EHODINOCICHLA.— MTIADECTES. 39 



position of this anomalous form entertained by these two ornithologists rendering the 

 isecognition of the two birds as sexes of one species less easy, Lesson having placed his 

 bird in the genus Furnarius, Dr. Hartlaub the bird he described in the genus Turdus, 

 the distribution of the colours and, to some extent, the form suggesting to his mind a 

 resemblance to the African genus Cossypha. For many years Lesson's views were usually 

 adopted ; but latterly its relationship to the Turdidse has been recognized partly from 

 a reexamination of the external form and partly from the discovery of the vocal powers 

 of the bird. There can now be but little doubt that Rhodinocichla must be considered 

 an aberrant Thrush or Wren, its affinity being, perhaps, nearer the latter family. 



The range of R. rosea is somewhat singular. In the State of Panama it seems to be, 

 as in Venezuela and Colombia, a very common bird. In Costa Eica its presence has 

 been recorded ; and that is all that can be said concerning it. Mr. Sclater's statement 

 of the existence of a Guatemalan specimen in the Derby Museum at Liverpool is all that 

 we know of the presence of the species in that country ; for, of the thousands of skins 

 we have examined from there, we have never met with a single example of B. rosea *. 

 It has never been detected in Southern Mexico ; but in North-western Mexico it has 

 been noticed by both Grayson and Xantus. It is to the former of these travellers that 

 we owe the chief note on the habits of the species. He says that it is found near 

 Mazatlan in the thickly wooded district bordering the river, where it remains through- 

 out the year concealing itself in the densest bush, its voluptuous and melodious song 

 being often heard when the bird is invisible. Bridges also^ speaks of having had his 

 attention attracted to the single bird he obtained at David by its very peculiar note. 



Subfam. MTIABECTINyE. 



MYIADECTES. 



Myiadestes, Swainson, Nat. Libr. Ornitli. x. p. 133 (1838). (Type M. genibarUs, Sw.) 



The position of this group of birds was long a matter of considerable doubt ; for 

 though Myiadectes was placed by some systematists in the family Ampelidse with 

 Ptilogonys and Phainopepla, it was felt that the many points of difference from those 

 genera possessed by it rendered its removal from their vicinity only a matter of time. 



In 1866 Prof. Baird made a careful and exhaustive examination of the external form 

 of Myiadectes when writing his ' Review of American Birds ; ' and though he placed it 

 in the family Ampelidse, he clearly pointed out the great affinity the genus has to the 

 Turdidse, suggesting its removal into that family in any remodelling of these groups of 

 birds. This plan has now been pretty generally adopted ; and recent writers on American 

 birds place Myiadectes either as a subfamily of the Turdidse or in the Sylviidse, two 



* Mr. Moore informs us that this specimen was purchased of Leadbeater in 1844. It bears a ticket with 

 " Guatimala " written on it in an unknown handwriting. 



