/ CALLISTE ARTHUSI. 



THE VENEZUELAN GOLDEN TANAGER. 



PLATE XVI. 



Tanagra arthus Less. 111. Zool. pi. 9. 



Gray, Gen. p. 366. sp. 21. 



Calliste arthus Bp. Consp. p. 235. sp. 36. 



Calliste arthusi Sclater, Contr. Orn. 1851, p. 53 ; P. Z. S. 1856, 



p. 251. 



Chrysothraupis arthus, Bp. Rev. et Mag. de Zool. 1851, p. 442; Note s. 1. 

 Tang. p. 16. 



Mas adultus. Supra Isetissime aureus, rostri ambitu et regione 

 auricular! nigris : interscapulio nigro variegate : alarum tec- 

 tricibus et secundariis nigris virescenti-aureo limbatis : subtiis 

 castaneus, gutture aureo : ventre medio pallide flavo : rostro 

 et pedibus nigris : long, tota 5'7, alse 3*0, caudse 2*3 poll. 

 Angl. 



Foemina. Mari similis. 



M. Lesson first made knovpn this Tanager to science as long ago 

 as 1831, giving a sufficiently accurate figure of it in his work entitled 

 'Illustrations de Zoologie.' He indicates Mexico as its "habitat," 

 which I have no doubt is quite erroneous. It is, in fact, a native of 

 the wood-region of Venezuela, and does not appear to occur in any 

 other part of the American continent, but seems to be the represen- 

 tative in that country of C aurulenta and sclateri of New Grenada, 

 and C pulchra of Peru, to which it shows so much general resem- 

 blance in colouring. The first examples which came under my notice 

 were procured by that enterprising traveller and collector, the late 

 Mr. Dyson, on the estate of Curiana, near Cariaco, about 5000 feet 

 above the sea-level. I have since seen occasional specimens among 

 birds brought from Caraccas, but they are not of very common 

 occurrence. A very fine collection of birds lately transmitted by 

 M. Levraud, the French consul at Caraccas, to the Jardin des Plantes 

 at Paris, comprised several of this species, and also examples of 



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