MOMOTUS, 457 



district (F. Blancaneaux) ; Guatemala {Velasquez ^^, Skinner^, Constancia^ ^^), 

 Pie de la Cuesta in San Marcos (W. JB. Eichardson), Retalhuleu {0. 8. & F. I). Q., 

 W. JB. Eichardson), Toliman (W. B. E.), Savana Grande, Alotenango, Duenas, San 

 Geronimo, Coban, Lanquin, Choctum, phisec {0. S. & F. D. G.); Salvador, San 

 Miguel {W. B. Eichardson); Honduras, San Pedro {G. M. Whitely% Truxillo^-, 

 Segovia River ^^ (Townsend) ; Nicaragua, Realejo (A. Lesson ^), Chinandega ( W. B. 

 Eichardson), Sucuya (Nutting ^^), Chontales (Belt ^^) ; Costa Rica (Hoffmann, 

 V. Frantzius), San Jose (v. Frantzius ^^, Carmiol ^^, Boucard 2^, Nutting ^^, Cherrie 2^), 

 San Carlos, Dota Mts., Grecia (Carmiol'^% Alajuela, Santa Ana, Las Trojas, 

 Cartago, Naranjo de Cartago (Zeledon ^^), La Palma (Nutting ^3) ; Panama, David 

 (Bridges \ Hicks i^), Cordillera de Tole 12, Chitra i3, Mina de Chorcha i3, Bngaba i^, 

 Volcan de Chiriqui ^^ (Arce). 



Momotus lessoni is the commonest species of the family in Mexico and Central 

 America, having a wide range, extending from the middle of the State of Vera Cruz 

 to the Pacific Ocean at Tehuantepec, to Northern Yucatan, and thence southwards 

 to Costa Rica and the district of Chiriqui, where it appears to stop, and its place taken 

 on the Line of the Panama Railway by the closely allied M. subrufescens. In the north, 

 too, it is supplanted from the middle of Vera Cruz to the States of Tamaulipas and 

 Nuevo Leon by M. casruleiceps, but in this case there is a jiistrict on the confines of the 

 ranges of the two birds in which intermediate forms are far from uncommon. In 

 altitude M. lessoni also has a considerable range, for it occurs from near the sea-level 

 to a height of between 3000 and 4000 feet in the mountains. Its haunts are in the 

 forests, where it keeps to the undergrowth and the lower branches of the higher trees. 

 The nest is made, like that of a Kingfisher, in a bank. Its shape and position is well 

 described by Mr. Cherrie ^9, who, quoting Mr. Zeledon^ says that the bird is common 

 and resident near San Jose, in Costa Rica. " The nests are built in the ground, some 

 bank, like the side of a stream, being selected. The entrance tunnel extends back 

 horizontally sometimes for a distance of six feet. At about half its length there is a 

 sharp bend upwards for some six inches, then the course is again horizontal as far as 

 the chamber occupied by the nest. The nest space is twelve or fourteen inches in 

 diameter, being round, and about six inches high, with level floor and ceiling. A few 

 rather coarse dry twigs are strewn over the floor. The eggs I am not acquainted with." 

 Mr. Zeledon also informed Mr. Cherrie that " if one of these nests be opened at about 

 the time the young are ready to leave the nest, it is found to be one of the dirtiest, foul- 

 smelling places that can well be imagined. The young birds occupy the centre of tlie 

 nest, while all about them, and especially at the sides of the opening, are piles of the 

 excrement mixed with the pellets, composed of the hard chitinous parts of the beetles 

 and other insects composing the chief food of the ' Bobos ' that are ejected from the 

 mouth. This mass is reeking with maggots." 



BIOL. CENTR.-AMER., Aves, Vol. II., July 1895. «j8 



