MTEMOTHEETJLA. 209 



In general characters MyrmbiJierula is & diminutive Thamnophilus, but with a much 

 feebler structure in every way ; but we can find no features to justify these forms being 

 placed in distinct subfamilies. 



a. Rostrum debile, cauda brevis, ptilosis plus minusve striata. 

 1. Myrmotherula surinamensis. 



Surinam Nuthatch, Lath. Gen. Syn. ii. p. 654, t. 28 '. 



Sitta surinamensis, Gm. Syst. Nat. i. p. 442 ". 



Myrmotherula surinamensis, Cassin, Pr. Ac. Phil. I860, p. 190 ^ ; Lawr. Ann. Lye. N. Y, vii. p. 293 * ; 



Scl. & Salv. P. Z. S. 1864, p. 356'; 1879, p. 525"; Sal v. Ibis, 1874, p. 311^• Scl. Cat, 



Birds Brit. Mus. xv. p. 231". . 

 Myrmotherula pygmaa, Cassin, Pr. Ac. Phil. 1860, p. 190° ; Lawr. Ann. Lye. N, Y. vii. p. 335"; 



Salv. Ibis, 1874, p. 311" ; Tacz. Orn. Per. ii. p. 37". 



Supra nigra, plumis omnibus lateraliter stricte albo marginatis, uropygio griseo, plaga dorsali celata alba: 

 subtus alba, plumis omnibus stria rhaohidali nigra in gutture fere oTasoleta; ajis nigris, remigibus stricte 

 albido marginatis, tectrioibus albo terminatis ; cauda nigra, medialiter albo limbata et albo terminata : 

 rostro et pedibus plumbeis, illius mandibula pallida. Long, tota 3-5, alee 1'9, caudae 1'85, rostri a rictu 

 0-72, tarsi 0-7. 

 5 supra dorso stiiato et aUs notatis sicut in mare, capita toto et nucha rufis plumis medialiter indistincte 

 fuscis : subtus fulva,, gula et abdomine medio albicantioribus, subalaribus albis. (Descr. maris et feminae 

 ex Panama. Mus. nostr.) 



Eab. Panama, Veraguas (Arce), Lion Hill Station (M'Leannan^^), San Pablo Station 

 (0. S.), E. Truandq^, Turbo ^ (Wood). — South America, from Colombia ^ to Peru ^^, 

 Upper Amazons Valley ^ and Guiana ®. 



A bird of wide range over nearly the whole of the northern portion of the South- 

 American continent, and occurring in the State of Panama, but not beyond its northern 

 limits. 



Males vary to some extent as regards the black central stripe of the feathers of the 

 under surface. M. multistriata, Sol.j was based upon specimens in which these stripes 

 are wide and spread more strongly over the throat, but it now appears that such birds 

 are not specifically distinct, every gradation being found between them and the normal 

 bird. Gmelin's title for this species ^ was founded upon Latham's Surinam Nuthatch ^. 

 With a Nuthatch [Sitta) it of course has nothing to do, and it was placed in the Formi- 

 cariidse by Cabanis in 1847 under the genus Formicivora, and thence in 1858 transferred 

 to Myrmotherula by Mr. Sclater. 



Mr. W. S. Wood, who accompanied Lieut. Michler's Expedition to the Isthmus of 

 Darien, obtained specimens of both sexes, though Cassin, who named his collection, did 

 not recognize them as such. The bird is described as abundant on the " Cremantina " 

 trees, especially at Camp Toucey in January 1858, and as also frequently seen on the 

 Bananas constantly searching for insects amongst the fruit and leaves. The male was 

 at first mistaken for the Black-and- White Creeper of the United States {Mniotilta 



BIOL. CENTK.-AMER., Aves, Vol. II., February 1892. 27 



