341 
A SYNOPSIS OF THE SUBSPECIES OF ELECTRON 
PLATYRHYNCHUM (LEADBEATER). 
BY 
Harry C. OBERHOLSER. 
An incidental investigation of the typical form of Electron’ platyrhynchum 
led to the discovery of an apparently new subspecies of this group. For 
better elucidation of its relationships the following synopsis of all the sub- 
species of Electron platyrhynchum may be useful. The names of colors 
used in this paper are from Mr. Ridgway’s “Color Standards and Color 
Nomenclature.” For the privilege of consulting material pertinent to the 
present study, the writer is indebted to the authorities of the United 
States National Museum. 
ELECTRON PLATYRHYNCHUM PLATYRHYNCHUM (Leadbeater). 
[Momotus] Platyrhynchus LEADBEATER, Trans. Linn. Soc. Lond., XVI. 
pt. 1, 1829, p. 92. (“Brazil”’; errore pro western Ecuador). 
Chars. subsp—wSize large; subterminal portion of middle tail-feathers 
without barbs; upper parts rather dark; lower parts tinged with bluish. 
Deseription—Pileum and cervix between chestnut and Sanford’s brown: 
back between parrot green and grass green, shading into meadow green on 
the upper tail-coverts; tail prussian green, the edges of the feathers less 
bluish, their tips black; wings deep chaetura drab, the outer part of the 
upper surface of the quills meadow green, their edges less bluish, the out- 
ermost quills more bluish (near wall green) ; upper wing-coverts rather 
yellowish grass green; sides of head and of neck of the same color as the 
erown; chin between meadow green and grass green; throat and jugulum 
of the same shade as the crown, but paler; remaining lower parts meadow 
green, in places inclining to grass green; crissum darker; under wing- 
eoyerts drab, much washed outwardly with the green of the upper wing- 
coverts. 
Measurements —W ing, 121.5—130 mm.; tail, 1SS—228; exposed culmen, 
36; tarsus, 20: middle toe without claw, 14.5. 
Type locality —Western Ecuador.’ 
Geographic distribution.—Western Ecuador and western Colombia. 
Remarks :—Dr. FE. Hartert has already shown* that the type of Momotus 
platyrhynchus Leadbeater, though supposedly from Brazil, is really from 
Ecuador, as is plain from its large size and uncut central rectrices. As a 
matter of fact, the Brazilian bird is much nearer Electron platyrhynchum 
pyrrholaemum, as hereinafter shown. 
1for the use of this generic name in place of Prionornis, cf. Ridgway, Bull. U. S. 
Nat. Mus., No. 50, VI, 1914, p. 470. 
"Here definitely designated. : 
8Novit. Zool., V., 1898, pp. 497-498. 
