68 MR. O. SALVIN ON NEW BIRDS FROM VERAGUA. [Jan. 23 



1 . Catharus griseiceps, sp. n. 



C. supra olivaceo-brunneus, capite toto cum collo griseis, pileo ob- 

 scuriore: alls externe cinnamomeis, interne fuseis; cauda cinna- 

 momea : subtus cinereus, gutture multo pallidiore : ventre medio 

 et crisso a/bis : rostro aurantiaco, pedibus flavidis. 



Long, tota 6 poll., alse 3*5, caudse 2 - 6, tarsi 1*25, rostri a rictu "85. 



Hab. in Veragua. 



Obs. Affinis C. melpomence (Cab.), seel capite griseo, etc., facile 

 distingu endda. 



This species, at once distinguishable from C. melpomene and its 

 allies, bears a closer resemblance to them than to the other grey- 

 headed species, described (P. Z. S. 1864, p. 580) as C. graciliros- 

 tris, which has an entirely black bill and more slender tarsi. In the 

 colour of its back it resembles C. franteii (Cab. J. f. O. 1 860, p. 323), 

 specimens of which are in our collection from Costa Rica and Gua- 

 temala. The wings are, however, cinnamon-colour, resembling those 

 of C. melpomene ; but the shade is not so dark, nor so pure, being 

 tinged with olivaceous. A specimen marked " male " has a small 

 purely orange-yellow-coloured bill ; while a female has a larger bill, 

 the culmen of which, together with the part surrounding the nostrils, 

 is brownish. Both appear to be quite adult. I believe this differ- 

 ence of colour and size to be a constant sexual character in adult 

 species of Catharus, as it is in many of the true Turdi. The 

 character holds in three dissected specimens of C. melpomene before 

 me ; two males have a small yellow bill, and one female a slightly 

 larger bill which is brown above. The bill in all the Turdidce is an 

 uncertain character, being subject to very great variation in size. 



This species makes the seventh of the genus Catharus found in 

 Central America and Mexico, which district must clearly be con- 

 sidered the metropolis of the genus. Three other species occur in 

 the north-west provinces of South America, viz. C. uurantiirostris, 

 Hartl. (perhaps the same as C. melpomene), C./uscater, Lafr., and 

 C. maculatus, Scl. This last species appears to be very closely allied 

 to C. drrjas (Gould). I have recently compared Dr. Sclater's types 

 of C. maculatus with my specimens of C. dryas from Vera Paz. 

 The contrast of the colouring of the back hardly exists, and the 

 yellow tinge of the breast agrees in specimens of the same sex. 



I strongly suspect, though I have no dissected specimens to prove 

 it, that in the black-headed group (Malacocichla) of this genus the 

 males are darker than the females. My specimens of C. mexicanus 

 show a marked contrast in depth of colour on both upper and under 

 parts. 



The following is a list of the known species of Catharus, with the 

 chief references : — 



(1.) Catharus melpomene (Cub.): Mus. Hein. 1850, p. 5; 

 Sclater, P. Z. S. 1859, p. 323 ; Salvin, Ibis, 1860, p. 29; Baiid, 

 Rev. Am. Birds, pt. i. p. 7. 



flab. Mexico ; Guatemala ; Costa Rica. 



