654 BULLETIN 50, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 



Genus CARYOTHRAUSTES Reichenbaeh. 



Caryothraustes Eeichenbach, Av. Syst. Nat., 1850, pi. 78. (Type, Cocmthraustes 

 viridis Vieillot. ) 



Short-tailed, thick- billed Fring.illidiv^ with the maxilla distinctly 

 uncinate at tip, notched subterminally, and swollen laterally, the nos- 

 trils wholly exposed, and the plumage partlj' 3^ellow. 



Bill decidedly shorter than head, thick and turgid, with lateral out- 

 lines distinctly convex or bowed, except terminally, the tip of the 

 maxilla slightly but distinctlj^ uncinate; culmen strongl}^ convex, nearly 

 equal (from extreme base) to length of tarsus; gonys nearly equal to 

 length of maxilla from nostril (except in C. hnmeralls), straight; maxil- 

 lary tomium distinctly notched subterminally, then gently deflected 

 in a nearly straight line to about half as far as the nostril, where 

 inclined upward, forming a more or less prominent, rounded, median 

 lobe, behind which the tomium is first more or less deeply concave, 

 then decidely deflected to the rictus (more gradually so in 0. hu/neralis); 

 mandibular tomium more or less convex near tip, then nearly straight 

 to the distinct angular notch immediately in front of the subbasal 

 angle. Nostril wholly exposed, oval, obliquely horizontal, with 

 rather broad superior membrane. Rictal bristles inconspicuous. Wing 

 moderate (a little more than four to more than four and a half times as 

 long as tarsus), slightly roundisd (eighth to tixth primaries longest, 

 ninth longer than third, sometimes longer than fourth); primaries 

 exceeding secondaries by length of exposed culmen or more (much 

 more in O. humeralis). Tail much shorter than wing (difference 

 exceeding length of tarsus), even {C. viriflts, C. irasiliens/'-^ or slightly 

 rounded {C. poliogaster and C humrrnlis), the rectrices rather nar- 

 row, contracted or obtusely pointed or rounded at tip. Tarsus slightly 

 longer than middle toe with claw; lateral claws reaching about to base 

 of middle claw; hind claw much shorter than its digit, strongly curved, 

 grooved laterally. 



Coloration. — Prevailing color above plain olive-green, beneath partly 

 or wholly yellow; lores and thence to chin and upper throat black, or 

 else {C. Immeralis) pileum gray and malar region and middle line of 

 throat white barred with black; in C. poliogaster posterior parts, both 

 above and below, gray. Sexes alike. 



Bcunge. — Southern Mexico to Brazil. 



There is considerable difference between O. viridis (and its subspecies 

 C. V. Irasiliensis) on the one hand and 0. poliogaster on the other in 

 the proportions of the bill, that of the latter being much broader and 

 more turgid, with the maxillary tomium more strongly lobed, and the 

 mandibular tomium more strongly and abruptly deflected basally. 0. 

 humeralis Lawrence is still more different. 



