2 Mr. P. L. Sclater on the Genus Spermophila. 



mens of this genus from his private collection, amongst which are 

 the types of several recently described species ; and the authorities 

 of the Smithsonian Institution, with their accustomed liberality, 

 have likewise transmitted to me the whole of their examples of 

 Spermophila for my examination. 



Under these favourable circumstances I have been able to 

 effect a revision of the species of this rather obscure genus of 

 Fringillidse, which, I think, may be not unacceptable to Natu- 

 ralists. First I propose to treat of the species actually known 

 to me from inspection. These are 24 in number — of all of 

 which I am so fortunate as to possess specimens. Secondly I 

 give some short notices of described species which have not yet 

 come under my examination. And lastly I will say a few words 

 about the geographical distribution of the genus. 



I. Revision of the species of Spermophila known to the author. 



Following Bonaparte's idea, we may divide the Spermophilce 

 into two groups — the Pyrrhomelance, of which the colours are 

 principally rufous and black, and the Leucomelana, in which 

 they are white and black. To the latter section I append, as 

 already done in my Catalogue of American birds, the species 

 placed by Bonaparte in the second section of his genus Sporophila, 

 as although in some of them the bill is much stouter than in the 

 typical Spermophilce, in others this is not the case; and this 

 little group of species is certainly more naturally placed here than 

 with the Orijzobori {i. e. Sporophilce, Bonaparte nee Cabanis). 



The eight species of Spermophilce pyri'homelame known to me 

 may be divided as follows : — 



Clavis Spermophilinarmn pyr>-homekmrirut)i. 



a. subtus unicolores, rufae aut cinnamomeje. 



, ., . ( subtus inibro-fusca 1. minuta. 



n. pileo cinereo s , , „ 



I subtus ochraceo-fusca .... 2. hypoxantha. 

 t- v. pileo nigro. 



a. interscapiilio concolori. 



I subtus cinnamomea 3. nigro-aicrantia. 



I subtus lactescenti-alba . . 4. pileata. 

 b''. intenscapulio nigro 5. niyro-rufa. 



b. subtus tufa, nigro torquata 6. torqueola. 



c. subtus plumbea, medialiter castanea 7. castaneivenfris. 



d. subtus alba, gutture rufo 8. telascu. 



