4392 FRINGILLIDA. 
diversity of plumage shown in individuals from Arizona it seems probable that they 
are due to the mingling of the more typical forms of C. mexicana and C. psaltria. 
This being so, we are not disposed to disturb the status of the Mexican and Central. 
American bird with which at present we have to deal, and which we therefore continue 
to call C. mexicana. 
In Mexico C. mexicana is a very abundant species, being distributed over the whole 
of the temperate portion of the country; but it is also found in the more tropical 
districts, as both Grayson and Forrer observed it in the Tres Marias Islands, and 
Mr. Gaumer in Northern Yucatan. Moreover, it occurs on the line of the Panama 
railway in extreme tropical heat. In Guatemala it is also a very common bird, and in 
the neighbourhood of Duefias was frequently to be observed feeding on the fruit of a 
species of wild Ficus. 
SYCALIS. 
Sycalis, Boie, Isis, 1828, p. 8324; Sclater, Ibis, 1872, p. 39. 
In 1872 Mr. Sclater wrote a synopsis of this genus in which he recognized nine 
species, and to which a tenth may be added in S. citrina of Pelzeln, which has since 
become known to us through specimens collected by Mr. Whitely in Guiana. Nine of 
these species are diffused over the whole of South America, the tenth is Sycalis chrysops 
of our country, as yet only known from Southern Mexico and Guatemala. In South 
America Sycalis has no very near allies, but it is undoubtedly closely related to 
Crithagra of Africa. 
S. chrysops has a stout bill and arched culmen, the tomia of the maxilla is rather 
abruptly curved towards the base, the nostrils are at the inferior extremity of the nasal 
fossa, and are bordered above by a membrane; the feet are stout, the toes and claws, 
especially the hind claw, are long and slender; the wings are short, the first four quills 
forming the point; the secondaries are long, reaching to within 0°4 inch of the tip of 
the wing; the tail is moderate and nearly even. 
1. Sycalis chrysops. 
Sycalis chrysops, Scl. P. Z. 8. 1861, p. 876"; Ibis, 1872, p. 45, t. 2. f. 17; Salv, Ibis, 1866, p. 194° ; 
Sumichrast, Mem. Bost. Soc. N. H. i. p. 551%. 
Supra brunnescens nigricante-fusco striato ; uropygio olivaceo, alis et cauda fuscis sordide olivaceo limbatis ; 
loris, regione oculari et corpore subtus flavis, ventre medio albicante, hypochondriis fulvis ; rostro fusco, 
pedibus corylinis. Long. tota 4:2, ale 2°5, caude 1:7, rostri a rictu 0°35, tarsi 0°65. (Deser. exempl. ex 
Duefas, Guatemala. Mus. nostr.) 
Hab. Muxico1, temperate region of Orizaba (Swmichrast*) ; Guatemata, Duefias (0.8.3). 
This little Sycalis is evidently closely allied to S. luteola, a variable and widely 
diffused species of South America, its small size and its isolated habitat being 
probably its only definite characters. The bird is exceedingly rare, and we are perhaps. 
