MERULA OLIVATRA, Lafr. 
OCHRE-BREASTED OUZEL. 
Merula olivatra, Lafr. Rev. Zool. 1848, p. 2; Seebohm, Cat. Birds Brit. Mus. v. p. 272 (1881). 
Turdus olivater, Scl. P. Z. S. 1859, p. 333. 
M. gastreo let? ochrascenti-brunneo: pileo et gutture toto nigris: појео olivascenti-brunneo: rostro flavo: 
pedibus rufescenti-brunneis. 
Or this Ouzel, which is apparently confined to Venezuela, very little is known. It was originally 
described from Caracas, and specimens from this locality are in the Salvin-Godman, Sclater, and 
Seebohm Collections in the British Museum. Тһе Salvin-Godman Collection also contains an 
example from Valencia, where it was obtained by Mr. A. Goering. Sallé states that he met with the 
species between Guayra and Caracas (Sclater, Р. Z. S. 1859, p. 332). Although Lafresnaye records 
its range as extending to Bogotá (/. c.), the species has not occurred in recent Colombian 
collections. 
Merula olivatra belongs to a very distinct section of the Black-headed Ouzels, and, with the 
exception of М. roraime, does not seem to have any close ally. The olive back, ochraceous under 
surface, combined with the black head and throat, present a combination of colours which readily 
distinguishes the species. 
Adult male. General colour above dark olive-brown, rather lighter on the hind-neck and upper 
mantle; wing-coverts like the back; bastard-wing, primary-coverts, and quills blackish-brown, 
externally olive-brown, the innermost secondaries like the back ; tail-feathers blackish-brown, slightly 
washed with olive on the margins; crown of head and nape, sides of face, and centre of fore-neck 
black; base of chin white; sides of fore-neck and remainder of under surface of body ochraceous- 
brown, a little darker and more olive on the sides of the body, thighs, and under tail-coverts, the 
latter with narrow whitish tips; under wing-coverts and axillaries like the breast; "quas 8 
below, ashy along the inner webs: bill yellow; feet reddish-brown (in skin): “iris brick-red 
(4. Sallé). Total length 8:5 inches, culmen 0:95, wing 4:45, tail 3-3, tarsus 1:15. 
Another specimen, marked “ male" by Dr. Sclater, is rather more earthy-brown below. 
Тће descriptions are taken from Caracas specimens in the Sclater and Salvin-Godman Collections. 
The figure is drawn from an example in the Seebohm Collection, also from Caracas. | 
[R. B. $. 
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