Plate X. 



CINCLOCERTHIA RUFICAUDA. 



(BED-TAILED TREMBLER). 



Stenorhynchus ruficaudus 

 Ginclocerthia ruficauda 



Gould, RZ.S. 1835, p. 186. 



G-. E. Gray, List of Gen. p. 17, (1840). 



Scl. RZ.S. 1855, p. 214 • 1859, p. 338 ; 1866, p. 320, et Cat. Am. B. p. 7. 



Lafr. Eev. Zool. 1843, p. 67. 



Less. Eev. Zool. 1843, p. 325. 



Hamphocinclus tretnulus 



Herminierus guadeloupensis, et JBC. infaustus 



Fumoso-brunnea unicolor, dorso imo, alis et cauda rufescentibus : subtus paulo dilutior, magis cinerascens : rostro 

 nigro, basi rufescente; pedibus fuscis ; long, tota 95, alae 40, caudal 3'4, rostri a rictu 17. 

 Bab. in insula Guadaloupensi (IS Herminier) : Nevis (Cottle). 

 Mus. Brit. 



The peculiar form of the American group of Miming or Mock-thrushes to which this 

 and the two succeeding birds belong, was first made known to science by Mr. Gould, in the 

 Proceedings of the Zoological Society for 1835. Mr. Gould, who was acquainted with the 

 present bird only, proposed to call it Stenorhynchus ruficaudus, but the former name having been 

 previously used in several departments of Zoology, was altered by Mr. G. E. Gray to 

 Ginclocerthia in 1840. Mr. Gould did not assign any position to the present form in the 

 Systema Naturae, and Mr. G. E. Gray has associated it with the Furnariinaa. But there can 

 be no doubt that M. de Lafresnaye's reference of it to the Turdidse is correct, and that it must 

 be placed amongst the Mock-thrushes, along with Ramphocinclus, to which it is closely allied. 

 M. de Lafresnaye, indeed, has described the present bird as a second species of Ramphocinclus, 

 as has been already pointed out by Mr. Sclater.* But the peculiar elongated form of the head, 

 the short stout tarsi and robust feet of the three species of Ginclocerthia seem to necessitate the 

 generic separation of the two forms. 



The present species has hitherto only been recorded as having been received from Nevis 

 and Guadeloupe, though it probably also occurs in the intermediate island of Monserrat. Two 

 examples of it in the British Museum were obtained in the first-named island, by Mr. Cottle. 

 M. de Lafresnaye's and M. Lesson's skins were alike from Guadeloupe, the latter having been 

 sent to Europe by Dr. L'Herminier, well-known for his excellent essay on the sterna of 

 birds and other works. Mr. Sclater has a single skin of this species, purchased of one of the 

 Parisian dealers, without any assigned locality. From this specimen our figure has been taken. 



As to the habits of this bird we have unfortunately no information, but from the singular 

 name which it bears in Guadeloupe, and which is shared by its representative in the island of 

 Sta. Lucia,| we cannot but suppose that its mode of life exhibits some peculiarities. 



* See Proc. Zool. Soc, 1855, p. 212. 



f " Le Merle Trembleuse. 



January, 1867. 



[19] 



