FKINGILLID.E — THE FINCHES. 91 



Spermophila moreleti, Pucheran. 



LITTLE SEED-EATEB. 



Spermophila moreleti, (Puchekan,) Bonap. Conspectus, 1850, 497. — Sclater, Pr. Zobl. 

 Soc. 1856, 302. — Baird, Birds N. Am. 1858, 506, pi. liv, f. 2, 3. — Ib. Mex. Bound. 

 II, Birds, 17, pi. xvi, f. 2, 3. Sporophila moreleti, Cab. Mus. Hein. 1851, 150. — Ib. 

 Journ. fur. Orn. IX, 1861, 4 (with synononiy). Spermophila albigularis, (Spix,) 

 Lawrence, Ann. N. Y. Lyceum, V, Sept. 1851, 124 (Texas. Not of Spix). 



Sp. Char. The top and sides of the head, back of the neck, a broad band across the 

 upper part of the breast extending all round, the middle of the back, the wings and tail, 

 with the posterior upper coverts, black. The chin, upper throat and neck all round, but 

 interrupted behind, the rump, with the remaining under and lateral portions of the body, 

 white; the latter tinged with brownish-yellow. Two bands on the wing, across the 

 greater and middle coverts, with the concealed bases of all the quills, also white. Length, 

 about 4 inches; wing, 2.05; tail, 1.90. 



Female. Dull yellow ; olivaceous above, brownish-yellow beneath. Wings and tail 

 somewhat as in the male. 



Hab. Eio Grande of Texas ; south to Costa Rica. Xalapa (Scl. 1859, 365) ; Oaxaca 

 (ScL. 1859, 378) ; Cordova (Scl. 1856, 302) ; Guatemala (Scl. Ibis, I, 17 ; Salv. Ibis, I, 

 468; nest); Costa Rica (Cab. J. 1861, 4); Vera Cruz, winter, alpine region, breeding 

 (Sum. M. B. S. 1. 551). 



The specimen upon which the preceding description of the male has 

 been based is the only one in full plu- 

 mage we have seen, and was kindly lent 

 by Mr. P. L. Sclater. It was collected in 

 Honduras. Some of the feathers of the 

 back have grayish tips. The specimen 

 described by Mr. Lawrence as S. albogu- 

 laris, though male, is, in most respects, 

 like the female, except tliat the wings 

 and tail are darker, the color of the upper 

 part grayer, and the interscapular feathers 

 blotched with black. The black of the 

 head is strongly indicated, the feathers, ^ 



'-' ■^ ' Spermophila moreleti. 



however, all with gray margins. In this 



and another, a little further advanced, from San Diego, Mexico, (4096,) there 

 is a very faint indication of the black pectoral band, and there is no trace 

 of the whitish of the rump. 



Habits. This pretty little tropical form of Sparrow can only rest a claim 

 to be included in our fauna by its occasional presence on the Rio Grande in 

 Texas. It is found throughout Mexico and Central America. 



Mr. Sumichrast found it throughout the State of Vera Cruz, except only 

 in the elevated or alpine regions. Its common name was Frailecito. It was 

 abundant throughout the hot and the temperate regions as well as the plateau. 



This species was first met with near the Lake of Peten, in Guatemala, by 



