STNALLAXIS. 147 



elsewhere, eighteen occurring also in South America. In Mexico and Guatemala 

 the family is but poorly represented, but the numbers, both of genera and species, 

 increase as the mainland of South America is approached. 



Subfam. SYNALLAXINM. 



SYNALLAXIS. 



Synallaxis, Vieillot, N. Diet. d'Hist. N. xxxii. p. 309 (1819) ; Scl. Cat. Birds Brit. Mus. xv. 

 p. 37. 



Until recently this genus was made to include a ten tail-feathered and a twelve 

 tail-feathered section. The former is now restricted to Synallaxis proper, and the 

 latter is referred to Siptomis. 



According to Mr. Sclater's recently published Catalogue, Synallaxis contains twenty- 

 eight species, but the names of five others are given of which no specimens exist in 

 the British Museum. The twenty-eight species are separated into seven sections 

 defined chiefly by their colour. Sections II. and IV. are the only ones represented in 

 our country : Section II. by S. albescens and S. pudica, in which the crown and the 

 wings outwardly are rufous and the tail brown ; and Section IV. by S. erythrothorax, 

 in which the whole upper surface is nearly uniform rufous brown, and the breast and 

 wings externally chestnut. 



This last-named bird is the only one which reaches Southern Mexico, so that its 

 range is that of the genus in this direction. 



S. albescens and S. pudica are both South- American birds, the former with a wide 

 range reaching even to the Argentine Republic. The latter occurs also in Colombia 

 and Ecuador. 



The bill in S. erythrothorax is moderate, the culmen slightly arched and without a 

 notch near the end of the tomia of the maxUla, the nostrils are overhung by a mem- 

 brane, the opening being a long slit on the lower edge of the nasal fossa ; the wings 

 are short and much rounded, the fourth, fifth, sixth, and seventh quills being nearly 

 equal. The tarsi are moderately long and the toes and claws slender, the outer toe 

 separate from the middle toe nearly to the base. The tail is moderately long and 

 much rounded, the lateral feathers about half the length of the middle ones ; aU are 

 pointed, and the barbs towards the end nearly destitute of barbules. The number of 

 rectrices is ten. 



1. Synallaxis albescens. 



Synallaxis albescens, Temm. PI. Col. 227. fig. 2 {27tli Sept., 1823) ^; Salv. P. Z. S. 1867, p. 143'; 

 Sel. P. Z. S. 1874, p. 9 ' ; Cat. Birds Brit. Mus. xv. p. 43 ' ; Scl. & Salv. P. Z. S. 1879, p. 521 ^ 

 Synallaxis albigularis, Sel. P. Z. S. 1858, p. 63 ^ 



19* 



