428 Zoological Society : — 



On a New Species of the Genus Todirostrum of Lesson. 

 By Philip Lutley Sclater, M.A. 



Todirostrum nigriceps. 



T. supra JiavO'oUvaceum : alis caudaque nigris ; rectricibtcs et re- 

 migibus primariis stride, secondariis autem et alarum tectricibus 

 latius flavescente limbatis : pileo cum nucha et capitis lateribus 

 nigris : subtus flavum ; gutture et crisso albis : rostra pedi- 

 busque nigris. 

 Long, tota 3'4, alse 1'5, caudae 1*1. 

 Hab. Santa Martha in Nov. Grenada. 



De Lafresnaye has given an account of the species of this pecuUar 

 South American genus of Tyrants in the ' Revue Zoologique ' for 

 184G, p. 360. Bonaparte in his 'Conspectus' has rather extended 

 the hst ; but his 4th and 5th species from Desmarest seem rather 

 doubtful, and the Muscicajia diops of Temminck is, I beheve, quite 

 incorrectly stated to be identical with Hartlaub's Todirostrujn grana- 

 dense, and does not belong to this genus. There is also little doubt 

 that Todus melanoceplialus, Spix, is the same as Todus cinereus, 

 Linn., and the first and third species of the Conspectus are therefore 

 coequal. The latest additions to this genus are : — 



1. T. ruficeps, Kp. in these Proceedings, 1851, p. 52 = T. multi- 

 color, Strickl. Cont. Orn. 1852, pi. 85. fig. 2. — {Todirostrum pecto- 

 rale, Kp.of the same page does not differ from Hartlaub's granadense.) 



2. T. ch'ysocrotaphum, Strickl. Cont. Orn. 1850, p. 48. pi. 49. 



3. T. striaticolle, Lafr. Rev. et Mag. de Zool. 1853, p. 58. 



4. T.fumifrons, Hartl. Journ. f. Orn. 1853, p. 35 ; and 



5. T. rufilatum, Hartl. /. c. 1855, p. 98. 



The present elegant species I cannot identify with any of those 

 previously described. It is a typical Todirostrum, and may be placed 

 near T. cinereum, the type of the genus, from which it is easily 

 distinguished by its pure black head, yellowish-olive back, and white 

 throat. I obtained the only example of it I have yet seen from the 

 MM. Verreaux, by whom it was received along with many other 

 rare and valuable species from Santa Martha, on the north coast of 

 New Grenada. 



Mr. Gould has specimens of the Todirostrum spiciferiim, Lafr., 

 from Chamicurros in North-east Peru. This species, with its largely- 

 developed crest, quite reminds one of the Muscivora regia (Gm.). 



April 10, 1855. — Dr. Gray, F.R.S., Vice-President, in the Chair. 



Descriptions of Eight New Species of Birds from 



South America. 



By John Gould, Esq., F.R.S. etc. 



Before describing the following birds, all of which are in my own 

 collection, I would remark, that I have submitted them to the in- 

 spection of Mr. P. L. Sclater, who has paid much attention to South 



