278 BULLETIN 60, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 
Small Dendrocolaptide (length about 140-160 mm.) with small 
slender bill, long, graduated tail with acuminate tips of very rigid 
rectrices strongly decurved, and inner webs of remiges crossed by a 
broad band of buff or ochraceous. 
Bill much shorter than head, nearly subulate, rather broad and 
depressed basally, its width at latero-frontal antiz much greater than 
its depth at same point and equal to half the distance from nostril 
to tip of maxilla or a little less; culmen distinctly ridged, gently 
decurved from near base; maxillary tomium nearly straight for most 
of its length, distinctly but slightly decurved terminally, without 
trace of subterminal notch, the tip of maxilla forming a fine, more 
or less distinctly decurved, point; gonys nearly straight and slightly 
ascending terminally, faintly convex basally. Nostril exposed, pos- 
teriorly in contact with latero-frontal feathering, narrow, nearly 
horizontal, margined above by a rather broad membraneous oper- 
culum. Rictal bristles obvious but minute; feathers of chin and 
loral region with small terminal sete. Wing rather long and pointed, 
the longest primaries exceeding secondaries by about length of tarsus; 
eighth and ninth, or seventh and eighth, primaries longest, the tenth 
(outermost) about two-thirds as long as the longest. Tail equal to 
or longer than wing, graduated for one-third its length, or more, the 
rectrices (12) abruptly acuminate, with their very rigid shafts very 
strongly decurved and twisted subterminally. Tarsus much longer 
than culmen, slender, distinctly scutellate (endaspidean) ; middle toe, 
with claw, slightly shorter than tarsus; outer toe, with or without 
claw, as long as or very slightly longer than middle toe; inner toe, 
without claw, reaching to slightly beyond subterminal articulation of 
middle toe; hallux much shorter than inner toe, not stouter; middle 
toe united to outer toe by the whole of its first and about half its 
second phalanx, to inner toe by greater part of first phalanx; anterior 
claws large, very strongly curved and acute, that of the hallux much 
less curved, longer than the digit. 
Coloration—Rump, tail-coverts, tail, and secondaries cinnamon- 
rufous, chestnut, or rufous-tawny; pileum and hindneck grayish olive 
to tawny brown, the back similar or browner; under parts plain 
grayish olive to olive-ochraceous; inner webs of remiges crossed 
obliquely by a broad band of ochraceous-buff, and secondaries with 
an extensive subterminal (mostly concealed) area of black. Sexes 
alike. 
Nidification.—Nests in holes; eggs white. 
Range.—Southern Mexico to Venezuela, Tobago, southeastern 
Brazil, Paraguay, Argentina, Bolivia, and Ecuadér. (About ten 
species and subspecies.) 
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