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group. The species of the Family first made known is Scytalopus magellanicus, originally described in 1783 by J. Latham (Synopsis, iv. p. 464) as a See also:

WARBLER

Warbler. Even in 1836 J. See also:

Gould not unnaturally took it for a See also:

Wren, when establishing the genus to which it is now referred; but some ten years after Johannes See also:

Muller found that Scytalopus, together with the true Tapaculo, which was first described by Kittlitz in 183o, possessed anatomical characters that removed them far from any position previously assigned to them, and determined their true See also:

PLACE (through Fr. from Lat. platea, street; Gr. IrAar6s, wide)

place as above given. In the meanwhile a kindred See also:

FORM (Lat. forma)

form, Hylactes, also first described in 183o, had been shown by T.

C. Eyton to have some very exceptional osteological features, and these were fomW. to be also See also:

COMMON

common to Pteroptochus and Scytalopus. In 186o J. See also:

CABANIS, PIERRE JEAN GEORGE (1757-1808)

Cabanis recognized the Pteroptochidae as a distinct Family, but made it also include Menura (see See also:

LYRE (Gr. Xupa)

LYRE-BIRD), and in 1874 P. L. Sclater (ut supra) thought that Atrichia (see SCRUB-BIRD) might belong here. It was A. Garrod in 1876 and 1877 who finally divested the Family of these aliens, but until examples of some of the other genera have been anatomically examined it may not be safe to say that they all belong to the Pteroptochidae. The true Tapaculo (P. albicollis) has a See also:

general resemblance in plumage to the See also:

FEMALES

females of some of the smaller Shrikes (Laniu.), and to a cursory observer its skin might pass for that of one; hut its shortened wings and powerful feet would on closer inspection at once reveal the difference. In See also:

LIFE

life, however, its appearance must be wholly unlike, for it rarely flies, hops actively on the ground or among bushes, with its tail erect or turned towards its See also:

head, and continually utters various and See also:

STRANGE, SIR ROBERT (1721-1792)

strange notes,—some, says See also:

Darwin, are " like the cooing of doves, others like the bubbling of See also:

WATER

water, and many defy all similes." The " Turco," Hylactes megapodius, is larger, with greatly See also:

DEVELOPED

developed feet and claws, but is very similar in See also:

COLOUR (Lat. color, connected with celare, to hide, the root meaning, therefore, being that of a covering)

colour and habits. Two more species of Ilylactes are known, and 1 Of See also:

SPANISH

Spanish origin, it is intended as a reproof to the bird for the shameless way in which, by erecting its tail, it exposes its hinder parts. It has been sometimes misspelt " Tapacolo," as by C.

Darwin, who gave (See also:

Journal of Researches, See also:

CHAP

chap. xii.) a brief but entertaining See also:

account of the habits of this bird and its relative, Hylactes megapodius, called by the Chilenos " El Turco." one other of Pteroptochus, all of which are peculiar to Chile or See also:

PATAGONIA

Patagonia. The species of Scytalopus are as small as Wrens, mostly of a dark colour, and inhabit parts of See also:

Brazil and See also:

COLOMBIA

Colombia, one of them occurring so far northward as See also:

BOGOTA, or SANTA FE DE BOGOTA

Bogota. (A.

End of Article: TAPACULO

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