436 MR. W. A. FORBES ON THE GENUS CONOPOPHAGA. [Mar. 15, 



University Museum, the sternum presented/ow/- notches along its pos- 

 terior margin, a very unusual condition in Passerine birds. This again 

 drew my attention to the genus ; and being fortunately the possessor 

 of a specimen in spirit of Conopophaga lineata from Pernambuco, 

 1 have been enabled to confirm Mr. Salvin's discovery, as well as 

 to make some other notes on the structure of this genus. As re- 

 gards the sternum, it will be seen, from the drawing I now exhibit 

 of that of Conopophaga lineata, to possess, as already stated, four 



Sternum of Conopophaija lineata, of the natural size ; viewed, slightly 

 obliquely, from the side. 



notches, two on each side, on its posterior margin. Both are quite 

 distinct ; but the outer one is considerably the larger of the two, 

 running up to near the base of the " costal process." The outer 

 xiphoid process diverges considerably, so that there is a wide 

 space between its termination and that of the internal one. This 

 latter is terminally expanded and closely approximated, internally, to 

 the body of the sternum, with only a very narrow cleft separating the 

 ossified parts there. In other respects the sternum and its appendages 

 are characteristically Passerine, there being a large bifurcated manu- 

 brium sterni, and a long, forwardly directed, costal process. The clavi- 

 cles are well developed, with a large hypocleidium and strongly expanded 

 scapular ends. The carina sterni is well developed. The only other 

 Passerine birds in which the sternum is four-notched are, so far as 

 is yet known, sundry species of Pteroptochidse (Pteroptochus albi- 

 collis, the species of Hylactes, and Scytalopus indigoticus). In 

 Pteroptochus albicoUis the two notches of each side are more nearly 

 equal in size, and the internal xiphoid process is separated by a 

 considerable interval from the body of the bone. 



As regards the skull, Conopophaga is typically Passerine, not being 

 in the slightest degree schizorhinal, as already stated by Garrod (J. c). 

 The vomer is broad and bifurcated. The maxillo-palatine processes 

 are fairly long, spongy at the base, and recurved and dilated slightly 

 apically, and do not articulate with the vomer, as is the case (e. g.) 

 m Thatnnophilus^ . The " transpalatine " processes are well deve- 

 loped. In the macerated skull the external nares are divided into 

 an anterior and a posterior opening, by the ossification of the alinasal 

 cartilages. The same is the case in the species of Thamnophilus and 

 in many other Passeres. I do not, however, attach much systematic 

 importance to this character, as it occurs in Cymbirhynchus, and not 



> Cf. Parker, Trans. Zool. See. ix. p. 313, pi. Ivii. fig. 9. 



