184 [October, 



The Committee on the following paper by Mr. Cassin, reported in 

 favor of publication in the Proceedings : 



Descriptions of new species of Birds, specimens of which are in the colleC' 

 tion of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia, 



By John Cassin. 



1. Ammodromus rtificeps, nobis. 



Form. Rather slender ; wings short, with the third, fourth and fifth quills 

 nearly equal and loagest ; tail rather long, with the feathers narrow ; legs long. 



Dimensions. Total length of skin from tip of bill to end of tail about 5f 

 inches, wing 2^, tail 2| inches. 



Colors. A conspicuous black line on each side of the throat from the base of 

 the lower mandible. Head above bright reddish chestnut which is also the pre- 

 vailing color of the back, but with the feathers of the latter broadly edged with 

 ashy. Rump and upper tail coverts ash-gray, tinged with the chestnut color of 

 the back. 



Spot on the nares white, running into an ashy superciliary line, ear coverts 

 and below ashy, succeeded by a white line from the lower mandible, which is 

 again succeeded by the black line from its base. 



Throat white tinged with dull brownish ashy, running into deeper shades of 

 the same colors on the other inferior parts, deepest on the breast and with yel- 

 lowish on the flanks and under tail coverts. Wings edged with pale yellow at 

 the flexure, wing coverts and quills fuscous edged with cinereous and reddish. 

 Tail fuscous, tinged and edged with reddish, the two middle feathers reddish 

 brown. 



Bill and tarsi light colored. 



Mab. Calaveras river, California, discovered by A. L. Heermann, M. D. 



Obs. Four specimens of this bird were brought by Dr. Heermann in the fine 

 collection made by him in California. It does not resemble any other species 

 sufficiently to render necessary any designation of comparative characters, 

 and may be easily recognized by its distinct narrow lines of black on the 

 sides of the neck, running from the base of the lower mandible. 



2. Emberiza rostrata, nobis. 



Form. Short and rather heavy, somewhat resembling Peuccea Bachmanii 

 (Aud.) but with the bill and wings longer, the tail shorter, and hardly of the 

 same genus. Somewhat resembles and is generically allied to Emberiza Bairdii, 

 (Aud.), and is about the same size, but has the bill much longer, the tarsi and 

 feet stouter, and the claws stronger and much less curved. Bill lengthened and 

 strong. Wings, with the first, second and third quills longest and nearly equal. 

 Tail rather short, emarginate. 



Dimensions. Total length of skin from tip of bill to end of tail about 5|- 

 inohes, wing 2|, tail 2 inches. 



Colors. Entire plumage above dull brownish and cinereous, every feather 

 longitudinally marked with the former and tipped and edged with the latter, 

 the brown stripes being most strongly marked on the head and back. Nar- 

 row, superciliary lines nearly uniting in front. Throat and entire under parts, 

 white, with longitudinal stripes and arrow heads of brown on the breast and 

 flanks ; these stripes forming two lines on each side from the lower mandible 

 and enclosing: a stripe of white. Abdomen and under tail coverts dull white. 



Wings and tail brown, edged with paler shades of the same color, nearly white 

 on the outer webs of the external tail feathers, deeper and tinged with rufous on 

 the wing coverts and exposed edges of the secondaries. Bill and feet light 

 colored, the former brownish above, (in skin.) 



Hub. Sea shore at San Diego, California, discovered by A. L. Heermann, 

 M. D. 



Obs. A plain plumaged bird, of which there are several specimens in Dr. 

 Heermann's collection. It is unlike any other finch that I have ever seen, and 



