*C
i i,11 il,
" H o
' ; i
“u
ÏURDUS CROTOPEZUS.
(LICHTEKSTEIFS TIIKÜSH).
Tu rd u s crotopezus
Tm d u s albicollis
L ic h i. Do u b l. p. 38 (1823).
M a s . B e itr. iii. p. 64G (1831).
Cab. Mua, H eiu . I . p. 4.
Sclater, P.Z.S . 1859, p. 327, e t Ca t. Am. B. p. 3.
Spix, Av. Bras. i. p. 71, t, 70.
Olivaceo-brunneus, pileo obscuriore, c au d â c ineraceo-nigricante : su b tù s pallidè cinereus, g u lâ dense n ig ro s tr ia ta ;
plag a su b g u ttu ra li e t v e n tre medio cum crisso p u rè albis, la te rib u s fulvescentibus ; su b a larib u s p a llidè cinnamomeis:
r o s tr i maxillâ corneâ, m andibulâ flava ; p edibus p a llidè c arneis ; long, to ta 8 '5 , aire 4.4 , caudæ 3 3, ta rs i l '2 . Fem.
m a ri similis sed coloribus p a u lè obscurioribus.
Ha b . in Bra sil merid. orien t, pro v . Bahieusi.
This TIn-ush has been fì-equently confounded with Turdus leucomelas figm-ed in oui- last
plate, from which, however, it is readily distinguishable by tbe brownish olive back, and the
pure whito neck-spot and belly. But it is a much more difficult task to differentiate it from
some forms o f its variable northem representative Turdus tristis, under which denomination ive
propose to unite the birds hitherto called Turdus assimilis* and T. leucauchen, as well as the
Mcrula tiistis, o f Swainson. As a general rule, as Dr. Cabanis remarks, the Brazilian species
may be distinguished by the deep olive-brown tinge o f the upper surface, hut in two skins o f
Turdus tristis, obtained in the highlands o f Guatemala near Dueñas, nearly the same colour is
exhibited on the back, though these birds are easily distinguishable from their southern ally
by the darker colouring o f the chest aud flanks.
crotopezus was first shortly described by Lichtenstein, in his “ list o f duplicates of
the Berlin Museum,” published in 1823. Through Dr. Peters’ kindness in lending us the type-
specimcn, we have been able to ascertain positively that the Bahian bird characterized by
that author as the male o f his T. crotopezus (No. 436) is o f the same species as the specimen
now figured, althougli Azara’s “ OEive hlanche et noirrâtre,” (i.e. T. leucomelas) is referred to
as being identical with it. Lichtenstein’s “ T. crotopezus fern.” (No. 437,) may probably be the
true 2\ leucomelas.
* I t seoms c e rta in th a t tliis is tè e only Mexican species to which Swainson’s sh o rt de scrip tio n (P h il. Blag. 1827,
p. 369,) is applicable. D r. Cabanis’ Tu rd u s tr k tis , Bins. I le iii. I . p. 4, th e ty p e-specimen o f which D r. P e te rs lias
la te ly se n t to u s for comparison, is, in o u r opinion, m erelv a somewhat lig lite r-coloured example o f th e b ird described
h y D r. Cahanis in th e same work as Tardus assimilis. This, as wc le a rn from a BIS. n o te o n th e label, is now also
D r. Cabanis’ view.
ill