BIRDS OP SOUTHERN VERACRUZ — WETMORE 337 



for Atlapetes brunnei-nucha from Pipilo torquatus found now 

 through the southern part of the tableland of Mexico, a species that 

 is closely similar in color pattern. In its large strong feet, with 

 long hind claw, as well as in its strong, conical bill, proportionately- 

 longer tail, and much more robust form, Pipilo torquatus, however, 

 is quite distinct from any Atlapetes, agreeing wholly in its charac- 

 ters with other species of Pipilo. It would appear therefore that 

 the interesting similarity in color pattern is due to a parallel de- 

 velopment and not to actual relationship. If we combine the colors 

 and patterns of Oberholseria, which also is a towhee, and Pipilo, 

 then we can understand more easily what is found in Pipilo tor- 

 quatus. I may add that the keel of the sternum in Atlapetes brunnei- 

 nucha is low and the pectoral muscles weak. I do not at present 

 have a skeleton of Pipilo torquatus, but in its allies the sternal keel 

 is high and rounded and the breast muscles strong. Equivalent dif- 

 ferences appear in the skulls. 



The three birds brunnei-nucha, inornatus, and apertus obviously be- 

 long to the same group. Specimens of inornatus are recorded with 

 spots of black on the sides of the breast, and in brunnei-nucha there is 

 variation in the width of the black breast band (though some of this 

 supposed variation may be due partly to the preparation of the skin), 

 but in the reduced amount of brown on the crown inornatus is distinct. 

 Atlapetes apertus, on the other hand, appears to have no indication of 

 bridging characters. For the present I prefer to consider the three 

 as separate species until more is known of them. 



Curiously enough, apertus below is almost identical in color with 

 virenticeps, which is in the group of Atlapetes with green crown 

 streaked laterally with black. 



In connection with apertus I have found a most interesting state- 

 ment by Berlepsch and Taczanowski, 79 who in writing of inornatus of 

 Ecuador state that "le Musee de Varsovie possede un oiseau acquis de 

 feu Verreaux, nomme par Jules Verreaux B. brunneinuchus, et eti- 

 quette comme provenant du Mexique, semblable en tout a notre oiseau 

 de l'Ecuadeur, sans aucune trace de collier noir, mais qui s'en distingue 

 par le brun du sommet de la tete plus sombre et sans bordure laterale, 

 plus claire et plus vive, semblables a celle du B. brunneinuchus; 

 l'olive du dos plus sombre sans aucune trace de vert jaunatre sur le 

 nuque." The description is obviously that of a specimen of apertus, 

 as the dark color of the crown without the light lateral line and the 

 unhanded breast are characteristic of that bird. This is especially 

 noteworthy since it indicates that one of Verreaux's collectors secured 

 at least one specimen in the Sierra de Tuxtla at an early date. This 

 must be the supposition unless apertus is found elsewhere, which it 

 hardly seems will be the case. 



TO Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1884, p. 292. 



