l i l i i
h
P l a t e X X V I .
MYIADESTES UNICOLOR.
Myiadestes unicolor
(GKEY SOLITAIRE).
Sc la ter, P.Z.S. 185G, p . 2 9 9 ; 18-58, p. 9 7 ; Ca t. A. B . p. 47.
Selat. e t Salv., Ib ia, 1860, p. 397.
B a ird, E ev . A, B . p . 428.
S c U . t . c . „ . te ré » « irelo r, l . r i . n igrO ; o c u lo r™ »m b ita J b o : . « b t l . pa.üo p a lh d .c , r e b re m e d í. '
alis b ig ris, e x ta s b rum esce n tí-o lea g in e o p .r tim m a rg ib .tls : c a b d i nigrd, r e c ta a b b s d e ab a s medm dorso ooncoloubas,
..O trisbm la t . r . l i» m p a r t e apical! p a llidiore e t b a r » » apieibus ip . i . .I b i s : ro stro m g ro ; ped.bus c o rjbm s . lob„.
to ta 7-5, a l» 3-8, caud® Z 'i.— F xm . maxi similis.
Mab. in Mexico merid. orien t, in G u atem a la orieutali.
We ate indebted for our knowledge o f this fine speeies o f Solitaire to the researehes of
JI. Auguste Salló o f Paris, w ell-known as one o f the most active and enterprizmg of the presen
generation o f to v e llin g Naturalists. M. Salló's examples of both sexes o f this bird (w M i
exaelly resemble one another), were colleoted near Cordova m the State o f Vera Ciuz, and the
species was first oharacterized by Mr. Selater, hr bis general article on M. S a lle s Mexican
o k o t io n s , published in the Zoological Soeiety’s “ Proceedings” for 1866 Our figure o f tins
bird is taken from one o f M. Salló’s speoimens, stUl in Mr. S d a te ts collection, winch served
for the original description o f the species. . , , w
A second Alexican locality for Myiadestes unicolor is the vicinity o f Orizaba, whence Bot
has forwarded speoimens, but we have never met with it in any eolleetion formed ui the western
nart o f Southern Mexico, where M. ohscurus appears to he the only species. In Guatemala also,
as has been already mentioned, it is only in the eastern forests o f Veiu Paz that this spee.es
oceurs Travelling towards Cohan from Guatemala, the last outliers o f the allied .U. ohscurus
are left shortly before reaching the village o f Sta. Cruz. At C o h a n -a few leagues
further o n - th e present bird has supplanted it, and is abundant in all the patches of avood
which clothe the peculiar conical hills o f that district. It is also found m the vast fo.ests o
Central Vera Paz, at the comparatively low elevation of 1200 feet above the sca-leve . - a y
specimens ivere obtained by Air. Salvin's hunters at Choctnm in Uiis district, and its charac eristic
notes were often heard still fm-ther north, on tlie track leading to Peten.
The Guatemalan name o f this speoioa is the “ Pito real,” or “ Eoyal lln u s i ; w uc i s
that the natives appreciate its distinctness from the allied “ Guarda-harrama. Tire external