Comparative studies of RBa2Cu3O7 and RBa2Cu4O8, With R=(R'Pr-1-y(y)) a
nd with R'=Y, Yb, Nd, or Gd, exclude the possibility that hybridizatio
n of Pr's 4f states with cuprate-plane oxygen 2p states is responsible
for the observed degradation of critical temperatures T-c with increa
sing Pr content y.