PHAINOPEPLA. — PHAZNOPTILA. 221 



observers ; and the fullest summary of their notes is given by Dr. Coues in his ' Birds 

 the Colorado Valley.' 



Its food consists of insects and fruits, chiefly the berries of different species of 

 mistletoe. 



The nest is described as a shallow structure, placed on a horizontal branch in a lovi^ 

 tree ; it measures about four inches across, and is composed of fine sticks, fibres of 

 plants, and lined vpith a little cottonwood down and a stray feather. The number of 

 eggs in a nest does not exceed two. These are of a ground-colour varying from greenish 

 white to lavender and greyish white, and are spotted all over with different shades of 

 brown. The spots are small, and most thickly scattered about the larger end of 

 the egg. 



Lichtenstein's unpublished title, Ptilogonys aterrima, belongs to this species, as the 

 specimens in the Berlin Museum testify. These latter were obtained by Deppe at 

 Cimapan, and are probably the first examples sent to Europe. According to Bonaparte 2, 

 Lesson gave it the name of Lepturus galeatus in 1838 1^; but we have been unable to 

 find any reference to it in Lesson's writings. 



PHAINOPTILA. 



Phainoptila, Salvin, P. Z. S. 1877, p. 367. 



The wings in the single species of this genus are rounded, the proportional lengths 

 of the primaries being much as in Ptilogonys ; there is a long first primary, the second 

 being about twice its length ; the fourth and fifth are about equal and the longest in the 

 wing ; the bill is weak and narrow at the gape, and considerably depressed ; the nostrils 

 are open, and the rictal bristles short ; the tarsi are longer and stouter than in any of 

 the preceding genera, and in having a single shield in front resemble the tarsi of a 

 normal Thrush. 



On the whole, this genus seems best placed here in the family Ampelidse, at least for 

 the present, and until an examination of more of its structure than is represented by a 

 skin has been undertaken. 



Phainoptila is a monotypic genus, its single species being found in the mountains of 



Costa Rica. 



1. Phainoptila melanoxantha. (Tab. XIV.) 



Phamoptila melanoxantha, Salv. P. Z. S. 1877, p. 367'; Rowley, Om. Misc. ii. p. 439, t. 79'; 

 Boucard,P.Z. S. 1878, p. 53^ 



Nifcens nigra, peetore et abdominis lateribus cum crisso olivaceis, ventre medio ardesiaco; hypoehondriis et 



dorso postico luteis ; rostro et pedibus nigerrimis. Long, tota 9-0, ate 4-0, caud* 3-5, rostri a nctu 0-9, 



tarsi 1-0. (Descr. maris ex San Francisco, Costa Eica. Mus. nostr.) 

 Femina obscure olivacea, capita summo nigro, gutture et abdomine medio ardesiacis, pectore et abdominis 



lateribus olivaceis, hypochoiidriis luteis, rostro et pedibus nigris. (Descr. femmse ex Irazu, Costa Eica. 



Mus. nostr.) 



