568 



Annals of the Carnegie Museum. 



form. Since the type is from Cayenne, it is very probable that Costa 

 Rican birds are the same or nearly so, while it is quite possible that 

 the Mexican birds are separable under the name of excellens Sclater. 



300. Dromococcyx phasianellus (Spix). 



Macropus phasianellus Spix, Av. Bras., I, 1824, 53, PI. 42. 



Dromococcyx phasianellus Wied, [Beitr. [Naturg. Bras., IV, 1832, 353. — Ca- 

 banis, Jour. liirOrn., 1862, 171 (Costa Rica, one specimen [Frantzius]). — 

 Lawrence, Ann. Lye. N. Y., IX, 1868, 218 (Costa Rica [Frantzius]). — 

 Frantzius, Jour, fur Orn., 1869, 361 (C. R.). — Zeledon, An. Mus. Nac. de 

 C. R., I, 1887, 123 (Santa Maria de Dota, two specimens). — Shelley, Cat, 

 Birds Brit. Mus., XIX, 1891, 426 (no C. R. specimens). — Salvin and 

 Godman, Biol. Centr.-Am., Aves, II, 1896, 542 (Mexico to Brazil). — Bangs, 

 Auk, XXIV, 1907, 292 (Boruca, one V [Underwood]). 



U. S. Nat. Museum: Santa Maria de Dota (Zeledon). 



Bangs Collection: Bebedero, cT ; Bolson, ? (Underwood). 



Carnegie Museum; Pozo Azul de Pirris, 9 juv.; Buenos Aires de 



Terraba, c? (Carriker). 



The Pheasant Cuckoo, as it is sometimes called, is also a very rare 

 bird, not only in Costa Rica, but throughout its extensive range, little 

 or nothing being known concerning its habits. In Costa Rica, so far 

 as is known, it inhabits only the lowlands of the Pacific coast, and has 

 been taken at widely separated points, ranging from near Chiriqui 

 almost to the Nicaraguan boundary. I have met with but two of 

 these birds, but on both occasions was able to learn something con- 

 cerning their curious habits. The first one was at Pozo Azul de Pirris, 

 an immature female, which had not yet left the nest, although fully 

 fledged, and able to fly quite well. The birds had occupied an old 

 nest of Craspedoprion brevirostris, which was suspended from a limb 

 of a large tree, about twenty feet above the ground. (For description 

 of nest see Craspedoprion brevirostris.) When I threw a stick against 

 the limb above the nest the young bird flew out. I did not see either 

 of the parent birds, although I searched the immediate vicinity, not 

 only that day but several times later. 



I secured another at Buenos Aires, an adult male, under rather 

 peculiar circumstances. While walking along a road through some 

 scrubby woodland near the river about noon, I was surprised to hear 

 the most peculiar sounds imaginable, coming from the edge of the 

 scrub just ahead and apparently on the ground. There were hoarse 

 guttural chuckles and hissing noises of a most indescribable nature, 



