116 REVIEW OF AMERICAN BIRDS. [PART I. 
B. Back and top of head nearly uniform grayish-brown ; sides 
of head whitish, varied with light-brown. Size very small pusilla. 
’ Meterorhina prostheleuca. 
Scytalopus prostheleucus, ScuateER, P. Z.S. 1856, 290 (Cordova).— Cypho- 
rinus prostheleucus, SchatER, P. Z. S. 1858, 64, 96; 1859, 363, 372 
(Oaxaca).—Is. Catal. 1861, 20, no. 125.—Sanviy, Ibis, II, 1860, 
272 (Guatemala). 
(28,042.) Above brown, passing into deeper rufous to the upper ecoverts, 
and into reddish olivaceous on top of head. Chin and throat pure white, 
passing into a duller white behind ; the sides of breast plumbeous; sides of 
belly, with the crissum, rufous brown like the rump. A distinct white line 
from bill over eye to nape, bordered above by an obscure black band. All 
the feathers of side of head and neck are black, with a rounded white spot 
near the end; there is quite a distinct blaek line from base of lower jaw 
margining chin and throat; the lores are black. The tail feathers and ex- 
terior webs of secondary quills are rufous, with narrow black bars (these bars 
narrower than the interspaces). The primaries black, with brownish-gray 
spots along their outer edges (outermost edged continuously with gray). The 
greater and middle wing coverts are blackish, many of them with a small 
white spot near their tips. The bill is black; legs brown. 
Total length, 4.40; wing, 2.20; tail, 1.60; exposed portion of lst primary, 
.85, of 2d, 1.35, of longest (measured from exposed base of Ist primary), 1.70 ; 
length of bill from forehead, .65, from nostril, .44, along gape, .80; tarsus, .84; 
middle toe and claw, .70; hind toe and elaw, .61; claw alone, .27. 
In No. 28,042, one of the tail feathers is entirely white, and there 
is a white feather on the scapulars; this, however, is evidently 
abnormal. 
Other specimens, from Mexico and Guatemala, are similar, but 
vary somewhat in the degree of purity of white beneath, and in the 
shade of rufous above. One (91, Lawrence collection) has the black 
band margining the top of head wider, so as to leave only a small 
central interspace of brown. This specimen, too, has the bill longer 
than in others. 
Smith-/|Collec-| Sex When 
sonian} tor’s | and Locality. Gollectede| Received from Collected by 
No. No. | Age. va 
20,339 | 1,431 | .. | Choetum, Vera Paz.| Jan. 1860. | O. Salvin. (dada dicsternteete 
22,389 4 rofl Mexico. mine VETVORU | ey eerste 
28,042 27 .. | Mirador, Mex. Sc DricOoSantormis.) 00 ister 
ae 91 .- | Guatemala. Bele Cab. Lawreneé::s) 9 selow 
a 
