Vol. 35, pp. 61-62 March 20, 1922 



PROCEEDINGS 



OF THE 



BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON 



ON CHLOROSPINGUS GOERINGI SCLATER AND 



SALVIN. 



BY J. H. RILEY. 1 



Mr. B. H. Swales recently purchased a small collection of 

 birds from the well-known collector, Senor S. Briceno, collected 

 in the Merida Region of Venezuela and presented it to the U. S. 

 National Museum. Amongst the lot was a specimen of 

 Chlorospingus goeringi, now usually placed in the genus Hemis- 

 pingus, but where on account of its short rounded wing, short 

 rounded tail, heavy bill, and large strong feet it does not belong. 

 Indeed, the strong feet and rather heavy bill remind one very 

 much of certain sparrows, especially Poospiza nigro-rufa in the 

 style of coloration, but the wing is more rounded, the feet 

 larger and stronger, and the bill heavier. Its affinities seem 

 to be more fringilHne than tanagrine and it certainly should 

 be removed from the position usually assigned it. The short 

 rounded wing and large strong feet would seem to indicate that 

 it is a ground inhabiting bird. The feathers of the lower back 

 and rump seem to be unusually full and loose. As it apparently 

 does not belong to any of the accepted genera, I accordingly 

 propose the following name and diagnosis for its reception : 



Orospingus, gen. nov. 



Type, Chlorospingus goeringi Sclater and Salvin. 



Superficially similar to Hemispingus Cabanis (type Arremon superciliaris 

 Lafresnaye), but wing about equal to the tail, instead of being considerably 

 longer; tail more rounded; feet large and strong, tarsus exceeding middle- 

 toe and claw by less than the length of the claw of the latter, instead of 

 being much longer than the middle toe and claw; bill much heavier, depth 

 at base about equal to the width, instead of being greater than the width. 



Coloration different; above dusky neutral gray with a white superciUary, 

 below ochraceous orange. 



Remarks. — Chlorospingus castaneicollis Sclater, though somewhat similar 

 in style of coloration, differs structurally in its weaker bill and feet. 



1 Published by permission of the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution. 



13— Pboc. Biol. Soc. Wash., Vol. 35, 1922. (61) 



