



Twenty-seven specimens : Bonda, La Tigrera, Minca, Mamatoco, 

 Don Diego, Fundacion, Tucurinca, and Tierra Nueva. 



Birds of this species vary considerably according to season. Thus, 

 a series from Don Diego collected in January and February are ap- 

 preciably darker above than May and June specimens from La Ti- 

 grera and Minca ; in fact, they are scarcely to be distinguished from 

 Costa Rican examples referable to T. rufalbus castanonotus, so far as 

 this character is concerned. A large series from the north coast of 

 Venezuela vary precisely in the same way. There would be some ex- 

 cuse for referring all the Colombian birds to castanonotus, as has been 

 done by Mr. Ridgway, were it not for the fact that they may be 

 separated by the much whiter under parts, the throat and breast lacking 

 the gray wash so much in evidence in castanonotus, while the brown 

 of the sides and flanks averages more restricted. Venezuelan skins 

 are similar in all respects, and to them the name cumancnsis has been 

 very properly applied by Messrs. Chapman, Ridgway, and Hellmayr 

 and von Seilern. It would seem, however, as if an earlier name, 

 Thryophilus minlosi von Berlepsch (Journal fiir Omithologic, XXXII, 

 1884, 249, pi. 1, fig. 3) ought to be considered in this connection. This 

 is described (cf. page 280) and figured as similar to T. rufalbus, but 

 differently colored above, rufescent earthy brown, instead of chestnut 

 rufous, the abdomen not rufescent, the upper tail-coverts banded, and 

 the bill longer. The describer was at considerable pains to point out 

 its distinctive characters, notwithstanding which no ornithologist has 

 been able to satisfactorily identify the form, and the type has been 

 considered unique. Although naturally it has not been possible to 



