138 BULLETIN So, UNITED STATES NATIONAI MUSEUM. 



Genus EUCOMETIS Sclater. 



Eiicometif! Sclater, Proc. Zool. Soc. Lond., 1856, 117. (Type, Tanagra peniciUata 

 Spix.) 



Medium-sized, small-billed, plainly colored Tanagers, with depth of 

 maxilla in front of nostril more than one-third the distance from nostril 

 to tip of maxilla, tail equal to length of wing from bend to tips of 

 secondaries, and occiput with a slight bushy crest; colors yellowish 

 olive-green above, yellow below, the head gray (paler on throat). 



Bill subconical, compressed, much shorter than head; exposed cul- 

 men less than to more than two-thirds length of tarsus, nearly straight 

 for basal half or more, decidedly convex terminally, with tip slightly 

 uncinate; gonys decidedly shorter than distance from nostril to tip of 

 maxilla, faintly convex; maxillary tomium straight, faintly deflected 

 basally ; mandibular tomium nearly straight to near base, where gradu- 

 ally but rather strongly deflected; depth of bill at base about equal to 

 the basal width, and equal to or a little raore than half the length of the 

 exposed culmen. Nostril exposed, roundish, with narrow superior 

 membrane. Rictal bristles hardly obvious. Wing rather long (about 

 three and three-fourths to four times as long as tarsus), rounded (eighth 

 to fifth quills longest, ninth longer than first, sometimes longer than 

 second) ; primaries exceeding secondaries by length of exposed culmen 

 or more. Tail nearly as long as wing, rounded, its feathers with com- 

 pact webs and rounded tips. Tarsus decidedly longer than middle toe 

 with claw; outer claw reaching about to base of middle claw; the inner 

 claw not reaching quite so far; hind claw decidedly shorter than its 

 digit. Occiput slightly crested. 



Coloration. — Plain bright yellowish olive above, saffron or Indian 

 yellow beneath; head gray, paler (sometimes nearly white) on throat. 

 Sexes alike in color. 



Ramje. — Yucatan and Guatemala to Bolivia. 



KEY TO THE SPECIES AND SUBSPECIES OP EUCOMETIS. 



a. Chest without streaks or flammulations. 

 6. Crest more developed, the feathers blended, the color paler than that of loral 

 and orbital regions. (Veragua to Colombia.) 



Euoometis cristata, adults (p. 139) 



hh. Crest less developed, the feathers distinctly outlined, the color not paler than 



that of loral and orbital regions. {Eucometis spodocephala.) 



c. Richer, more golden, olive-green above, deep saffron yellow beneath; throat 



deeper gray; bill larger (exposed culmen averaging 13.5). (Costa Eica; 



Nicaragua.) Eucometis spodocephala spodocephala, adults (p. 139) 



cc. Clearer, less golden, olive-green above, lemon or gamboge yellow beneath; 

 throat paler gray; bill smaller (exposed culmen averaging 12. 7) ( Yucaton; 

 Guatemala? ; British Honduras? ; Honduras ?) 



Eucometis spodocephala pallida, adults (p. 140) 

 aa. Chest with streaks or flammulations of olive-green. (Chiriqui.) 



Eucometis spodocephala stictothoraz, adults (p. 141) 



