304 TANAGEtDiE. 



wide range over nearly the whole of the northern portion of the continent, the other, 

 L. versicolor, occupying a much more restricted country, being confined to South-eastern 

 Peru and North-eastern Bolivia. 



The long strong bill of Lanio, with its terminal hook and prominent dentate process 

 on the middle of the commissure of the maxilla, is a conspicuous characteristic of the 

 genus, as distinguished from Pyranga and its allies. Besides this it has a more elon- 

 gated body, and the tail considerably produced. The wings are long, the third and 

 fourth quills being the longest. The tarsi are short, and the feet feeble. 



The species of Lanio are birds of the forest, where they feed on fruit and insects, 

 and frequent the upper parts of the forest-trees. 



I. Lanio aurantins. 



Lanio aurantius, Lafr. Rev. Zool. 1846^ p. 204 ^ ; Bp. Consp. i. p. 240 ° ; DuBus, Esq. Om. t. 21 '; 

 Scl. P. Z. S. 1856, pp. 1]9 \ 303 ' ; 1857, p. 229 ' ; Scl. & Salv. Ibis, 1859, p. 15 ' ; Ex. Orn. 

 p. 61, t. 31 " ; Sumichrast, Mem. Bost. Soc. N. H. i. p. 549 ' ; Lawr. Bull. U. S. Nat. Mus. 

 no. 4, p. 19'°. 



Luteus, capite undique cum thorace, alls et cauda nigris, pectore fulvescente, humeris et subalaribus albis ; rostro 

 nigro, pedibus fusco-nigris. Long, tota 8-0, alse 4-2, caudae 3-8, rostri a rictu 0-9, tarsi 0-75. 



5 supra brunnea, uropygio ferrugineo, capite toto cinerasceati-oobraceo, gula pallidiore ; subtus olivacea, 

 abdomine medio flavicante, crisso ferrugineo. (Descr. maris ex Choctum, feminae ex Kamhal, Guatemala. 

 Mus. nostr.) 



Hob. Mexico, Orizaba (SallS^^), Santecomapam {Boucard^), hot region of Vera Cruz, 

 San Uvero, Omealca {Sumichrast^), Guichicovi [Sumichrast ^^); Beitish Hondueas, 

 Belize [Blancaneaux) ; Guatemala, Choctum, Kamkal, Kampamak {0. S. & 

 F. I). G.) ; Hondueas {Byson^'^ ^). 



The habitat of this species has been given as Colombia ^ ^ ; but this is clearly an 

 error, as its range is now known to lie between Southern Mexico and Honduras. In 

 the former country Sumichrast considers it an inhabitant of hot districts, its range in 

 altitude not exceeding 1500 or 1600 feet. He further observes that the habits of the 

 species are somewhat like those of th© Tyrant Flycatchers, and that it is more insecti- 

 vorous than most Tanagers ^. In Guatemala its range is restricted to the forests of 

 Northern Vera Paz, where it is abundant, and northwards in the extension of the same 

 forests to the vicinity of Belize. At Choctum and its neighbourhood it is quite common, 

 and here our native hunters obtained us a good supply of specimens. The highest 

 point where we found it was at Kamkal, a little to the northward of Cohan, and nearly 

 4000 feet above the sea. Here a female was shot as she sat in the upper branches of 

 a forest tree. 



L. aurantius can readily be distinguished from the more southern species by its black 

 throat, below which is a large rusty patch of colour. 



The general resemblance in colour of these birds to some of the Icteri is remarkable. 



