ANTHUS. 109 



Supra fuscuB, capitis et dorsi plumis pallida fulvo marginatis, alia et Cauda foscis fuMdo limbatis ; Cauda fusco- 

 nigra, rectricibus duabus utrinque externis gradatim fulvo-albidis ; subtus cum superciliia sordide albus 

 fulvo (prsecipue in pectore) tinctus, pectore fusco-nigro distincte maculato ; rostro eomeo, mandibnlaB basi 

 albicantiore ; pedibus flavidis. Long, tota 4-5-5, alae 2-4, caudae 1-8, rostri a rictu 0-6, tarsi 0-8. (Descr. 

 maris ex Santa F4, Panama. Mus. nostr.) 



Eab. Panama, Santa Fe (Arce''), line of railway (Galbraith^^).— South America 

 generally to Peeu ^ » and Beazil ^ ^. 



When endeavouring in 1867 to determine the proper name for a Veraguan specimen 

 of this little AntJius '', we were quite unable to detect any valid differences between it 

 and Amazonian and Brazilian examples of a bird we believe to be the Anthus rufus (Gm.). 

 Since then we have had opportunities of examining other specimens, which have tended 

 to confirm our opinion that all belong to a single species. This, too, is Mr. Sclater's 

 verdict, who has recently carefully investigated the subject 5. We believe, too, that 

 Anthus rufus may be used as the name of the species ; for though it does not extend 

 its range to Buenos Ayres, as D'Aubenton's name would imply, the figure can hardly 

 have been drawn from a specimen of any other South-American Pipit. If, however, it 

 can be shown that the name Anthus rufus is not strictly applicable to it, Mr. Lawrence's 

 title A. parvus may be used without doubt for the Central-American bird. 



Of the habits of this species little information has reached us. Mr. Galbraith^ 

 found it on the savannas near Panama, where it builds its nest on the ground, the 

 male ascending above the nest and remaining singing in the air for a long time. 

 Mr. Wallace ^ observed it in tolerable abundance on the open dry plains in the island 

 of Mexiana at the mouth of the Amazons ; and Natterer obtained ^ specimens near Eio 

 Janeiro at pools in the road and in the swamps. 



Pam. MNIOTILTID^*. 



Subfam. MNIOTILTINM^. 



MNIOTILTA. 



Mniotilta, Vieillot, Anal. p. 45 (1816). (Type Motacilla varia, Linn.) 

 Mniotilta, Baird, Brew. & Ridgw. N. Am. B. i. p. 180. 



This genus contains but a single species, which differs from the other genera of this 



* In the arrangement of this family we have to a great extent followed the system elaborated by Prof- 

 Baird in hi? ' Eeview of American Birds,' and used again in the ' History of North-American Birds.' Dr. Coues 

 has also followed the same general plan in his ' Birds of the Colorado Valley/ where, however, he has reduced 

 Prof. Baird's four subfamilies to three, introducing thereby greater simplicity of arrangement. The famUy 

 itself is on all hands confessedly one of arbitrary rather than natural limits ; but materials are not ripe for 

 a satisfactory recasting of it and the obviously allied groups Gcerebidce, Tanagrida, &c. 



t Cf. Coues, B, Col. Vail. i. p. 203. 



