780 BIRDS OF CENTRAL MEXICO JOUY. 



Iris, olirome; ui)i)ei iiumdihle, dusky; under lUiiiidible, pale yellow; 

 tarsi, pale yellowish ; toes, dusky. 



40. Pipilo fuscns Swains, 



This is one of the commonest birds everywhere in central Mexico. 

 Almost invariably found on the ground, or on low walls, in tangled, 

 grassy places; it is particularly partial to hedges along the roadsides. 

 Of familiar and inquisitive disposition, it is constantly intruding itself 

 on the passer-by. Utilizing the runways of the ground squirrels it 

 keeps dodging in and out, appearing and disappearing, to the confusion 

 of the collector. Taken at Ahualulco and San Luis Potosi, October 

 28 and November 30. 



41. Pyrgisoma rubricatum (Licht.). 



Only seen at the Barranca Ibarra, near Guadalajara, May 11 and 13. 

 This is essentially a ground species, and, although it was not exactly 

 rare, it is a very shy bird and difficult to get. It was found almost 

 exclusively around the head of the barranca on the bare hillsides and 

 on the road leading down, but never descending any distance toward 

 the warmer lower country. 



Iris, reddish brown; tarsi and toes, pale brownish lilaceous. 



42. Carpodacvis cassini Baird. 



Abundant in small flocks among the live oaks at an elevation of 7,000 

 to 8,000 feet. In the mountains 25 miles west of Charcas, San Luis 

 Potosi, November 13. 



43. Spiuus psaltria mexicanus (Swains.). 



First seen at Soledad, San Luis Potosi, November 27, in small flocks 

 in Cottonwood trees, also taken at the Hacienda El Moiino, in Jalisco, 

 June 13. This is the large form first described by Swainson from the 

 tableland of Mexico, Real del Monte, and which ranges north to south- 

 ern Texas. Average measurements of six specimens of this bird from 

 southern Texas and northern Mexico give the following results: Wing, 

 2.60 inches; tail, 1.70; culmen, 0.40. Two other forms, ap[)aiently dis- 

 tinct and with difl'erent habitats, have been called nte.vi('anii.s hy ydvioiis 

 authors, but can readily be distinguished by their smaller size and the 

 more brilliant coloring of the under parts. They may be distinguished 

 as follows ; 



Spinus psaltria croceus, subsp. iiov. • 



SuRSP. CHAR. — Difteriug- from .S. niexicaiiiis in having- tlie oiitire under parts a deep 

 gamboge-yellow instead of pale canary-yellow; the white of tlie wing at the base 

 of the primaries more restricted, and with less white on the tertials. Axillaries 

 mainly jet black (axillaries gray, or gray narrowly streaked with black in mcxica- 

 iikn). Size smaller, average of four specimens from Costa Rica, Guatemala, and 

 Paiuinia give, for the wing, 2.12 inches; tail, 1.52; culmen, 0.37. 



Hahitat. — Western Central America (type No. 53,83'J U, S. National Museum, 

 cf ad., Panama, J. McLeanuau. 



