Plate III. 



LIPAIIGUS RUFESCEM 



(SPECKLED MODMEK). 



Lipaugus rvfescens . . . Sclater, P.Z.S. 1857, p. 276. 



Sclater, P.Z.S. 1861, p. 211. 

 Scl. et Salv. Ibis, 1859, p. 124. 

 Scl. et Salv. P.Z.S. 1864, p. 361. 

 Lawrence, Ann. Lye. N.T. vii. p. 330. 



L. rufescenti-brunneus, snbtns clarior, uropygio et corpore subtus nigro, vittas obsoletas formante, subtilissime 

 transfasciatis : plumarum maeulis apicalibus rotundis in pectore, ventre medio et crisso sparsis, nigris : remigibus 

 nigricantibus, intus et extus rnfo marginatis : alarum tectricibus superioribus intus fuscis, extiis rufis, purpurascente 

 nigro anguste terminatis ; snbalaribus runs ; fasciculo pectorali utrinque croceo : cauda unicolore, rufescenti-brunnea, : 

 rostro nigricante, pedibus fuscis : long, tota 8*5, alas 4*4, caudss 3'6. Foem. mari similis, sed maeulis corporis inferioris 

 et fasciis tectricum alarum terminalibus carens. 



Sab. in Isthmo Panamensi (McCleannan) : Chepo, prov. Panamens. (Arce): Yeragua (Arce). 



The specimen of this bird in the Derby Museum, originally described by Mr. Sclater, was 

 said to have been obtained at Coban in Guatemala, but, as has been already stated in our notes 

 on Mr. McCleannan' s Panama collections,* we have now grave doubts as to the correctness of the 

 locality assigned to it. Certain it is, that among the thousands of Guatemalan skins that have 

 come under our observation, we have never seen an example of this species, nor could Mr. 

 Salvin obtain any information as to its existence in Vera Paz. Veragua is the most northern 

 locality we can record with certainty for this species, examples of it in the collection of Messrs. 

 Salvin and Godman, from one of which the figure of the male is taken, having been obtained 

 near Santiago de Veraguas in that province by Enrique Arce, in 1865. Further south, 

 Mr. McCleannan has collected specimens in the vicinity of Lion-hill Station on the Panama 

 Eailway, and Arce met with the same bird during his excursion to Chepo, about 40 miles south 

 of the town of Panama, in 1864. The figure of the female is from a specimen obtained on this 

 occasion, which is now in Mr. Sclater' s collection. 



It is to Arce that we are mainly indebted for our knowledge of the diversity of the sexes 

 in this bird and its southern allies, which appears to have hitherto escaped observation. 

 According to this indefatigable collector's marked specimens, it is only the male of this species 

 which possesses the irregularly placed round black spots on the lower surface, and the narrow 

 black purplish-shining edgings of the upper wing-coverts. The lateral pectoral tuft is likewise 

 less developed in the female. On carefully examining the southern congeners of this bird we 

 find indications of the existence of corresponding differences. In L. hypopyrrhus of Brazil 

 the belly of the male shows a number of rufous feathers interspersed among the gray plumage, 

 each of which bears a round terminal black spot. In what we consider to be the female of this 

 species, the coloured feathers with their terminal spots are entirely absent. In L. lateralis-) 

 which Mr. G. E. Gray, as it appears to us, has incorrectly re-united to L. Jiypopyrrlius, we 

 believe that somewhat similar differences will be found to occur, although the specimens before 

 us do not suffice to show them very evidently. 



Leaving to future observers the authentication of these observations, we subjoin to our 

 account of this bird, a list of the ten species of the genus known to us, amended from Mr. Sclater s 

 previously published list in the Zoological Society's " Proceedings" for 1861, (p. 210, et seq.) 



* P.Z.S. 1864, p. 361. 



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