TACHYPHONUS. — EUCOMETIS. 537 



Nest. Unrecorded. 



Eggs. Undescribed. 



liange confined to British Guiana. Ituribisi River, Suponanm 

 River, Anarica River, Arawai River, Great Falls Demerara 

 River (McConnell collection); Merum6 Mountains, Kamarang 

 River, Bartica ( Wldtely). 



Habits. According to Schomburgk (Reis. G-uian. iii. p. 668) 

 this species is also more common near the coast than inland. 

 Single individuals were observed by him among the flocks of 

 Fringillidce, Tangand(B, TyranniAw, and Cosrehidw that traverse 

 the woods and plantations in search of insect food. Tliis custom 

 took place morning and afternoon of each day, the birds following 

 in the same direction on eiich occasion. 



Genus EUCOMETIS Scl. 

 Eucometis Sclater, P. Z. S. 1836, p. 117. Type E. penicillata (Spix). 



Fig. 194. — Eucometis penicillata. 



This genus is. easily distinguished by the well-developed crest, 

 which covers the top of the head and nape. The rictal bristles are 

 numerous but short. The bill is somewhat short and stout, the 

 width at the base being more than half the length of the exposed 

 culmen; the tip of the upper mandible is slightly hooked, but there 

 is no tooth on its cutting edges. The wing is rounded, the second 

 third, fourth, and fifth primaries longest and subequal, and the 

 first is intermediate in length between the sixth and seventh. 

 The tail is rounded at the tip and almost as long as the wing. The 

 tarsus is nearly a third longer than the exposed culmen, which is 

 about equal in length to the middle toe and claw. Coloratioh : 

 male and female alike in plumage, but the female is smaller in 

 wing-measurement. 



