148 DENDEOCOLAPTID^. 



Supra murino-bruniiea, fronte et cauda vix saturatioribua, vertice postico et nucha cum tectrioibus alarum 

 minoribus et mediis rufis ; capitis et cervicis lateribus et pectore griseo-murinis ; loris et abdomine medio 

 albis ; hypochondriis rufescenti-murinis, gula alba plumis singulis ad basin nigris ; subalaribus albis cinna- 

 momeo lavatis : rostro corneo, mandibulse basi albida ; pedibus corylinis. Long, tota 6'0, alse 2-1, caudae 

 rect. med. 3-1, rectr. lat. 1"1, rostri a rietu 0*6, tarsi 0"75. (Descr. maris ex Medellin, Columbia. Mus. 

 nostr.). 



2 mari similis, sed forsan rufescentior. 



Av. juv. supra et subtus omnino rufescentior, vertice et fronte dorso concoloribus. 



Eab. Panama, Santa Fe (ArcS ^ ^). — South Amebica, from Colombia ^, Ecuador ^, and 

 Venezuela ^ to Guiana ^, Brazil ^, and the Argentine Eepublic. 



The evidence of the occurrence of this species within our limits rests upon a single 

 female specimen sent us by Arce from Santa Fe in the State of Panama in 1866 2. 



This specimen is perhaps hardly adult, and is rather lighter and more rufescent on 

 the upper surface than the male from Medellin described above, which again is in 

 older, more abraded plumage. There can, however, be little doubt that both birds 

 belong to the same species. 



Synallaxis albescens has a wide range in Tropical America, and a long series of 

 specimens in the British Museum, from various points of the southern continent, as 

 far south as Buenos Ayres, confirm Mr. Sclater's view that the species, though variable, 

 is not capable of subdivision, and that the bird described by him as S. albigularis ^ from 

 an imperfect skin, from the valley of the Napo, is not really separable from the rest. 



Salmon, who met with this species at Medellin in the Cauca Valley of Colombia, 

 gives the following interesting account of its eggs and nest ^. The former are described 

 as of a very pale greenish-blue, almost white, colour, and measure '88 by •65. The 

 nest, he says, is placed in a tree or high bush, 6 or 8 feet from the ground, and is 

 made of sticks and twigs, the eggs being placed on a few small green leaves. In shape 

 it resembles a pear lying horizontally, with an extended tunnel at the smaller end. 



" I have seen," he says, " the nest as large as that of an English Magpie, and as 

 firmly made, though the bird is not larger than a Sparrow. The body of the nest is 

 composed of sticks, many of them from four to six inches in length and a quarter of 

 an inch in diameter ; the tunnel entrance, which is often of considerable length, is 

 composed of fine twigs beautifully interlaced, the entrance only just admitting the 

 body of the bird ; it is sometimes straight, sometimes winding. The top of the nest 

 is roofed with a mass of large leaves, a protection against the heavy rains. Altogether 

 it is a remarkable construction, and it would be interesting to know how so small a 

 bird can carry and fix such large sticks ; but the bird at this time is exceedingly shy 

 always keeping at a distance from its nest when anyone is near, even if carefully 

 hidden from view. 



" The nest is difficult of approach, being placed where the underwood is very thick ; 

 and the eggs can only be obtained by making an opening on one side, which is not an 

 easy operation." 



