370 Phelps, Birds observed in Venezuela. Foct' 



This species is apparently most nearly related to Sittasomus g-riseus ]ard. 

 of Tobago. The latter is doubtless an insular form of the Venezuelan 

 bird, from which it differs in having both upper and under parts "grayish 

 oil-green" and the scapulars [dinner secondaries?], rump and tail 

 "brownish orange."' 



Siiiasomus olivaceus (=5- erithacus Licht.), as described by Dr. 

 Sclater, * closely agrees with the bird here distinguished as Sittasomus 

 phelpsi. As pointed out by Mr. Ridgway,^ however, the Sittasomus 

 olivaceus of SclateV includes four distinct species, viz: S. g-riseus Jard., 

 already mentioned, S. amazonus Lafr. (Borba, Barra, and Theotonio, 

 Brazil), 6'. chafadensis Ridgw. (Matto Grosso, Brazil), and 5. sylvioides 

 Lafr. (Mexico). The list of specimens in the British Museum Catalogue 

 shows that Dr. Sclater had examples of most if not all of these species, 

 though his description applies to none of them, but to the previously 

 imnamed bird, which I have here called Sittasotnus fhelpsi. Sittasomus 

 chapadensis has the back mixed with the rufous of the rump, the wings 

 are largely rufous externally, the under parts are tinged with yellowish, 

 the under wing-coverts and basal wing-bands are butty. 5'. amazonus is 

 "much grayer" than 5. chapadetisis., and differs in other respects, while 

 5. sylvioides has a "uniform brown back," leaving 5'. pkelpsi a.s the only 

 species in the genus having a clear olive-green back and lower parts, and, 

 with the exception of 5. griseus, the only one having the basal wing- 

 band pale yellowish white instead of buffy yellow. — F. M. C. ] 



This species was taken in a high forested valley within a very short 

 distance of the Guacharo cave of Humboldt. The following notes were 

 taken in the flesh : Length, 7.25 ; bill, brownish-black with some gray in 

 the middle of lower mandible; legs, olivaceous-slate. 



Thamnophilus major albicrissus {Ridgtv.). This subspecies was 

 described by Mr. Ridgway'' from a skin presumably from Trinidad. Mr. 

 Chapman' says, concerning this form, "A male from El Pilar, Ven., 

 and also one from British Guiana, agree with Trinidad specimens, and 

 it is probable that all birds from north of the Amazon should stand as 

 Thamnophilus major albicrissus." -- Two males and two females in my 

 collection agree closely with the Trinidad specimens in the American 

 Museum, thus confirming the above statement of the non-insularity of 

 this subspecies. 



Thamnophilus cirrhatus (Gm.). Mr. Ridgway "* has described Tham- 

 7iophilus trinitatis from Trinidad. Mr. Chapman* considers this a syn- 



1 Jardine, Ann. & Mag. N. H., XIX, 1847, P- 82. 



2 Cat. Birds Brit. Mus., XV, 1890, p. 119. 



^ Notes on the genus Sittasofnics of Swainson. Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., XIV, 

 1891, pp. 507-510. 



■'Description of Two Supposed New Forms of Thanuiophilus. Proc. U. S. 

 Nat. Mus., 1 89 1, XIV, p. 481. 



* Further Notes on Trinidad Birds, with a Description of a New .Species of 

 Synallaxis. Bull. Am. Mus. Nat. Hist., 1S95, ^'^I' PP- 321-326. 



