MONASA. 521 



( W. B. Michardson) ; Costa Rica, Angostura (Carmiol ^), Pacuare, San Carlos 

 (v. Frantzius ^, J. Cooper ''), San Jose {v. Frantzins, J. Cooper ''), Rio Sucio, Jimenez 

 (Zeledon ^). 



This species is very closely allied to two South-American birds, which are again 

 barely separable. Of these, M. morpheus of Brazil and the Lower Amazons is perhaps 

 the nearest, and has about the same amount of white on the forehead and chin. 

 M. morpheus is, however, a rather smaller bird, and not quite so darkly coloured on 

 the head and neck. The other, M. peruana of the Upper Amazons and Ecuador, is 

 also a smaller bird and the white on the forehead and chin is rather more restricted. 



M. grandior being apparently completely isolated in its range from both these allied 

 forms by the intervention of the distinct M. pallescens, it may be safely treated as a 

 distinct species. 



The first intimation of the existence of a Monasa in Central America was from a 

 drawing of one being included amongst others of birds found in the Mosquito Territory 

 made by a Mr. Bell and submitted to Mr. Sclater ^. But the first skin that came 

 before us was one sent by Carmiol from Costa Rica, and this was duly described in 

 1868 1. About the same time Lawrence examined several Costa Rica skins, but noting 

 their large size called them Monasa peruana in his first list of Costa Rica birds ^. 



We have now seen several Nicaraguan skins, both from Belt and Mr. Richardson, 

 as well as others from Costa Rica ; but no account of the habits of the bird has 

 reached us. 



2. Honasa pallescens. 



Monasa pallescens, Cassin, Pr. Ac. Phil. 1860, p. 134 ^ 1864, p. 287, t. 4^ Wyatt, Ibis, 1871, 



p. 374 ' ; Scl. & Salv. P. Z. S. 1879, p. 536 *. 

 Monacha pallescens, Scl. Mon. Jacamars and Puff-birds, p. 157, t. 53'; Cat. Birds Brit. Mus. six. 



p. 206 °. 

 M. grandiori similis, sed menfco et gula antica omnino nigra, fronte tantum alba distinguenda. Long, tola 11-0, 

 ate 5-1, caudffi 5-1, rostri a rictu 1-7, tarsi 0-8. (Descr. maria ex Kemedios, Colombia. Mus. nostr.) 



Eah. Panama, Truando R. {C. J. Wood & W. S. Wood^ 2)._Colombia ^ 4. 



Monasa pallescens is the only species of the genus which has a white forehead and 

 black throat and chin, and is thus easily recognized. Its name would imply that it is 

 much paler in colour than its allies, and is so figured on the plate of one of the types 2. 

 But the specimens before us from several places in Northern Colombia do not show 

 much diff"erence in coloration, and are quite as dark as the usual tint of M. grandior. 



The first specimens secured of this species formed part of the collection made on the 

 Isthmus of Darien by Mr. C. J. Wood and Mr. W. S. Wood, Jun., who accompanied 

 Lieut. Michler in his survey of that region, and were named by Cassin in 1860 i. Birds 

 of this species were only once seen in the cordillera on the river Truando in January 



BIOL. CENTB.-AMER., Aves, Vol. II., June 1896. 66 



