FKINGILLID^E — THE FmCHES. 121 



SECTION II. 



Head and body above brown ; throat with a light -patch. 

 PipilO fuSCUS, SWAINSON. 



Synopsis of the Varieties. 



Common Characters. Grayish-brown above, with a more or less appreciable 

 rufous tinge on the crown. A patch covering the throat, ochraceous or white, 

 contrasting with the surrounding portions, and encircled more or less com- 

 pletely, especially posteriorly, by dusky spots ; lores like the chin. Crissum deep 

 ochraceous, the lower part of abdomen tinged more or less with the same. 

 A. No trace of white tips to middle wing-coverts. Throat ochraceous. 



a. Crown only famtly tinged with rufous. 



1. Abdomen pale grayish-brown ; throat and lores deep reddish- 

 ochraceous; the deep ochraceous confined posteriorly to lower 

 tail-coverts. Wing, 3.90 ; tail, 5.00. Hah. California. var. crissalis. 



2. Abdomen distinctly white centrally, but surrounded by grayish 

 laterally and anteriorly ; throat and lores pale ochraceous ; deep 

 ochraceous of crissum extending forward over lower part of 

 abdomen. Wing, 3.80; tail, 4.00. Hab. Mexico . var. fuscus} 



b. Crown very distinctly rufous. 



3. The ochraceous of posterior under parts spreading over whole 

 lower part of abdomen and flanks. Ochraceous of the throat ' 

 palest anteriorly, the chin and lores being almost white ; it spreads 

 over the jugulum also, outside the series of rather scattered dusky 



1 Pipilo fuscus, Sw. Phil. Mag. I, 1827, 434 (Temisualtepec). — Ib. Aiiini. in Menag. 1838, 

 347. — Bp. Consp. 1851, 487. — Sclater, P. Z. S. 1856, 304 (Cordova). ? Xieneria fusca, Bp. 

 C. R. XL, 1855, 356. 



Sp. Char. Above dull olive-brown ; the top of head having the central portion of feathers 

 tinged (inconspicuously and obscurely) with rufous. Chin and throat pale rufous, bordered by 

 dusky streaks ; a single dusky spot in lower part of jugulum. Belly and flanks behind, anal 

 region and crissum, rather darker rufous. Sides grayish-olive, lighter than the back, tingeing the 

 breast, and leaving only a small patch in the centre of under parts white, shading into the sur- 

 rounding ashy-brown. Fourth and fifth quills longest ; first shorter than ninth, or than secon- 

 daries. 



Z)2me?iszo?is (prepared specimen) : Total length, 7.75 ; Aving, 3.80 ; tail, 4.20 ; exposed portion 

 of first primary, 2.30 ; of longest (measured from exposed base of first primary), 3.03. Bill: 

 Length from forehead, .65 ; from nostril, .40. Legs : Tarsus, .95 ; middle toe and claw, 1.00 ; 

 hind toe and claw, .68; claw alone, .36. Hab. Highlands of Mexico. 



The specimen described is from the city of Mexico, aud belongs to Mr. G. N. Lawrence ; others 

 before us are from Temiscaltepec (the original locality of Swainsou's type), Guadalaxara, and 

 Tepic. 



While admitting the strong probability that the diflferent brown Pipilos with rufous throat 

 bordered by black spots, P. fuscus, crissalis, mesoleucus, albigula, and probably even albicollis, 

 are geogi'aphical modifications of the same original type, the large collection before us vindicates 

 the action of those who have referred the California species to that described by Swainson as fus- 

 cus, and who have distinguished the P. mesoleucus from both. The original description offiisciis 

 agrees almost exactly with crissalis, both actually scarcely separable ; while the mesoleucus, in- 

 termediate in geographical position, is decidedly diff'erent from either. The relationships of 

 these different forms will be found expressed in the general diagnosis already given. 



Two descriptions given by Swainson, copied below, of the P. fuscus, ditt'er somewhat from each 

 other, and may not have been taken from the same specimen. The identification of either with 



VOL. II. 16 



