GALBULA. 507 



Jimenez, Las Trojas, San Mateo, Pozo Azul de Pirris (Zeledon^^), San Carlos 

 (v. Frantzius ^^, Carmiol ^^ Boucard i^), Turrialba {v. Frantzius i«, J. Cooper ^% 

 Pacuare {v. Frantzius ^\ Carmiol ^^ Zeledon^^), Angostura [Carmiol); Panama, 

 David [Bridges^), Volcan de Chiriqui, Bugaba, Mina de Chorcha {Arci^% 

 R. Nercua ((?. J. Wood 24).— W. Ecuador ^ 20. 



We have little to add to the account given of this bird by Mr. Sclater in his latest 

 Monograph of the Galbulidse. The greater part of the information concerning it was 

 supplied by Salvin, and the substance of these notes we now reproduce, with the addi- 

 tional information since acquired. Mr, Sclater tells us^ that his original specimens, 

 described in 1852, were most probably part of the ornithological spoils of the French 

 collector Delattre ; thus they very likely came from Vera Paz, where Delattre collected 

 for some time, and was one of the earliest explorers of the district. 



The species is not uncommon in the heavily-forested country lying to the north of 

 Cohan, the chief town of Alta Vera Paz, and skins of it are usually included in 

 the collections of the bird-hunters of that place. We visited its haunts in 1862, 

 but were not fortunate enough to see living birds, though our Indian hunters not 

 unfrequently brought us specimens. Northward of Vera Paz it has been traced 

 to the neighbourhood of Belize, whence Blancaneaux sent us examples, and it 

 has even been noticed as far north as Playa Vicente on the eastern foot of the 

 Mexican cordillera, on the borders of the States of Oaxaca and Vera Cruz. 

 Tracing its range southwards we find it in the Valley of the Polochic and on the 

 borders of the Lake of Yzabal, where Salvin met with it on more than one occasion. 

 In Honduras it has been observed by several travellers. Leyland, who met with it on 

 the road from Omoa to Comayagua, says it is quite solitary in its habits, frequenting 

 the deep ravines overhung with trees ''. It has a quick darting flight, utters no cry, 

 and feeds on insects. Taylor ^, Whitely '^^, and Townsend 21 also found it in Honduras. 

 In Nicaragua it was noticed by Belt in Chontales '^\ and by Mr. Eichmond on the 

 Escondido river '^^, where, however, he says, it is rather rare. This traveller describes 

 its cry as piercing, resembling the syllables " Kee-u," with the first syllable very shrill 

 and strongly accented. It jerks its tail, he says, after the fashion of a Kingfisher; 

 Mr. Eichardson has also sent us specimens from this part of Nicaragua. From this 

 district northwards the range of 0. melanogenia is restricted to the forests of the 

 eastern or Atlantic side of the great Central-American isthmus, but southwards of 

 Nicaragua its range divides — 'part continuing along the Atlantic side of the Cordillera 

 and part crossing to the Pacific side, as we have specimens sent us by Arce from 

 Bebedero on the shores of the Gulf of Nicoya, and there are other records of its 

 occurrence in the same district. The most southern point of its range in Central 

 America is Chiriqui, where it was found by Bridges as early as 1856 2, and subse- 

 quently at several places by Arce ^^. Curiously enough, it appears to be wholly absent 



64* 



