310 TANAGRID^. 



Costa Kica is the northern limit of the range of this species ; but neither here nor 

 in the adjoining parts of the State of Panama does it appear to be abundant. On the 

 line of the Panama railway, however, it is common enough. Salmon obtained its nest 

 and eggs at Medellin in Colombia, and he says that it builds in high grass. The eggs 

 are a pale salmon-colour, with a few large isolated dark-brown spots ^. 



2. Tachyphonus luctuosus. 



Tachyphonus luctuosus, d'Orb. & Lafr. Syn. Av. i. p. 29'; Scl. P. Z. S. 1856, p. 114"; 1860, 

 pp. 274', 292 ^ Cassin, Pr. Ac. PHI. 1860, p. 141 °; Lawr. Ann. Lye. K Y. vii. p. 297"; 

 ix. p. 100'; Scl. & Salv. P.Z. S. 1864, p. 351'; 1868, p. 167"; 1879, p. 503"; Pelz, Orn. 

 Bras. p. 213"; Finscli, P. Z. S. 1870, p. 582"; Salv. Ibis, 1872, p. 317". 



Pyranga luctuosa, d'Orb. Voy. Am. Mer. Ois. p. 263, t, 20. f. 1, 2 ". 



NigerrimuB, tectricibus alarum minoribus et subalaribus albis ; rostro nigro, mandibulae basi plumbeseente. 

 Long, tota 5-2, alae 5-6, caudse 2-3, rostri a rictu 0-6, tarsi 0-6. (Descr. maris ex Angostura, Costa Eica. 

 Mus. nostr.) 

 5 olivacea, capite cinerascente, pileo saturatiore, gula albicante, corpore subtus reliquo flavo, subalaribus albis. 

 (Descr. feminae ex Santa Eita, Ecuador. Mus. nostr.) 



Eab. NiCAEAGUA, Chontales {Belt ^^) ; Costa Rica, Angostura ^, Tuis '^, Valza (Carmiol) ; 

 Panama, line of railway {M'Leannan^^), Chepo [Arce], Eio Truando {Wood^). 

 — South America generally from Colombia i° to Guiana, Western Brazil i^, and 

 Bolivia 1 1*. 



Though not uncommon in collections of birds from Costa Eica, this species of 

 Tachyphonus has only been recorded from that portion of the State of Panama which 

 lies near the South-American continent. From Chiriqui and the Province of Veraguas 

 it appears to be absent. 



On the isthmus of Darien Mr. Wood observed it at an encampment in the mountains 

 near the river Truando. Here it frequented high trees and was rarely seen, being 

 very shy and active ^. Mr. Wood speaks of the female being brown ; but the bird 

 alluded to was probably the female of T. delattrii. 



In the continent of South America, T. luctuosus has a very extensive range. It was 

 first discovered in Bolivia by d'Orbigny i, and since then has been traced over most of 

 the tropical portions of the continent, with the exception of Eastern Brazil. In the 

 valley of the Amazons we have but few records of it. Natterer, however, obtained it 

 at Borba ^^ ; but it escaped Bartlett's observation. In Ecuador our records of it are 

 from the western slopes of the Andes. From the lowlands of Guiana we have several 

 examples, and thence it spreads westwards to Trinidad ^^ and Venezuela ^. Tachyphonus 

 luctuosus has no near allies, though T. nitidissimus has a general resemblance to it ; 

 the occipital crest of that species renders it easily recognized. 



