BIRDS OF NORTH AND MIDDLE AMERICA. 439 



culmen 13.72, dej)th of l)ill at bat-e 7.87, width 7.37, tarsun 23.62, 

 middle toe 15.75. (Southern portion of Mexican plateau, in State of 

 Puebla and adjacent partH of Oaxaca and Guerrero.) 



Melozone rubricatum rubricatum (]>. 440) 



ee. Larger, with larger and relatively broader bill and rather paler or brighter 



coloration; adult female averaging, wing 76.45, tail 67.56, culmen 14.99; 



depth of bill at base 9.65, width 5.84, tarsus 25.40, middle toe, 17.53. 



(Pacitic slope of Mexico, from State of Sinaloa to State of Colima, 



Chihuahua ?) Melozone rubricatum xantusii ( p. 441 ) 



cc. Auriculars chestnut, like occiput, etc., passing into liUuk anteriorily. (High- 

 lands of Costa Rica. ) Melozone cabanisi ( p. 441 ) 



hb. Chest without any central spot of black or dusky; sides of head white with 

 posterior half of auricular region mainly chestnut. (Highlands of Guate- 

 mala. ) Melozone biarcuatum (p. 443) 



aa. Chin and throat black; no rufous on head; sides of neck and edge of wing yel- 

 low; a white spot in center of auricular region. 

 h. Pileum dusky black, duller medially and tinged with olive posteriorly; tail 

 shorter (less than 66.04)-. ( Highlands of Costa Rica and Nicaragua. ) 



Melozone leucotis (p. 444) 



hh. Pileiun black laterally, divided by a broad median stripe of gray; tail longer 



(72.39 or more). (Highlandsof Guatemala. ) Melozone occipitalis (p. 445) 



MELOZONE KIENERI (Bonaparte). 

 BONAPARTE'S GROUND SPARROW. 



Adult. — Brown, ^vith the pileaiu tind sides of head nifoiis; uiiriciilars 

 same color as the back, tlie tips of the feathers, however, cliestmit; 

 lores white; forehead and cheeks dusky bhick; under parts white, the 

 flanks the same color as the back; an indistinct spot of black on breast; 

 crissum rufescent; bill blackish horn color; feet pale hazel; total 

 length, 185.42; wing-, 83.8L>; tail, 73.6(); tarsus, :>5.40.' 



This little known bird, according to Sclater and Salvin, is in gen- 

 eral plumage much like M. ruhrleatuuu "])ut is distinguishable from 

 that species by its larger size, stouter l)ill, and much stronger feet and 

 tarsi." It is also said to dift'er in the absence of any white orbital ring, 

 and in having the whole pileum, except the dusky forehead, as well as 

 the malar region, rufous. 



Mexico (; (Locality of the .single known specimen given as western 

 America.) 



P.[i/rgi^omu] kienerl Bonaparte, Consj). Av., i. July, 1850, 4S6 ("America occ. "; 



Paris Mus.). 

 Pyrgisoma kieneri Scl.vter and Salvin, Proc. Zool. Soc. Loud., 1868, 325, 326, 

 (crit.); Exotic Orn., 1868, 130, pi. 65, fig. 2.^Salvix and Godman, Biol. 

 Centr.-Am., Aves, i, 1886, 401 (Mexico ?).—SnARPE, Cat. Birds Brit. Mus., 

 xii, 1888, 732. 

 [^Pyrgisoma^ A';V«m Sclater and Salvin, Nom. A v. Xeotr., 1873, 33. 

 [Emhernagni] kiencn Gray, Hand-list, ii, 1870, 92, no. 7350. 



'Sclater and Salvin, Exotic Orn., pt. ix, p. 130; translation. 



