In all probability, the serrations with which the apical portion of the cutting edges of both mandibles of
this bird are furnished, are expressly provided to enable it to capture with facility some peculiar kind of

insect food, perhaps spiders and small coleoptera.
The nest sent to me by Mr. Reeves is precisely similar in form, structure and situation to those con-

structed by the members of the genus Phaéthornis, being of a lengthened, pointed form, composed of
fine vegetable fibres and mosses, intermingled with which, especially on the lower part, are portions of
dead leaves and pieces of lichen; and attached to the extremities of the leaves of apparently a species

of Palm.

Forehead, lores and ear-coverts dark brown ; all the upper surface, wing- and tail-coverts greenish bronze,

each feather narrowly edged with brown, giving it a scale-like appearance ; wings purple-brown ; two
central tail-feathers bronze deepening into dark brown at the tip; the next on each side the same, but
slightly tipped with buff; the three lateral feathers purplish brown, washed with bronze at the base, and
largely tipped with buff, the two colours meeting in an oblique direction across the feather, and the buff
being most extensive on the outer feather, less so on the next, and still less so on the third; over the eye
a streak of buff; sides of the throat deep reddish buff; feathers of the chin and down the centre of the
throat brownish blaek edged with pale buff; feathers of the under surface blackish brown, edged on the
breast and upper part of the flanks with greyish white, and on the lower part of the flanks and vent with
buff, giving the whole a streaked appearance ; under tail-coverts buff, with a streak of brown down the
centre ; bill black, except the basal two-thirds of the lower mandible, which are yellow; feet yellow.
The Plate represents two males, a female, and a nest and eggs, all of the natural size.