Genus SCLERURUS Swainson.
- Sclerurus Swainson, Zool. Journ., iii, 1827, 356. (Type, Myiothera umbretta Lichtenstein.)
- Scelurus (typographical error?) Burmeister, Syst. Ueb. Th. Bras., iii, 1856, 45.
- Tinactor Maximilian, Beitr. Naturg. Bras., iii, pt. ii, 1831, 1106. (Type, T. fuscus Maximilian.)
- Oxypyga[1] Ménétriés, Mem. de I'Acad. St. Pétersb., sér. vi, Sci. Nat., i, 1835. 519. (Type, 0. scansor Ménétriés = Myiothera umbretta Lichtenstein.)
- Oxypiga Lesson, 1839.
- Geoœcia Bertoni, Aves Nuevas del Paraguay, 1901, 79. (Type, G. orryctera Bertoni = Myiothera umbretta Lichtenstein.)
Medium sized Furnariidæ (length about 150-160 mm.) with long slender bill (as long as or longer than head), tail much shorter than wing, with rectrices broad and rounded terminally and with very rigid but not protruded shafts; hallux much longer than inner toe, the latter conspicuously shorter than outer toe, middle toe united to outer toe for whole of first and part of second phalanx, and plain brownish coloration.
Bill about as long as head, or longer, slender, straight or slightly decurved, its width at loral antiæ equal to or greater than its depth at same point and equal to a little less than one-fourth to nearly one-third the distance from nostril to tip of maxilla; culmen distinctly ridged, straight, basally, gradually decurved terminally, or straight for most of its length and terminal portion rather abruptly decurved; maxillary tomium nearly straight to decidedly concave, minutely but distinctly notched subterminally; mandibular tomium more or less convex, at least terminally, without trace of notch; gonys faintly convex basally, faintly concave terminally (the tip of mandible slightly but distinctly decurved in S. mexicanus). Nostril exposed, posteriorly in contact with loral feathering, broadly oval, horizontal, margined above by narrow membrane, a conspicuous internal tubercle or septum occupying nearly the posterior half. Rictal bristles absent, and feathers of chin, etc., without distinct (if any) terminal setæ. Wing rather large and pointed, the longest primaries considerably longer than secondaries; eighth, or sixth, seventh, and eighth, primaries longest, the tenth (outermost) two- thirds to three-fourths as long as the longest, the ninth equal to or longer (sometimes much longer) than secondaries. Tail between two-thirds and three-fourths as long as wing, strongly rounded, the rectrices (12) broad, rounded terminally, with very rigid shafts, which are denuded but not protruded terminally. Tarsus shorter than culmen, about one-fourth as long as wing, scutellate anteriorly (sometimes indistinctly so), the planta fused (nonscutellate); middle
toe, with claw, a little longer than tarsus; outer toe, without claw,
- ↑ ? acutus, ? cauda. (Ménétriés.)
