424 FRINGILLID ZA. 
The bill of Zoxia is metagnathous, the points of the maxilla and mandible crossing ; 
both these members of the bill are strongly falcate, and brought to a knife-like edge 
near the end. The nostrils are wholly hidden by small, stiff feathers, which proceed 
directly forward from the base of the maxilla. The feet are short, and the tarsi, toes, 
and claws strong. ‘The wing is very long, the first, second, and third quills being 
subequal and longest, the rest fall rapidly away, the innermost primaries being little 
more than half the length of the longest, the longest secondaries slightly exceeding 
the innermost primaries. The tail is very short and furcate. Red is the prevalent 
colour in the adult male. 
1. Loxia mexicana. 
Loxia mexicana, Strickl. Contr. Orn. 1851, p. 48°; Scl. P. Z. 8S. 1859, p. 83657; Salv. Ibis, 1866, 
p. 193°; Cat. Strickl. Coll. p. 202+. 
Loxia americana, Scl. P. Z. 8. 1864, p. 174°. 
Curvirostra americana, Sumichrast, Mem. Bost. Soc. N. H. i. p. 551°. 
Lowxia curvirostra, var. mexicana, Baird, Brew., & Ridgw. N. Am. B. i. p. 4887; Ridgw. Proc. Biol. 
Soc. Wash. i. p. 100 °. 
Loxia curvirostra stricklandi, Check-List N. Am. B. p. 257°. 
Rubra, alis et cauda nigricante-fuscis ; rostro corneo, maxilla et, mandibula ad apices decussatim positis, pedibus 
corylinis. Long. tota 6:0, ale 4, caudze 2-2, rostri a rictu 0°8, tarsi 0°65. (Descr. maris ex Mexico. Mus. 
nostr.) 
2 obscure olivaceo-fusca, uropygio flavido, alis et cauda fusco-nigris extus olivaceo limbatis; subtus oleagineo- 
grisea, ventre imo albicante. (Descr. feminee ex Mexico. Mus. nostr.) 
Hab. Nort America, Colorado and Southern Arizona ®.—Muexico (Mann 14, Boucard), 
valley of Mexico ( White®), Jalapa (de Oca”), Moyoapam (Sumichrast °); GUATEMALA, 
Chuacus (0. S. & F. D. G.°). 
The larger size and the stouter bill, especially the mandible, seem to be the only 
points by which the Mexican Crossbill can be distinguished from that of the United 
States, or, indeed, from the Old-World ZL. curvirostra. These differences seem to be 
by no means constant, and the size of the bill apparently increases in these birds as we 
pass from north to south—so much so, that we are quite prepared to acquiesce in the 
union of all the supposed races of this Crossbill under the comprehensive name of 
Loxia curvirostra. But before doing so a larger series of specimens both from the Old 
and New Worlds ought to be examined than we have at our command. 
In the meantime we call the Mexican bird L. mexicana. 
This specific name has lately been suppressed by Mr. Ridgway, and stricklandi 
proposed in its stead—the reason apparently for so doing being that Strickland’s name 
had previously been used twice over by Linneeus, one of his Loria mexicana (Syst. Nat. 
i. p. 304) referring to Spiza americana (Gm.), the other to Pyrangra rubra. The 
chance of any confusion arising from continuing to employ Strickland’s name is so 
exceedingly small that we adhere to the spirit of the law by retaining the name 
