506 



U. S. p. R. R. EXP. AND SURVEYS — ZOOLOGY GENERAX, REPORT. 



List of specimens. 



SPERMOPHILA, Swainsoii. 



Spermophila, Swainsov, Zool. Jour. Ill, Nov. 1827, 348. Type Pyrrhula fakirostris, Temm. (SufSciently distinct 



from Spcrmojihilus, F. Cuv. 1822. 

 SporopAiia, Cabanis, Mus. Hein. 1851, 148. Type Fringilla hypoleuca, Licht. 



Ch. — Bill very short and very much curved, as in Pyrrhula, almost as deep as long; the commissure concave, abruptly 

 bent towards the end. Tarsus about equal to middle toe ; inner toe rather the longer, (.') reaching about to the base of the 

 middle one ; hind toe to the middle of this claw. Wings short, reaching over the posterior third of the exposed part of the 

 tail; the terliaries gradually longer than the secondaries, neither much shorter than the primaries which are graduated, and 

 but little different in length, the first shorter than the sixth, the second and fourth equal. The lail is about as long as the 

 winirs, roundfd, all ihe feathers slightly graduated, rather 6hari)ly acuminalo and decidedly mucronato. Smallest of American 

 passerine birds. 



The essential characters of this genus are the small, very convex bill, as high as long ; the 

 short broad wings, with the quills differing little in length, the outer ones graduated ; the tail 

 as long as the wings, widened towards the end, and slightly graduated, with the acuminate and 

 mucronato tip to the feathers. 



As the name of Spermophila is sufEciently distinct from Spermophilus, of prior date, I see no 

 necessity for the change of name with Cabanis to SporopMla. 



Comparative measurements of species. 



SPERMOPHILA MORELETII, Pucheran. 



Spermophila niorclrtii, (I'lriiF.iiAV,) Bonap. Conspectus, IH.'iO, 497. — Sci.ateu, Br. Zo(d. Soc. 1850,302. 



SpnrophUa miirelcin, i^'/LU. Mus. Mviii. 18."il, 15(1. 



Sptrmoplula atbigularia, (SiMX,) Lawhenck, Ann. N. Y. L.yt;oum, V, Sept. I''.")!, 124. Texas. (Not of Spix.) 



