i89°-l Recent Literature. *93 



We cannot agree with the authors of the 'Biologia' in referring Zono- 

 trichia vulcaniHoucard to the genus ZonotricAt'a, and Fringilla chlorura 

 And. to the genus Embernagra, although the reasons given for such 

 reference have been carefully considered. Regarding the former, these 

 reasons are as follows: "This somewhat abnormal ZonotricAt'a was 

 removed from this genus and placed in Junco by Mr. Ridgway chiefly 

 on account of the color of the irides, which are yellow as in J. 

 cinereus and its allies. NTo Junco has a spotted hack in the adult nor a 

 tail of uniform color." This statement however does not fairly represent 

 the reasons given for considering the bird more a Junco than a Zonotri- 

 r/iia, for. while we said that "it agrees perfectly in its generic charac- 

 ters with the former, except that the back is streaked, while there is no 

 white on the lateral tail-feathers," the color of the iris was mentioned 

 only incidentally, as was also its alpine habitat. It is true that no other 

 species of Junco has, when adult, a streaked back or lateral tail-feathers 

 without a considerable white patch, and most of the species of Junco also 

 have a dark brown iris. But it is equally true that no species of Zonotri- 

 ■ hia * is without white wing-bands and very conspicuous black stripes 

 on the head (or else with the head wholly black). Not one of them has 

 the bill so slender as in ' Z.' vulcani, the tarsi so lengthened, or the tail so 

 short, compared with the wing. In all these structural characters it agrees 

 closely with Junco alticola. as it docs also, very closely too, in the uniform 

 dull grayish head with distinctly blackish lores, the general coloration of 

 the under parts, and the absence of wing markings; while a close inspec- 

 tion will discover distinct remains of the white tail-patches. In fact, 

 were it not for the broad black streaks on the back, we doubt whether its 

 reference to Junco would ever have been questioned. We admit that it is 

 not a typical member of that genus; but if it is to be referred to one or 

 the other, reasons for its reference to Junco appear to very greatly pre- 

 ponderate.! 



No special reasons arc assigned for placing the bird which we have been 

 accustomed to call Pipilo chlorurus in the genus Embernagra, but this is 

 apparently done on account of some resemblance in coloration, the bird 

 in question and the typical Embernagra: having the wings and tail 

 uniform olive green. The numerous and considerable differences of form, 

 however, appear to have been overlooked, as well as the fact that other 

 species of Pipilo approach P. chlorurus in one point or another of its 

 aberrant coloration. All the true Enibernagrce have the tail either 

 decidedly shorter than the wing or else not any longer; P. chlorurus, on 



* We consider the genus Zonotrichia a true Nearctic type, including only those 

 species which belong to the North American fauna. They are all of boreal or alpine 

 distribution, breeding chiefly north of the United States except at high elevations. 



t If the streaked back of 'Junco' vulcanl is sufficient to exclude it from the genus 

 Junco, why should not the streaked back (and plain or finely streaked head) of 'Ember- 

 nagra' plaiensii exclude that species from the genus Embernagra, all the other species 

 of which have plain backs and conspicuously striped heads? 



