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



affinis, sed dorso baud fasciato, gutture albido et corpore subtus 

 non fuliginoso lavato, rostro quoque longiore differt. 



The collection contains two specimens of this Wren, both of which 

 agree with Prof. Baird's description (/. c.) of Mr. Lawrence's bird 

 from Panama. All of them seem to differ considerably from the 

 Vera Paz bird I described as Cyphorhinus philomela. I have there- 

 fore thought it necessary to distinguish this Veraguan form under a 

 new name. 



Through Dr. Sclater's kindness 1 have now before me his type 

 specimens of M. albigularis (Sclater, P. Z. S. 1858, p. 67) (which 

 certainly belongs here and not to Pheugopedius, as Prof. Baird 

 asserts) and of M. marginutus (Sclater, P. Z. S. 18.55, p. 145). I 

 have also, besides the present bird, M. philomela and two specimens 

 of the Cayenne M. bambla (Bodd.), making five species, being all 

 that I am acquainted with of this group of Wrens. 



Compared with M. albigularis the present bird presents great 

 similarity of coloration ; it wants, however, the black edges to the 

 feathers of the upper plumage ; or, to speak more correctly, it has 

 these in a less degree ; for in the new species there are exceedingly 

 faint indications of black margins to the feathers of the upper sur- 

 face. It also wants the white wing-band, and differs in this respect 

 from M. bambla. The throat of M. albigularis is rather purer white, 

 the legs yellowish instead of dark brown, and it is smaller in all its 

 dimensions. M. luscinia bears very much the relationship to M. al- 

 bigularis that M. philomela does to M. bambla. Having examined 

 five specimens of M. philomela, all of which agree in every respect, 

 I can hardly concur in Prof. Baird's suggestion that the bird I now 

 describe is the adult of M. philomela. The bars on the under plu- 

 mage are subterminal, and not terminal margins, the indication of 

 first feathers. These markings are quite similar to those we fiud in 

 31. bambla. 



The nostrils of Microcerculus present peculiarities which seem to 

 justify its generic separation certainly from Heterorhina, and also 

 from Cyphorhinus. In Microcerculus the nostril is partially covered 

 with a membrane, which, being convex along its unattached lower 

 edge, meets the lower margin of the nasal cavity towards its anterior 

 end, leaving the posterior end open and comma- shaped, the tail of 

 the comma extending anteriorly. No septum or division is seen ex- 

 ternally ; but by raising the valvular membrane it appears. This 

 septum, however, is perfectly free and unattached to the membrane 

 of the nostril, and does not adhere to it as Prof. Baird states (with 

 doubt). The perfect nostril never appears double. In Scyta/opus, 

 with which genus these Wrens have been confounded, the nasal tegu- 

 ment is an oval thickened membrane, so attached as to leave only a 

 slit for the nostril along the lower edge of the nasal fossa. 



In Cyphorhinus the nostril is circular and surrounded by a mem- 

 brane. 



In Heterorhina and also Thryothorus the nostril is open, a lon- 

 gitudinal septum showing a division ; the nostril itself extends back- 

 wards from the anterior edge of the nasal fossa. Thus Microcerculus 



