43 
on the Ornithology of Guatemala . 
like another : they begin and end almost without one being aware 
of it. Nothing is easier than to strike a fresh path and to take 
a new guiding “ barranco,” instead of the one first chosen. 
A wide detour to reach the horses or a night passed in the 
forest may be the consequence of a mistake. From the com¬ 
mencement of the lofty trees one seems to be leaving the orni¬ 
thological world, and few birds are to be seen or heard; but the 
hour of our visit was ill-chosen, the morning and evening being 
the times when the feathered denizens of these forests show 
themselves in greater numbers. It was here, however, that I 
saw Lamprolcema rhami , and a little lower down Selasphorus he - 
loisce , two species of Humming-birds not easily matched for 
brilliancy, even by members of their own family. It was here 
that the first specimen of the Oreophasis derhianus was shot, 
Mr. Wyld being present on the occasion. Here occurs Trogon 
mexicanuSy and last, but not least, Pharomacrus paradiseus 3 the 
emblem of royalty in the times of the old monarchy of Quiche. 
I was not fortunate enough to see this most brilliant of Trogons, 
but in the region here described it certainly does occur, though 
perhaps sparingly. I cannot speak accurately of the elevation 
of this forest, but, if I may hazard a conjecture, I should say 
that Chirostemon platanoides begins to replace the evergreen oaks 
at about 7000 feet above the sea-level, and that the forest where 
that tree forms the most marked feature extends to perhaps an 
elevation of 10,000 or 11,000 feet, it then being itself succeeded 
by pines. 
Fam. CUCULID^J. 
68. Piaya thermophila , Sclater, P. Z. S. 1859, p. 368: sp. 224. 
Coban and Yzabal. This species has a wide climatic range. 
I have observed it at an elevation greater than that of Dueiias. 
The same remark applies to Geococcyx affinis and Crotophaga 
sulcirostris. 
69. Coccyzus americanus (6m.) : Baird, Rep. p. 76. N. A. 
Coban. 
Fam. PICIDiE. 
70. Centurus puckeranii (Malli.) : sp. 235. 
Cohan and Yzabal. 
