MERULA GIGANTODES (Саб.). 
PERUVIAN GIANT OUZEL. 
Turdus gigantodes, Cab. J. f. O. 1873, p. 315 
Merula gigantodes, Seebohm, Cat. Birds Brit. Mus. v. p. 244 (1881). 
Merulissima gigantodes, Seebohm, t. c. p. 232. 
M. maxima: alá 5:9 poll.: rostro et pedibus flavis: suprà fuliginoso-nigra; subtüs vix pallidior. Similis M. giganti, 
sed ubique saturatior. 
JELSKI discovered this species at Maraynioc, in Central Peru, and shortly afterwards it was found by 
the late Henry Whitely in the Andes of Cusco and at Ccachupata (Sclater & Salvin, P. Z. S. 1874, 
p.503). Mr. Stolzmann found it very common at Cutervo, at an altitude of from 8000 to 10,000 feet, 
in the non-wooded Sierra, where it kept to the low brushwood. Like Agriornis solitaria, it was one 
of the earliest of the birds in that part of the country, heralding the approach of dawn with its 
agreeable song. It loves also to sing in the evening, but it is seldom to be heard in the middle of 
the day. On going out at daybreak into the country the song of these Thrushes can be heard on all 
sides, but as soon as the sun appears they are all silent. Тһе natives recognize seven variations in 
the song of this bird, its call-note being a tschach-tschach. It feeds principally on the ground. Inthe 
stomach of one of these birds Mr. Jelski has found strawberries, other kinds of berries, the seeds 
of Agalium, besides larve and other insects (Orn. Pérou, i. p. 495). 
This species also occurs in Ecuador, as two specimens from the neighbourhood of Quito in the 
British Museum are not to be separated from Peruvian examples. 
Тһе egg, which is found in the early days of June, is, according to Taczanowski, greenish, varied 
over the whole surface with scattered irregular markings of pale violet-grey, with other spots of 
a somewhat dark reddish-brown, the large end being almost entirely covered with these markings. 
Adult female. General colour above dark chocolate-brown, the feathers with edges of lighter 
chocolate; wings and tail slightly blacker; crown of head and sides of face a little darker chocolate- 
brown than the back; under surface of body also dark chocolate-brown, with faintly indicated 
margins of olivaceous-brown ; under tail-coverts blackish-brown ; under wing-coverts and axillaries 
dark chocolate-brown ; quills sepia-brown below, ashy along the inner webs: “bill and feet orange- 
yellow, the claws horn-colour; iris cherry-red ; eyelids yellow ” (J. Stolzmann). Total length 
13 inches, culmen 1:25, wing 5:9, tail 5:3, tarsus 1:75. 
The light margins to the feathers which are plainly visible in the bird described, which is from 
Ccachupata, are also seen in another female from Cuzco. Ina bird from Quito, however, which is in 
worn plumage and has evidently finished breeding, the general colour is darker, and there is no sign 
of any light edgings, which I take to be, in all probability, a character of the winter plumage. 
The specimen described is from Ccachupata, collected by Whitely, іп the Sclater Collection ; 
and the bird figured is one in the Seebohm Collection, obtained by Whitely in the Andes of Cuzco. 
[R. B.S. 
