CEECISCIJS. 325 



differs from its South- American allies, C. cenops and C. melanophceus, in having the 

 front of the neck and breast chestnut, C. alfari, from Costa Eica, has been described 

 as a distinct species on account of the broader black bars on the flanks, but this is a 

 variable character. 



4. Creciscus cinereiceps. 



Porzana cinereiceps, Lawr. Ann. Lye. N. Y. xi. p. 90 ' > Ridgw. Pr. U. S. Nat. Mus. i. p. 252 ' > 

 vi. p. 409, note"; x. p. Ill*; Zeledon, An. Mus. Nac. Costa Rica, 1887, p. 131'; Richm. 

 Pr. U. S. Nat, Mus. xvi. p. 528 ". 



Creciscus cinereiceps, Sbarpe, Cat. Birds Brit, Mus. xxiii- p. 141, note^ 



Porzana albigularis (nee Lawr,), SeJ. & Salv. P. Z. S. 1867, p. 280 *; Sharpe, Cat, Birds Brit. Mus. 

 xxiii. p. 140 (part.)'. 



Porzana leucogastra, Nutting, Pr. U. S. Nat. Mus. vi, p. 408 " ; Ridgw. op, eit. x. p. Ill ". 



Creciscus leucogaster, Sharpe, Cat. Birds Brit. Mus. xxiii. p. 140, note '^ 



G. albigulari similis, sed facie laterali clare cinerea distinguendus. Long, tota circa 5-5, alse- 3-05, caudse 0-85, 

 culm. 0-85, tarsi 1-1. (Descr. feminse adultse ex Eseondido Elver. Mus. aostr.) 



Hab. Nicaragua, Grey town {11. S. Nat. Mus. % Blewfields {Wichham\ Richardson), 

 Rio Eseondido {Eichmond ^), Los Sabalos {Nutting ^^) ; Costa Rica, La Barranca, 

 Nicoya {Arci '^), Talamanca [Gahb ^), Pacuarito, Desamparados, Jimenez, 

 Reventazon, Sipurio, Juan Vinas, Azahar de Cartago, Carrillo ( Underwood in litt.), 

 Pacuare {Zeledon ^), Rio Frio {Richmond ^). 



C. cinereioeps is easily distinguished from C. albigularis by its grey face. When 

 Dr. Bowdler Sharpe wrote the ' Catalogue of Birds,' the series in the British Museum 

 was very small, and we had in our collection only a young bird from Costa Rica, so 

 that it was impossible to judge respecting C. cinereiceps. We have now, however, 

 seen several Nicaraguan specimens collected by Mr. Richmond, as well as some from' 

 Costa Rica sent hs by Mr. Underwood. Our series exhibits considerable variation as 

 regards the extent of the rufous colour on the underparts, the width of the black 

 bars on the flanks, and the presence or absence of light bars on the wing-coverts. 

 We find the observations of Mr. Richmond on these points borne out by the series 

 before us, and it is evident that the characters brought forward by Mr. Ridgway for 

 the separation of his Porzana leucogastra from P. cinereiceps are not of specific value. 

 Mr. Richmond procured many specimens on the Eseondido River, Nicaragua, where it 

 was very plentiful in ilae tall grass. 



He states that the nest is almost globular and has a small entrance at the side, and 

 is placed about a foot from the ground. The bird is rarely found on the nest, as it 

 skulks off in the grass at the approach of danger, uttering a sharp cry. Specimens 

 were frequently caught in traps set on the river-bank for small mammals. The eggs 

 are pale creamy-white, spotted, chiefly at the larger end, with cinnamon-rufous mixed 

 with lavender. Nests were found from early in May till late in August ^. 



