102 
MYIOTHERA OBSOLETA. 
to be generically distinct from those of the correspond'] 1 ' 
parts of America, as was known to he the fact, in w 
case of the ant-eating' quadrupeds. This opinion 
founded on the admitted axiom, that nature aln'"?' 
varies her groups in remote tropical regions having ^ 
communication with each other. The reverse, howe vffl 
is the fact, in the case of the ant-catchin<r birds, as ** 
find perfect analogies between the species residing 11 
those distant, parts of the globe, even throughout u* 
different sections into which the genus may be divid 1 ’ ’ 
The rocky mountain antcatcher is six inches 1 0$ 
The bill, measured from the corner of the mouth, 
more than one inch in length, being slightly cur' 1 ' 1 , 
almost from the base; it is very slender, being neanj 
two-eighths of an inch in diameter at the base, **’, 
only the sixteenth of an inch in the middle, whence ' 
continues to diminish to the tip ; and is of a dark boj* 
colour, paler beneath. The feet, are dusky; and 
length of the tarsus is seven-eighths of an inch. T*/ 
irides are dark brown ; the whole plumage above is j 
a dusky-brownish, slightly undulated with pale, tin*' j 
with dull ferruginous on the top of the head ,11 'i 
superior portions of the back. The sides of the he* 
" " isiw 
are dull whitish, with a broad brown line 
pas: 
through the eye to the commencement of the 
The chin, throat, and breast, are whitish, each featw 
being marked by a longitudinal line of light bro" ( 'j ( 
The belly is white ; and the flanks are slightly tin? 1 ’ 1 , 
with ferruginous. The primaries are entirely destit 1 , 
of undulations or spots; the tail-coverts are pale, c' 11 ,. 
with four or five fuscous hands ; the inferior tail coVC rt> 
are white, each being bifaseiate with blackish bro*£ 
The tad is nearly two inches long, rounded, broa®J 
tipped with ferruginous j'ellow, and having a nan’ 11 ,| 
black band before the tip; the remaining part of the 
pH 1 
is of the same colour with the wings, and is obsolet 1 ’^ 
banded, these bands being more distinct on the t" ( i 
middle feathers, which are destitute of the black *” 
yellowish termination ; the exterior feather is du s 
iky 
