Ground-finch from Western Peru. 259 



of the genus HcBmophila. It is evident from the specimens 

 previously forwarded by Prof. Nation from the same district^, 

 as also from the fine novelties in plants recently gathered by 

 Mr. John Ball in the upper valley of the Rimac, that there 

 is still much to be done by collectors on the Transandean 

 slopes of Peru. 



The Ground-finch I propose to characterize as 



H^MOPHiLA PULCHRA, sp. uov. (Plate VIII.) 



Supra cinerea, praecipue in interscapulio, brunneo lavata; 

 fronte, loris et spatio inter lora et gulam nigris : alis 

 nigris ; secundariorum limbis exteruis latis cum horum 

 tectricibus et scapularibus adjacentibus distincte cas- 

 taneis ; tectricibus minoribus cinereis : caudse vix rotun- 

 datse, nigrsBj rectricibus duabus externis pro majore 

 parte albis, proxima utrinque laterali albo terminata : 

 subtus cinerea, gula nigra^ ventre et crisso albis ; late- 

 ribus fulvo tinctis ; subalaribus albis ; alarum pagina 

 inferiore cinerea : rostro et pedibus flavis : long, tota 

 Q'2, alse 2*8, caudae 2"8 poll. Angl. 

 Hab. Peruvia occidentalism in valle fl. Rimac, ad alt. 

 7000-8000 ped. 



The black face and throat, chestnut scapulars, and pale 

 yellow bill and feet render this species quite unmistakable. 

 The wings are short, the third and fourth primaries slightly 

 exceeding the second and fifth in length. The feet are not 

 strong for a bird of this group. The bill is rather elongate, 

 and the culmen slightly incurved. It would not, in fact, be 

 difficult to make out new generic characters for this species ; 

 but for the present I propose to put it in Hcemophila, of 

 which there is already one sjsecies known from Western Peru 

 (i7. stolzmanni). 



The single specimen received was obtained by a corre- 

 spondent of Prof. Nation at Matucana, in the upper valley 

 of the Rimac, which is about 8000 feet above the sea-level. 

 It was found flying about on the low bushes near the river. 

 The sex was noted " male ;" the irides '' black,^^ bill and feet 

 "■ bright yellow.'''' 



* See articles on the birds of Western Peru by P. L. Sclater and W. 

 NationinP. Z.S.1866,p. 100; 1867, p. 340; 1869, p. 146; 1871, p. 496. 



