470 MOMOTID^. 



section of his key, as Mr. Sharpe has done, he has, we consider, suggested a very 

 unnatural arrangement. 



Aspatha only contains one species, A. gularis, a bird of the upland forests of certain 



districts of Guatemala. 



1. Aspatha gularis. 



Prionites gularis, Lafr. Rev. Zool. 1840j p. 130 '. 



Momotus gularis, Strickl. Contr. Orn. 1849, p. 33, t. 5^ 



Hylomanes gularis, Scl. P. Z. S. 1857, p. 256'; Scl. & Salv. Ibis, 1859, p. 131'; Salv. Cat. 



Strickl. Coll. p. 414°. 

 Aspatha gularis, Sharpe, Cat. Birds Brit. Mus. xvii. p. 331 ^ 



Viridis, supra fere unicolor, loris et regione oculari pallide cinnamomeis, tectricibus aurioiilaribus elongatis et 

 plaga pectoral! nigris ; gutture et abdomine caeruleis, pectore et hypochondriia olivaceo tinotis ; alis et 

 Cauda dorsq fere concoloribus, hae ad apicem ceeruleo tineta, rhachidibus nigris ; rostri maxilla cornea, 

 mandibula et pedibus flavidis. Long, tota circa 11-0, alse 4-0, caudse rectr. med. 5-3, rectr. lat. 175, 

 rostri a rictu 1'3, tarsi I'O. 

 $ mari similis. 



ir«5. Guatemala 1 2 ^ [Constancia^, Shmner% Santa Maria near Quezaltenango 

 ( W. B. Bichardson), Volcan de Fuego, Duenas, Barranco Hondo near Alotenango 

 {0.S.& F. B. G.), Cunen {F. Sarg). 



Aspatha gularis is not known to occur outside the boundaries of the Republic of 

 Guatemala, and it is hardly known beyond a limited district in that country, viz. the 

 oak-region of the main cordillera situated between 4000 and 7000 feet above the 

 sea-level. It has also been reported from Cunen in the department of Huehuetenango 

 in an elevated district, a spur of the Cordillera, where Quezals and other peculiarly 

 upland species are found. 



When staying at Duenas in 1873-74 we saw many birds of this species in the oak- 

 forests of the Volcan de Fuego, where they frequented the undergrowth and had all 

 the sluggish, quiet habits of the other members of the family. A good many specimens 

 were brought to us by Indian hunters, apparently uninjured, but we were not able to 

 keep them alive for more than a few days. Some of them would often remain motion- 

 less in the hand for several minutes, and even allow themselves to be laid down on a 

 table without stirring, and then they would come suddenly as it were to life. Their 

 food would be held in the bill for some time without any movement and then suddenly 

 swallowed. All their motions were done in this spasmodic way, but without the 

 slightest fear or uneasiness or wish to escape. 



The breeding-habits of this species never came under our observation. 



As skins of A. gularis do not occur in the collections of the native hunters of Coban, 

 the species is not common in collections. Strickland's specimen was sent- him by 

 Constancia, who resided in the city of Antigua Guatemala, not far from the Volcan 

 de Fuego and the oak-forests frequented by this bird. 



