IGO MR. O. SALVIN ON THE BIRDS OF VEU.VGUA. [Jcai). 24, 



as the character of the coloration, show that it is not with Ortalida 

 that ChamcBpetes must be compared. 



Its closest relationship is certainly with Aburria, Reich., of whicli 

 Penelo2^e ahurri. Less., is the type, and with P. pijjile, a species 

 forming another section of the same group. All these differ from 

 true Penelope in possessing three outer primaries strongly arched, 

 the points of which, for at least 1 ij inch of their length, are abruptly 

 reduced to a width of not more tha\i L incli. Aburria (P. uburri, 

 Less.) is distinguished by an apj)endagc to its throat. C/iamcsjjetes 

 has the throat quite feathered, while the circlet of the eye and the 

 lores are destitute of feathers. P. pipile, having a bare throat 

 and different style of coloration, scorns equally entitled to subgeneric 

 distinction. 



Penelope rvjiventris (Tsch. Faun. Per. p. 291, pi. 31) has been 

 placed in the genus Ohamcepetes, as a synonym of C. youdoti. The 

 plate, if trustworthy, shows the style of coloration of the head to be 

 very different. Tschudi also states that it differs from C. (joxuloti in 

 having a fold in the trachea. The only two known species of this 

 form are therefore : — 



-f- (1) Cham^petes goudoti. 



Ortalida goudoti, Less. Man. d'Orn. ii. p. 217 ; Gray, Gen. of B. 

 iii. p. 485. 



Chamcepetes ffOudoti,Wag\. Isis, 1832, p. 1227. 

 Cauca Valley, New Granada {Goudot). 



-f- (2) CHAMiEPETES UNICOLOR. 



Veragua (Arce). 



With reference to the curious formation of the primaries in these 

 birds, I well remember being startled by a strange sound when shoot- 

 ing in one of the ravines in the Yolcan de Agua in Guatemala. Not 

 ut first perceiving whence it arose, I walked on, when the noise was 

 again repeated. I then set about discovering the cause, and soon 

 found that it was produced by a male Penelope nigra, Fraser, which, 

 •when flying in a downward direction with outstretched wings, gave 

 forth a kind of crashing, rushing noise, which I likened at the time 

 to the falling of a tree. The outer primaries of P. nigra, though 

 very strong, are not cut out like those of the present bird and its 

 allies ; and I have little doubt that the latter occasionally produce a 

 strange sound with their wings. Indeed it seems probable that the 

 name by which one of them {P. aburri. Less.) is distinguished by 

 the natives of the Cauca Valley is derived from this peculiarity. 

 The name burri, aburri, aburrida, which M. Goudot asserts well 

 represents their cry, in lact expresses the sound produced by the 

 wings. An analogous case at once suggests itself, that of the 

 "drumming" of the Common Snipe (Gallinago media. Leach), to 

 which I can add another. A well-known Humming-bird of Mexico 

 and the highlands of Guatcmak), ticlaspkorus pluigcercus, makes a 

 shrill, almost whistling, noise with its wings, wliicli are cut out in a 

 somewhat similar way. 



