76 TEOGLODTTIDiE, 



MICEOCEECULUS. 



Microcerculm (section of Cyphorhinus), Sclater, Cat. Am. B. p. 19 (1862); Baird, Rev. Am. B. i. 

 p. 113 (1864). (Type Turdus bambla, Bodd.) 



This name was first used by Mr. Sclater to designate a section of Cyphorhinus, and 

 afterwards employed in a generic sense by Prof. Baird, who, however, was unable fully 

 to describe some of the characters, owing to the imperfection of his specimens. 



Like Cyphorhinus, Microcerculus has a compressed bill, high at its base, but not so 

 high or so much compressed as in that genus. The form of the nostril is quite diffe- 

 rent, being partially covered by a membrane ; the nostril itself touches the lower edge 

 of the nasal fossa, and is comma-shaped, the tail of the comma pointing forwards. No 

 septum or division is visible externally ; and therefore the nostril appears single, and 

 not double, as supposed by Prof. Baird. The tail in Microcerculus is very short, hardly 

 exceeding half the wing. 



In general dimensions this genus is considerably less than Cyphorhinus, differing, 

 too, in the prevailing dark brown colour of its plumage. 



Six species of Microcerculus are now known. These are distributed as follows : — 

 Guiana has M. hambla peculiar to itself ; in Eastern Ecuador M. albigularis is alone 

 found ; Peru and Colombia share M. marginatus ; whilst to the interior of Venezuela, 

 near the Colombian frontier, M. sguamatulus appears to be restricted ; tHen we have 

 our two Central-American species, M. luscinia of the Colombian State of Panama and 

 M. fhilomela of Northern Vera Paz. Microcerculus, like Cyphorhinus, is absent from 

 South-eastern Brazil. 



1. Microcerculus philomela. (Tab. V. fig. 3.) 



Ruisefior; Salv. Ibis, 1861, p. 144 \ 



Cyphorhinus philomela, Salv. P. Z. S. 1861, p. 202'; Ibis, 1861, p. 352 '. 



Microcerculus philomela, Baird, Eev. Am. B. i. p. 114* (partim). 



Supra brunneus, plumis anguste nigro marginatis, pileo et uropygio obscurioribus ; subtus fuUginosTis, plumis 

 mediaKter nigris et nigro terminaiis, gula pallidiore, hypoobondriis brunneis nigro transfasciatis ; alia 

 caudaque nigris, alarum tectrioibus majoribus macula parva subapicali oehrascenti-alba notatis ; rostro 

 nigro; pedibus fuBois. Long, tota 4*0, alse 2'3, caudse 1"0, tarsi 0'85, rostri a rictu 0-8. (Descr. exempl. 

 typ. ex Vera Paz. Mus. nostr.) 



Hab. Guatemala, Choctum ^ ^, forests above Lanquin ^, forests between Cahabon and 

 ^wxlmi^ {0. 8. & F.B. G.). 



This interesting little species seems to be restricted to the vast forests of Northern 

 Vera Paz, which lie between the Cohan highlands and the department of Peten. It 

 was during an expedition in search of Quezals, in the mountains above Lanquin, that 

 Salvin first came across it, hearing its remarkable song, but unable to secure speci- 

 mens ^ These were afterwards obtained by a native collector between Choctum and 

 Chisec, and described ia the ' Proceedings of the Zoological Society ' 2. The bird was 



