112 REVIEW OP AMERICAN BIRDS. • [PART I. 



history of the family, as no species belong to Middle or North 

 America. I quote the date of the genus from Gray, not knowing 

 where it is described, unless it be in the Desc. Mamm. et d'Ois. of 

 Lesson, a book to which I have not access. 



Two well established species are G. unirufa (Lafr.), Bogota, and 

 C. unibrunnea, Lafr., Ecuador, both of which I have had the oppor- 

 tunity of examining. 



A young bird of G. unibrunnea differs from the adult in having 

 the anterior portion of body brown, instead of reddish ; the basal 

 portion of gape and lower jaw j'cllowish, not black. 



CYPHORINTTS, Cab. 



Ci/phorinus, Caeanis, Tschddi, Fauna Peruana, 1845-46, 183. (Type 

 C. thoracIcuSf Tacii. ^ T/tri/olhorus' modulator, D'Okb.) 



Body short and stout. Tail rounded, very short, scarcely more than half 

 the wings, and falling sliort of the outstretched toes. First primary about 

 half the longest ; secondaries developed, nearly as long as the primaries. 

 Bill distinctly notched, but without rictal bristles ; about as long as the head ; 

 much compressed, ami elevated at the base (greatest depth about one-third 

 length), where the culmen is angulated and quite sharp. The nostrils are 

 not in the anterior end of the nasal groove, but in the middle of the nasal 

 membrane against its upper edge, and forming a small, truly circular tubular 

 opening, surrounded by a low wall, the axis of the ojjening directed apparently 

 obliquely downwards (not horizontally). Legs well developed; tarsi rather 

 longer than middle toe and claw ; lateral toes equal, hind toe shorter than the 

 middle. Tarsi^6-soutellate, the scutellae not very distinct ; the sides of legs 

 In one plate. Outer lateral toe with basal joint, and half the nixt, adherent 

 to basal joint of middle toe ; inner lateral with half its basal joint similarly 

 adherent ; or, to express the relation otherwise, the whole outer edge of basal 

 joint of middle toe, and half the inner, adherent to the lateral toes. 



I have not the opportunity of examining the species upon which 

 the genus was based by Cabanis, but have selected a near ally, G. 

 lawrencii, Scl., as probably having the same peculiarities. The 

 genus is a very remarkable one, and not easily mistaken for any 

 other, on account of the characteristics of the circular nostrils sur- 

 rounded by membrane, etc. 



The genus Gyphorinus, as given by Dr. Sclater, includes two 

 subgenera — Gyphorinus and Microcerculus. I find, among his 

 species of Microcerculus, two quite strongly marked sections, of 

 which hambla and prostheleucus are respectively the types, and for 

 the latter I propose the name of Eeterorhina. A larger number of 

 specimens will be required to decide as to the permanence and value 

 of the characters which appear to present themselves in the skins 



