PEUCHA. — 389 
It is probable that this species is a winter visitor to Southern Mexico, but we have 
No positive evidence to prove that it is so. The bird does not appear in Sumichrast’s 
lists. 
In California, M. heermanni appears to be abundant, and nests were found by 
Dr. Cooper at Santa Cruz; one of these was placed in a willow-tree close to the stem, 
about three feet from the ground ; it was constructed of coarse grass-stems and leaves, 
and lined with finer grasses and horsehair. The eggs were greenish white, spotted and 
blotched with purplish brown chiefly at the larger end 2. 
PEUCAA. 
Peucea, Audubon, Synopsis B. N. Am. p. 112 (1839) ; Scl. & Salv. P.Z.S. 1868, p. 322; Baird, 
Brew., & Ridgw. N. Am. B. ii. p. 37; Coues, Key N. Am. B. ed. 2, p. 378. 
Peucea may be distinguished from Melospiza by the plumage being destitute of spots 
beneath, its somewhat more curved culmen, its weaker claws, and rather narrower tail- 
feathers; otherwise the two so-called genera are very similar. 
The species of Peucea are almost as indefinite as those of Melospiza as regards their 
differential characters. We recognize four Mexican species which are easily distin- 
guished inter se, but P. bottert is but slightly removed from P. estivalis and P. boucardi 
from P. ruficeps. On the other hand both P. cassini and P. notosticta are definite 
enough. 
The genus is divisible into two sections, one containing the species with no rictal 
stripes, but with the bend of the wing yellow; the other has rictal stripes and the wing- 
bend white. 
a. Sp. striga utrinque rictali nulla, campterio flavicante. 
1. Peucea botterii. 
Zonotrichia botterti, Scl. P. Z.S. 1857, p. 214°. 
Peucea botierii, Scl. & Salv. P. Z. S. 1868, p. 323. 
Peucea estivalis, var. botterit, Lawr. Mem. Bost. Soc. N. H. ii. p. 277”. 
Coturniculus mexicanus, Lawr. Ann. Lyc. N. Y. viii. p. 474%. 
Peucea cassini, Baird, Mex. Bound. Surv. ii. Birds, p. 16°; Birds N. Am. p. 486°; Sumichrast, 
Mem..Bost. Soc. N. H.i. p. 5517 (nec Woodhouse). 
Peucea estivalis, var. arizone, Ridgw. N. Am. B. ii. p. 41°. 
Peucea mexicana, Ridgw. Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus. viii. p. 98°. 
Peucea arizone, Ridgw. Proc. U. 8. Nat. Mus. i. p. 1277". 
Supra cinereo-rufescens, capitis et interscapulii plumis medialiter fusco-nigris, harum autem marginibus rufes- 
centibus fusco mixtis; alis nigricantibus, tectricibus omnibus pallide fusco late, remigibus rufo anguste, 
extus limbatis; cauda producta nigricanti, rectricum externarum apicibus valde dilutioribus pallide 
cinereis ; subtus ochraceo-albidus, pectore cinerascentiore, gula clariore, preecipue ad latera rufescente ; 
campterio flavicante ; rostro corneo, tomiis pallidis, pedibus flavis. Long, tota 6°0, ale 2-5, caude 2:6, 
rostri a rictu 0°5, tarsi 0°85. (Descr. maris ex Atlisco, Mexico. Mus. nostr.) 
