1873.] MR. O. SALVIN ON THE TAIL-FEATHERS OF MOMOTUS. 429 



Micrathena clypeata, Sundevall, Consp. Arachn. p. 14 ; Koch, 

 Arachn. iv. p. 38, pi. 119. f. 272 (1837). 



Plectana clypeata, "Walckenaer, Apt. ii. p. 197. n. 74 (1837-39). 

 Para, Santarem, Ega {Bates). B.M. 



2. Micrathena brevispina. 



Acrosoma brevispinum, Keyserling, Sitzungsber. der Isis zu 

 Dresden, p. 70, pi. 2. f. 3 (1863, edit. 1864). 



"Bogota" {Keyserling). 



Seems chiefly to differ from Micrathena clypeata in having four 

 short spines on each side of the abdomen, and in the dark colour of 

 the anterior two thirds of its upper surface. 



3. Micrathena? triserrata. 



Plectana triserrata, Walckenaer, Apt. ii. p. 158. n. 13 (1837). 

 Aranea tetracantha, Pallas (nee Linn.), Spic. Zool. fasc. ix. 

 pl.3.f. 16, 17. 

 Guyana, Surinam. 

 Seems to be a Micrathena. 



4. Micrathena? argoides. 



Plectana argoides, Doleschall, Natuurk. Tijd. Nederlandsch-Indie, 

 xiii. p. 425 (1857). 



"Amboina" {Doleschall). 



Somewhat like Acrosoma elongatum in appearance. 



5. Micrathena bufonina. 



Micrathena bufonina, Simon, Rev. et Mag. de Zool. p. 20 (1867). 

 Gilolo {Simon). 



6. Micrathena? squammosa. 



Micrathena squammosa, Simon, Hist. Nat. des Araign. p. 293. 

 f. 137 (1864). 



"Brazil" (E. Simoii). 



More like Ccerostris than the type of Micrathena. 



7. On the Tail-Feathers of Momotus. 

 By Osbert Salvin, M.A. &c. 



[Keceived April 1, 1873.] 



In a valuable paper on the Motmots, recently published in ' The 

 Ibis ' (1872, p. 383), Dr. Murie throws doubts upon the reputed 

 fact that such of these birds as possess racket-shaped terminations to 

 the central rectrices themselves remove the webs of these feathers. 

 He briefly refers to the subject thus : — 



" The story has found credence that they {i. e. such Motmots as 

 possess this character) nibble off the occasionally absent vanes of the 

 long middle tail-feathers ; but this notion has been contradicted." 



