382 PROCEEDINGS OF THE ACADEMY OF 



think that this character is hardly a tangible one by which to separate the 

 two. The length (4.50 inches) and the length of tail ("barely two inches,') 

 assigned to the species might be sufficient to separate, were it not for the fact 

 that specimens of Unarms are to be found, by comparing large series, which 

 approach large specimens of ruf 'esc ens very closely. In one of these from North 

 America now before us, the tail barely exceeds that of a rufescens appreciably. 

 Still, as we have never seen, out of a large series of specimens, any individuals 

 of Unarms so small as to measure only 4.50 inches in length, and especially as 

 the species is admitted by so many ornothologists, we have concluded to pre- 

 sent it as distinct. We do not consider that the fact of the occasional occur- 

 rence of specimens of two nearly allied species which cannot be distinguished 

 without difficulty as any proof of the specific identity of the two ; and, more- 

 over, the few specimens we have examined may not present, typically, the 

 characters of the species. 



Acanthis rufescens is given by Bonaparte and Schlegel, in their very valuable 

 work, the " Monographic des Loxiens," rather as a sub-species, or race of Una- 

 rms, than as entitled to full specific rank. Bonaparte, however, in his Con- 

 spectus, considers its characters as of full specific value. The two authors 

 first mentioned speak of it as follows : " Elle off're quelquefois des teintes, plus 

 vives que le sizerin commun ; mais il parait encore exister, entre ces deux 

 oiseaux, par rapport a la taille, un passage gradual, absolument comme celui 

 qui nous avons signale entre le sizerin commun et celui d'Holboll." " Nous 

 avons vu que le sizerin d'Holboll se distingue du sizerin commun par unetaiile 

 plus fort ; la race " the italics are ours " dont nous nous occupons mainten- 

 ant s'en eloigne en sens contraire, c'est a dire par une taille plus petite." 



It should be borne in mind that Temminck, whose authority in matters of 

 this sort is deservedly high, takes every opportunity of strenuously denying 

 the existence of the A. rufescens. He accounts for the discrepancies in size in 

 the following manner : " II existe, dans cette espece " A. Unarms " comme 

 chez la Fringilla cannabina, Fringilla pkyrrhula, Alauda cristata, Perdix cinerea, 

 et chez plusieurs especes d'oiseaux de marais, des individus, souventdes com- 

 pagnies entieres, dont les dimensions sont moins fortes ; nous avons observes 

 que ces varietes plus ou moins constantes dependent de causes purement ac- 

 cidentelles et locales. II me parait qu'il est ainsi du Sizerin et du pretendu 

 Cabaret, qu'on veut faire passer comme deux especes distinctes." 



The Fringilla linaria of Temminck, of 1820, is the true linaria : but Tem- 

 minck's linaria of 1835 is as certainly the present species, race, or variety, 

 whichever it is to be considered. That author, in his brief diagnosis, dwells 

 especially upon the small size, and the brownish rump ; and alters the dimen- 

 sions from five inches (which is more nearly correct for the true linaria), to 

 " quatre pouces cinq ou six lignes," which can only refer to the present spe- 

 cies. This identification of his Unarms of 1835 is moreover rendered necessary 

 by the synonyms adduced. 



JEgiothus linakius (Linn.) Cab. 



Fringilla linaria, Linn. Syst. Nat. i. 1766, 322 ; auctorumque antiq. plerique. 



Temm. Man. Orn. 1820, 373 ; nee Temm. 1835. 

 Fringilla (Acanthis) linaria, Keys, et Bias., Wirb. Eur. 1840, 161 ; num. 115. 

 Passer linaria, Pallas, Zoog. Rosso-As. 1811, ii. 25. 

 Spinus Unarms, Koch, Syst. baier. Zool. 233 ; fide Cab. 

 Linota linaria, Holb. F. Groenl. 1?46, 29. 



Acanthis linaria, Bp., Consp. Av. 1850, i. 541. Bp. et Schleg. Monogr. Lox. 48, 

 to ** tab. 52. 



^Fgiothus Unarms, Cab., Mus. Hein. 1851, 161. Bd. Gen. Rep. 1858, 428. 

 Linaria minor, Ray, Sw. et Rich. F. B. A. 1831, ii. 267. 

 Fringilla borealis, Vieill., Nouv. Diet. xxxi. 341 ; nee Temm. quae Linaria 



canescens, Gould. 

 Linota borealis, Bp., Ind. Eur. Av. 48. 



[Nov. 



