BIRDS OF NORTH AND MIDDLE AMERICA. 731 



low; no lighter markings on wing, but lateral recti'ices more or less 

 extensively white terminally; sexes alike. 



Nidification. — U nkuown . 



Bange. — The whole of continental tropical America. (About 

 twelve species.) 



This is a very natural and homogeneous group, in this respect 

 strongly contrasting with Basilewterus. The eleven species examined ^ 

 agree very closely in structural details, the slight departures from the 

 normal type consisting almost wholly in immaterial differences in rela- 

 tive length of the wings and tail. The latter is usually a little shorter 

 than the former; in M. miniata fiammea and 31. alhifrons the wing 

 and tail are of the same length, while in j\[. verticali.s (a close ally of 

 the former, with identical color-pattern) the tail is decidedly' shorter 

 than the wing, the other species ranging between these extremes. The 

 wing-formula is remarkably uniform, and the variations in the pattern 

 of coloration are confined almost wholly to the head. 



All the Central American and Mexican forms have a large patch of 

 chestnut or chestnut-rufous on the crown, the forehead and sides of 

 the crown being black. 



KEY TO THE SPECIES AND SUBSPECIES OF MYIOBORUS. 



a. Throat black or blackish slate; sides of head slate color or slate-gray. 

 b. Under parts of body red or reddish orange, 

 c. Third rectrix with a large terminal spot of white; red of under parts usually 

 bright vermilion or pinkish vermilion. . (Highlands of Mexico.) 



MyioboruB miniatus miniatus, adults (p. 731) 

 CO. Third rectrix entirely black ; red of under parts usually orange red or flame 

 scarlet. (Highlands of Guatemala and Chiapas.) 



Myioborns miniatus flammeTis, adults (p. 733) 

 56. Under parts of body orange-yellow. (Highlands of Costa Rica and Chiriqui.) 



Myioborus aurantiacns, adults (p. 733) 

 aa. Throat and sides of head lemon yellow, like under parts of body; a dusky or 

 slaty band across chest. (Highlands of Costa Rica and Chiriqui.) 



Myioborns torquatus, adults (p. 735) 



MYIOBORUS MINIATUS MINIATUS (Swainson). 

 RED-BELLIED REDSTART. 



Adn.dt male. — Forehead, anterior portion of crown, superciliary 

 region, lores, suborbital and malar regions, chin, and throafuniform 

 black; posterior portion of crown and occiput chestnut, the feathers 

 elongated; postocular region, posterior portion of auricular region, 

 hindneck, sides of neck, back, scapulars, lesser wing-coverts, and rump 

 uniform slate color; wings darker with slate colored or slate-gray 

 edgings; upper tail-coverts and tail black, the three outermost rectrices 



'Of those given in vol. x of the Catalogue of the Birds in the British Museum 

 (pp. 410-430) all have been examined in the present connection except M. brun- 

 neiceps and M. castaneicapilla. 



