184 



THE AMERICAN NATURALIST 



[Vol. XLI 



rump black, somewhat dusky olive anteriorly; upper tail coverts 

 and tail black; breast pale tawny-ochraceous becoming ochra- 

 ceous-buff posteriorly; a wide crescent shaped marking of white 

 or sometimes cream-buff, around upper part of black belly patch; 

 belly and under tail coverts black; thighs slate color; under 

 wing coverts and axillars banded black and pale hazel, the tips 

 of the feathers sometimes buff. 



British Honduras. 

 Belize, British Hondu 



130327 — " 177. 58. 80. 65. 



148192 — " 184. 62. 77. — 



15246^ c?ad. Yucatan, Rio Lagartos 177. 63.5 74. 62.5 



33668^ — Guatemala, Chiapam 187. 62. 78. 66. 



42777 — Central Guatemala 176. 58. 75.5 66. 



Remarks. Typical A. alhwentris occurs only, so far as I know, 

 in the coast region of British Honduras and Yucatan, and in its 

 very pale coloration parallels other bird forms of the same region 

 such as the clapper rail, lately named Rallus pallidus by Nelson. 



Two specimens from Guatemala I refer here, though they are 

 intermediates, between A. alhirnitri>f alhirnitri.'i and A. alhirnifri.s' 



Yucatan and British Honduras {'xaiiiplcs, the other from (liiaj)ain 

 on the Pacific coast being more like the Mexican bird. To the 

 northward true A. alhiventris is replaced by a darker form with 

 less distinct and more fulvous crescentic marking on the belly, 

 that occupies southern Mexico and that I have named below as a 

 new subs|)eci<>s. Farther south in Central .Vnierica .1. alhlrmfrh 

 is represent<-<l l,v u form .1. pi innhrin,!! is .,nit(- .HtlVrcnt 



like it in gcncial tiiat 1 have no hesitation in regarding the south- 

 ern form as a snl)^[)('( i«v^ latlier than a segregate species. 



^CoU. AiuericHU Muscnun of Xutural History. 

 'Coll. Unitod States Xatioual Museum. 

 3 Coll. E. A. and O. Bangs. 



