Page:Birds of North and Middle America partV Ridgway.djvu/56

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BULLETIN 50, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM.

tomium nearly straight, conspicuously notched subterminally; gonys moderately convex, strongly ascending terminally, prominent basally; mandibular tomium straight or slightly concave toward tip, slightly notched subterminally; width of bill at frontal antiæ about three-fourths its depth at same point. Nostril exposed, broadly longitudinally oval, with distinct internal tubercle. Rictal bristles obvious but small, the loral feathers with thickened bristly shafts. Wing moderate or rather short, excessively rounded, with longest primaries very little if any longer than secondaries; second, third, and fourth, or third, fourth, and fifth primaries longest and equal, tenth (outermost) about three-fifths as long as longest, the ninth very much, eighth slightly, shorter than secondaries. Tail three-fourths to more than five-sixths as long as wing, much rounded (graduation about equal to distance from nostril to tip of maxilla), the rectrices (12) rather broad, rounded terminally. Tarsus more than one-third as long as wing, distinctly scutellate, the elongate- quadrate plantar scutella in two longitudinal series; middle toe, with claw, decidedly shorter than tarsus; outer toe, without claw, reaching to or slightly beyond middle of subterminal phalanx of middle toe, the inner toe slightly but decidedly shorter; hallux about as long as inner toe but much stouter; basal phalanx of middle toe united for most of its length to outer toe, for about half its length to inner toe; claws moderately developed, that of the hallux decidedly shorter than the digit. Plumage blended, very full, that of rump much developed and lax; pileum with a conspicuous decumbent crest of distinctly outlined, rather narrow feathers.

Coloration. — Under parts (except, sometimes, thighs and under tail-coverts), including malar region, immaculate white; upper parts black in adult males, rufous-brown or chestnut in adult females, the wing-coverts tipped with white (primaries sometimes edged with white), the tail sometimes transversely spotted with white.[1]

Range. — Southern Mexico to Argentina. (About four species and subspecies.)

TARABA TRANSANDEANA TRANSANDEANA (Sclater).

HOLLAND'S ANTSHRIKE.

Adult male. — Entire upper parts, including sides of head (down to upper margin of malar region) and sides of neck, black, relieved by conspicuous white tips to all the wing-coverts[2] and white edges

to alula, the terminal portion of remiges duller blackish or more


  1. Thamnophilus rohelei Berlepsch, of Paraguay, referred to this group by Dr. Sclater, has the under parts black in the adult male with the breast varied with white. This species I have not seen and therefore do not know whether it is really a member of this genus or not.
  2. Sometimes a few of the primaries are narrowly edged with white.