Mr. P. L. Sclater on the Genus Sycalis. 39 



in their more slender proportions, equally manifest in the slight 

 bill, the delicate tarsus, and the feeble foot. Should this Gull 

 be allowed as a good species, it is proposed to call it after Mr. 

 Buller, whose name is already connected with the ornithology 

 of New Zealand. Two specimens in the Canterbury JMuseum 

 were obtained near the mouth of the Waimakeriri river iu this 

 province. 



Plumage white ; wings silver-grey : primaries, first black, 

 with white shaft, first and second having an oar-shaped dash of 

 white on the inner web, this mark slightly encroaching on the 

 outer web; third feather, basal portion chiefly M'hite; fourth 

 feather, inner web silver grey, margined with black; all primaries 

 except the first, tipped with a white spot : bill yellowish, slightly 

 stained on each maiidiljle, near the point, with liorn-colour ; 

 tarsi and feet yellowish, claws black. Bill from gape 1 inch 

 9 lines, depth of bdl at base 3^ lines, width of bill 3 lines ; 

 wing, from flexure, 11 inches 3 lines; tarsus 1 inch 7 lines; 

 middle toe, with claw, 1 inch 5 lines; total length 11 inches 

 6 lines. 



Oliinatahi, 



Canterbury, .July 21, 1871. 



VI. — A Revision of the Species of the Frinyilline Genus Sycalis. 

 By P. L. Sclater, M.A., Ph. D., F.R.S. 



• (Plates II. & III.) 



In 'The Ibis' for January last, I attempted to give some account of 

 the present state of our knowledge of the species of the Fringilline 

 genus Spermophila. I now propose to offer to the readers of this 

 Journal some similar remarks on the members of the genus Sy- 

 calis^ another characteristic type of the Neotropical Fringillidre, 

 of which I have of late years accumulated a considerable series 

 of specimens. My collection of this genus consists of 40 skins, 

 referable to 8 species. I have likewise employed for comparison 

 18 specimens belonging to the collection of Messrs. Salvin 

 and Godman, and referable to 6 species, and have examined the 

 specimens in the French National Collection, where several im- 

 portant types are to be found. 



