PICOLAPTES. 187 



P. Z. S. 1878, p. 60" J Nutting, Pr. U. S. Nat. Mus. v. p. 397"; Ridgw. Pr. U. S. Nat. 

 Mus. X. p. 590 " ; Scl. Cat. Birds Brit. Mus. xv. p. 153 ". 

 Dendromis tenuirostris, Lawr. Ann. Lye. N. Y. vii. p. 292". 



P. affini similis, sed capitis et dorsi antici striis multo magis distinctis, Ulis magis elongatis et utrinque nigro 

 marginatis : subtus striis paulo minus obviis angustioribus. (Descr. maris ex Playa Vicente, Mexico. 

 Mus. nostr.) 



Hab. Mexico, Orizaba (Salle ^), San Lorenzo near Cordova, Orizaba and Alvarado (F. 

 Ferrari-Perez), Playa Vicente [Trujillo), Rincon in Guerrero and Teapa in Tabasco 

 {Mrs. E. H. Smith) ; Beitish Honduras, Belize and Cayo on the Belize river 

 [Blancaneaux); Guatemala, Pine-ridge of Poctum, Chisec, Volcau de Agua, Volcan 

 de Fuego, El Baul ^, near Santa Lucia Cosamalguapa, Eetalhuleu(6). S. & F.D. G. ^^) ; 

 Salvador, Volcan de San Miguel ( W. B. Eichardson) ; Honduras, Puerto Cabello 

 {G. M. Wliitely i^), Segovia Eiver [Townsend ^^) ; Nicaragua, Chinandega (W. B. 

 Eichardson) ; Costa Rica, Navarro (Boucard ^^), La Palma (Nutting ^^), Bebedero 

 Nicoya (ArcS ^) ; Panama, Bugaba, Mina de Chorcha (Arce ^"j. 



This species, at one time attributed to P. lineaticeps, Lafr. ^, at another confused 

 with P. affinis ^, was ultimately described by Prof. Cabanis under its present title from 

 Costa Rica specimens ''- 



Its range extends over the lowlands of our country from the States of Vera Cruz and 

 Guerrero in the north to the Colombian State of Panama, specimens from the various 

 points of this wide area showing no appreciable diflPerences. 



P. compressus is essentially a bird of the lowland forests, its range in altitude probably 

 not passing a height of about 2000 feet. In the uplands of the countries where it is 

 found, as we have already remarked, P. affinis takes its place, there being no relation- 

 ship or signs of transition between the two, though they have been not unfrequently 

 confounded. From Sumichrast's remarks as to the range of the bird of Vera Cruz he 

 calls P. affinis, we have little doubt that even he failed to distinguish them ^- 



4. Ficolaptes gracilis. 



Picolaptes gracilis, Ridgw. Pr. U.S. Nat. Mus. xi. p. 542^; Scl. Cat. Birds Brit. Mus. xv. p. 154 '. 



" Pileum, hind neck, back, scapulars, and wing-coverts light sepia-brown or bistre, but this broken, except on 

 lower back, scapulars, and wing-coverts, with broad guttate mesial streaks of pale buff, bordered with 

 blackish, the latter almost forming the ground-colour on top of the head. Tertials, greater part of 

 secondaries and primaries (except basally, where more olivaceous), rump, upper tail-coverts, and tail 

 plain chestnut or hazel, the terminal portion of inner webs of primaries dusky. Sides of head and neck 

 pale buffy, streaked with brownish black or dusky brown ; chin plain pale buffy ; throat similar, but 

 feathers narrowly bordered with dusky, producing a squamate appearance. Ground-colour of other 

 underparts hair-brown, but this relieved by broad mesial streaks of buff, each margined laterally by a 

 narrower but very distinct blackish streak ; these markings, especially the blackish streaks, becomiu" 

 nearly obsolete on belly, flanks, and under taU-eoverts. Eill blackish, with basal half of lower mandible 

 whitish ; legs and feet dusky ; ' iris black.' 



"Length (skin), 7-10; wing, 3-55; tail, 3-60; the lateral feathers 1-05 shorter; exposed culmen, -81: 

 tarsus, "SS." 



24* 



