3n8 



BIRDS OF BRITISH GUIANA. 



inner cavity near the top. The cavity in which the eggs hiy was 

 lined with several big feathers of the large Guiana great tinamou 

 and the Guiana Partridge. The whole structure was very 

 compact and neatly put together, the leaf veins giving it a 

 ver}' strange appearance, 



" The two fresh eggs were pure white with little gloss. Their 

 dimensions were 22 X 15'5 mm. 



"The nest was found on July 5, at the htaght of tlie great rainy 

 season. 1 think it probable that they nest twice a year, as several 

 newly vacated nests, apparently of this species, were found during 

 MarJh." 



Genus MICROCERCULUS Baird. 



Microcerculus Baird, ]leview Amer. Birds, p. 113, 1804. Type 

 M. bumbla (Boddaert). 



Fig. 142. — To show the length of wings m comi^arison with the tail. 



In this genus the bill is proportionately long, somewhat de- 

 pressed at the base, and the ex])Osed cuhnen about equal in length 

 to the hind toe and claw. The \^ing is rounded, the fourth, fifth, 

 and sixth primaries longest, the third about equal to the seventh, 

 the second about equal in length to the outer secondaries, and 

 the exposed first primary about equal in length to the tarsus. 

 The tail is rounded at the tip and rather more than one-third tlie 

 length of the wing. The tarsus is nearly one-third longer than 

 the exposed cuhnen. Coloration : male and female similar. 



Key to the Species. 



A. Greater upper wing-coverts subterminally 



barred with white in contrast with the 



rest of the plumage M. hamhla, p. 3G9. 



B. Kg white bar on the 'greater upper wing- 



cuverts, which are uniform with the rest 



of the plumage M. ustulatus, j). 370. 



