its 



REVIKW OF AMERICAN BIRDS. 



[I'AUT r. 



'^1 



■■i 



history of the family, a.s no species beloiif? t»^ lidtlle or Nortli 

 Amurica. 1 <juote llie dalo of tlio f^t'iiiis from (J ray, not Jiiiowiiij^ 

 where it is described, unless it l)e in the Desc. Alaiiiui. et d'Ois. of 

 Lesson, a hook to wliieh I have not access. 



Two well estal)lislied Hi)ec'ieH are (J. vniriifa (Lafr.), ]>ogota, and 

 G. unibruniiea, Lafr., Ecuador, both of which 1 have had the oppor- 

 tunity of examining. 



A younjf l)ird of (-'. ii»il>ri(nn)'n dilfors from the adult in Iiavinir 

 the anterior portion of l)o(ly brown, instead of reddish; the bassal 

 poj'tion of gape and lower jaw yellowish, not black. 



CYPHORINUS, Cah. 



Cyphorlnus, Cabakim, Tscnrni, Fauna P**riiana, 184.')-4fi, 183. (Tji)e 

 C. thoracicus, Tscii. = Thri/olhonis modulator, D'Okb.) 



Body short and stout. Tail roundod, very short, scarcely more than half 

 the wings, and falling short of the outstretched toes. First priujary aliout 

 lialf the longest; secondaries developed, nearly as long as tlie ]>riu)ai'i('S. 

 Bill distinctly notched, but without rictal bristles ; about as long us the head ; 

 much compressed, and elevated at the base (greatest depth about ono-tldrd 

 length), where the culnien is angulated and (juile sharj). The nostrils am 

 not in the anterior emi of the nasal groove, but in tliti nnddle of tiie nasal 

 membrane against its upper edge, and forming a small, truly circular tuliular 

 oj)ening, surrounded by a low wall, tlie ayi« of the oiHMiing directed ajiparently 

 obrupioly downwards (not horizontally). Li'^-i well developed ; tarsi rather 

 longer than middlu toe and claw ; lateral toes eijiial, hind toe shorter than tliu 

 middle. Tarsi <t-scutellate. the scutellre not very <listinct; the sides of Jejrs 

 in one plate. Outer lateral toe with basal joint, and balf the next, adherent 

 to basal joint of middle toe ; inner lateral with half its basal joint similarly 

 adherent ; or, to express the relation otherwise, the whole outer edge of basal 

 joint of middle toe, and half the inner, adherent to the lateral toes. 



1 have not the opportunity of examining the si)ecies upon which 

 the genus was based by Oal)anis, but iuiv(> seku ted a near ally, ('. 

 lowrencii, Sol., as probably having the same peculiarities. The 

 genus is a very remarkable one, and not easily mistaken for any 

 other, on account of the characteristics of the circular nostrils sur- 

 rounded by membrant?, etc. 



The genus (Uji)hoi'inu», ns given by Dr. Sclater, inclndes two 

 eubgenera — Cyplioriiiua and Mivroccrculni^. 1 lind, among his 

 species of Microcercvlua, two (juite strongly nuirked sections, of 

 which hamhla and prnstheleiwiis are respectively the types, and for 

 tliu latter I propo.se the name of Hctvrorhina. A larger nuiidicr of 

 specimens will be rc(|uired to decide as to the i)eriininence and value 

 of the cliaracter-s which appear to present themselves in the skins 



