TINAMUS. 449 



notatis, uropygii plumis et supracaudalibus ochraceo fimbriatis ; tectricibus alarum et secundariis extus 

 clarius olivaceo-brunneis, potius aureo-olivaceis, et eodem modo nigro faseiatim maculatis ; tectricibus 

 primariorum primariisque sehistaceo-brunneis ; rectricibus bruhneis ; pileo sordide schistaeeo-nigro, 

 frontis basi et loris cinerascentioribus ; facie laterali, pilei lateribus supra-auricularibus et colli lateribus 

 fuscis, plumis arenario-fulvo margiiiatis, quasi squamatis ; regione parotica schistacea ; gutture sordide 

 albo, parte ima vix nigro fasciata; coUo undique cineraceo-brunneo concolore, postice vix lilaceo lavato ; 

 praepectore et corpore reliquo subtus cineraceo ; abdomine albicante, indistincte fusco transfasciato ; 

 bypocliondriis imis et tibiis ochraceo et fusco distincte transfasciatis ; subcaudalibus saturate brunneis, 

 ocbracescenti-nifo transfasciatis ; tibiis schistaceis ; subalaribus saturate brunneis, concoloribus, axillaribus 

 brunneis apicem versus cineraceis ; remigibus infra dimidiatis, extus brunneis, intus clare cinereis ; 

 maxilla nigricanti-olivacea, mandibula albicante ; pedibus saturate olivaceis. Long, tota circa 14"5, 

 alee 9'5, caudae 3"0, culm. 1"55, tarsi 2*6. (Descr. exempl. typ. ex Chootum. Mus. nostr.) 

 $ mari similis, sed pauUo rufescentior, hypochondriis imis et subcaudalibus ochraeescenti-fulvis lateraliter 

 brunneo faseiatim indentatis. Long, tota circa 12'5, alae 8'8. (Descr. feminse adultae ex Eio de la 

 Pasion. Mus. nostr.) 



Hah. Mexico {Mus. Brit.'^), Potrero near Cordova, Etriquehuite, Oraealca, near Orizaba 



(Sumichrast ®), Orizaba (SallS ^), Playa Vicente, Vera Cruz ^ ; British Honduras 



{Blancaneaux'^ ^), Belize (Leyland^^); Guatemala^, Choctum, Rio de la Pasion, 



Yzabal {0. S. & F. B. G. ^ "), Sierra de las Minas {Bichardson) ; Honduras, Omoa 



[Leyland ^ 2) ; Nicaragua, Eio Coco, San Emilio {Bichardson). 



T. robustus is one of the largest of the Central-American Tinamous, and was first 

 recorded from Omoa and Belize by Mr. F. Moore under the name of Tinamus major, 

 Gm. ; but it was ultimately found to be distinct from that species, which is an 

 inhabitant of Paraguay and Southern Brazil. It was described by Dr. Sclater in 1860, 

 the type being the specimen procured by us on the Rio de la Pasion, in Guatemala. 

 Since that time many examples have been added to our collection, but the series is 

 insufficient for us to follow the sequence of plumage through which this Tinamou 

 passes, and hence it is impossible to sayAvhether the dark- and the light-coloured birds 

 belong to separate geographical races, or whether the variations are to be attributed to 



age alone. 



In some specimens the black bars on the upper surface are faintly, and in others 

 strongly, indicated ; and the sprinkling of ochraceous spots over the upper portion of 

 the body and on the wings is the only certain evidence of immaturity that we observe 

 in this and other Tinamous. In all other respects the young birds apparently resemble 

 adults. The single example received by us from British Honduras is paler than the 

 Guatemalan birds. Those obtained by Mr. Richardson in Nicaragua belong undoubtedly 

 to T. roiustus, and not to T. fuscipennis, as would have been expected. In Guatemala 

 we met with the species near Yzabal and obtained two eggs. 



Leyland ^ ^ states that this Tinamou was common at Omoa, and occurred more rarely 

 at Belize. The eggs varied from eight to ten in number, and were laid in a slight 

 depression scratched in the angles formed by the projecting buttress-like roots of the 

 mahogany-trees. The birds were very shy, and when approached tried to conceal 



BIOL. CENTR.-AMER., Aves, Vol. III., April 1904. 57 



