166 DENDEOCOLAPTID^. 



also called X mtilans by Temminck and X. affinis by Swainson, The Colombian bird 

 was separated by Cabanis and Heine as X. Jieterurus *, but it now appears that it has 

 no tangible points of distinction. 



The present species appears to be much rarer in our country than its congener 

 X. geniharhis ; we have as yet only seen two specimens, one from Costa Rica and one 

 from Chiriqui. Mr. Zeledon did not possess a Costa Rica specimen in 1882, as shown 

 by his Catalogue of that date. 



Subfam. SCLEBURIN^*. 



SCLERURUS. 



Sclerurus, Swainson, Zool. Journ. iii. p. 356 (1827) ; Ridgway, Pr. U. S. Nat. Mus. xii. p. 21 

 (5 Feb., 1890) ; Scl. Cat. Birds Brit. Mus. xv. p. 113. 



The number of species in this genus is variously estimated, Mr, Sclater admitting 

 six and Mr. Ridgway no less than ten ; of these, three occur within our limits, the most 

 northern of which, S. mexicanus, is found in Eastern Mexico. The usual haunts of 

 the members of Sclerurus are in the dense forest, where they frequent the underwood 

 near the ground. 



The bill {S. mexicanus) is long and slender, slightly depressed towards the tip, and 

 with a small notch near the distal end of the tomia of the maxilla ; the nostrils are 

 open, not overhung by a membrane, but the nasal septum appears in the opening. 

 The inner toe is freer from the middle toe than the outer one, and the hallux is long 

 with a long comparatively straight claw ; the tail is short and rounded, the shafts of 

 each feather stifi^ sharp, and slightly projecting beyond the webs. 



1. Sclerurus canigularis. 



Sclerurus canigularis, Bidgw. Pr. U. S. Nat. Mus. xi. p. 542'; xii. p. 24'. 

 Sclerurus albogularis, Sel. Cat. Birds Brit. Mus. xv. p. 114 (partim) '. 



" Prevailing colour of upper parts plain dark sooty brown, overlaid on hind neck, back, scapulars, wing-coverts, 

 and tertials with a wash, of burnt-umber, this changing into dark chestnut on rump and upper tail- 

 coverts ; tail brownish black ; sides of head dull greyish brown, this changing gradually into dull greyish 

 white on chin and upper throat, and to dull ash-grey on lower throat ; chest deep chestnut-brown 

 (abruptly defined against grey of throat), this changing into dull dark sooty brown on rest of underparts : 

 lower tail-coverts tinged with dark chestnut. Upper mandible black, lower chiefly light-coloured ; legs 

 and feet brownish black. Length (skin) 6-0, wing 3-45, tail 2-55, exposed eulmen -85, tarsus -85." 

 {^Ridgway, I. s. c.) 



Hah. Costa Rica, Turrialba (/. /. Cooper ^). 



We have not seen a specimen of this bird, and opinions differ as to its distinctness 

 from the bird from Venezuela and Tobago called S. albogularis, Sw. Mr. Sclater 



* Antea, p. 146. 



