132 COTINGID^. 



Hah. Mexico ? ^^ ; Guatemala, Choctum {0. S.^ & F. JD. G.) ; Costa Rica, Angostura 

 (Carmiol ^}, Tucurriqui (Arce) ; Panama, Volcan de Chiriqui i", Chitra ^^, Boquete 

 de Chitra 10, Calovevora lo, Santa Fe^ (ArcS), Lion Hill (M'Leannan^^).— 

 Colombia ^ " ^^. 



The occurrence of this species in Mexico is somewhat doubtful, and at present rests 

 on the authority of a single skin formerly in Gould's collection said to have come from 

 that country ^^. Like Lathria unirufa it is very likely to be found in the southern parts 

 of the State of Vera Cruz. In Guatemala we only know of its occurrence in the forest 

 country north of Coban, drained by the affluents of the Eio de la Pasion : here the 

 type was obtained, and the bird is found in some abundance. Southward of Guatemala 

 it occurs probably in all low-lying heavily-forested country as far south as the Colombian 

 State of Antioquia *. According to Salmon the food of this species consists of insects. 



L. holerythrus may at once be distinguished from all its South-American congeners 

 by its cinnamon-coloured plumage. 



Subfam. ATTILIN^. 



The position of the Attilinoe has long been a matter of doubt, and it has been assigned 

 to the families Tyrannidse, Formicariidse, and Cotingidse. Sundevall placed it in the 

 last-named family, and in so doing he was followed by Mr. Sclater, though with doubt. 

 In this, we think, the last-named writer was justified, for the form of the bill, the 

 greater length of the tarsi, and the greater separation of the toes are all suggestive 

 of a different position from that now assigned to it. It is to be hoped that when the 

 internal structure is examined, more satisfactory indications of the affinities of Attila 

 will be revealed. 



ATTILA. 



Attila, Lesson, Traite d'Orn. p. 360 (1831) ; Scl. Cat. Birds Brit. Mus. xiv. p. 358. 



The number of species in the genus Attila as at present known cannot be stated 

 exactly. In his recently published Catalogue, Mr. Sclater admitted twelve species, but 

 half of these he only separated " geographically ; " he also mentioned six other names 

 which applied to birds with which he was unacquainted. We now add two names, so 

 that there may be twenty nominal species of Attila, possibly a larger number than 

 actually exist. The difficulty connected with these birds lies in the apparent instability 

 of their characters, which seem to be to some extent independent of age, sex, or 

 locality; and it is only by apparently insignificant characters that we are enabled to 

 define the various local forms, of which there appear to be six within the limits of our 

 fauna. These may be characterized as follows : — 

 a. AbdoTuine albo. 



a'. Cauda obscure rufa 1. citreopygius. 



