18/4.] MR. P. L. SCLATER ON THE GENUS SYNALLAXIS. 7 



(1870.) P. Z. S. p. 840. S. wyatti is described by Sclater. 



(1871.) P. Z. S. p. 85. Remarks on Synallaxis candcci by 

 Sclater. 



(1872.) P. Z. S. p. 543 et seq. Mr. Hudson gives an account 

 of the Synallaxes met with during his excursion to the Rio Negro of 

 Patagonia — six species in all, which are determined by Sclater. 



(1872.) Lawrence (Ann. Lye. N. Y. x. p. 186) describes S. 

 maculata (=stictothorax, mihi). 



(1873.) Journ. f. O. p. 319. Cabanis describes three new Syn- 

 allaxes from Jelski's Peruvian collections — S.humilis, S. albkapilla, 

 and Schizoeaca palpebralis. A new genus, Schizoeaca, is made for 

 the last species. 



(1873.) P. Z. S. p. 269. In their article on the birds of Eastern 

 Peru, Sclater and Salvin mention five species of Synallaxis. 



The subdivision of the species of Synallaxis into minor groups is 

 a task of no ordinary difficulty. Of the numerous genera into which 

 it has been proposed by some authors to arrange them I adopt only 

 Oxyurus, Phleocryptes, and Leptasthenura, which alone seem to me 

 to present sufficient structural differences for recognition. This 

 leaves a mass of nearly sixty species in Synallaxis, which may be 

 separated into two sections according as the rectrices are ten or 

 twelve in number. 



I commence with the first of these subdivisions : — 



Div. A. Synallaxes normales, rectricibus decern. 

 Sect. a. Species pileo alis et cauda rufis. 



1. Synallaxis ruficapilla. 



Synallaxis ruficapilla, Vieill. Nouv. Diet, xxxii. p. 310 (1819), 

 et Enc. Meth. p. 622, et Gal. Ois. pi. 174 ; Sclater, P. Z. S. 1856, 

 p. 97, et 1859, p. 192 ; Cat. A. B. p. 150 ; Burm. Syst. Ueb. hi. 

 p. 38 ; Pelzeln, Sitz. Akad. Wien, xxxiv. p. 116 ; Orn. Bras. p. 35. 



Sphenura ruficeps, Licbt. Doubl. p. 42. 



Synallaxis cinereus, Max. Beitr. hi. p. 685. 



Synallaxis olivascens, Eyton, Contr. Orn. 1851, p. 150. 



Fusca : pileo toto, alis extus et cauda rufis : striga postsuperciliari 

 fiavicante : subtus cineracea, lateribus et crisso fusco perfusis : 

 subalaribus pallide cervinis : long, tola 6, alee 2*2, cauda 3 poll. 



Hab. S.E. Brazil, prov. S. Paulo (Natt.). 



The true Synallaxis ruficapilla of Vieillot is confined to the 

 southern part of the wood-region of S.E. Brazil. It is easily distin- 

 guishable from its congeners by the extension of the rufous head 

 over the front, and the slight yellowish stripe behind the eye, 

 which separates the rufous cap from the dark cinereous sides of the 

 head. 



I have examined the typical specimens of S. olivascens in Mr. 

 Eyton's collection. They belong to this species. 



