AO Sennett o/i the Pcuccca riificeps Group. [January 



NOTES ON THE PEUCy^A RUFICEPS GROUP, 

 WITH DESCRIPTION OF A NEW SUBSPECIES. 



BY GEORGE B. SENNETT. 



A NUMBER of Rurous-ciovvned Summer Finches recently col- 

 lected by Mr. Wm. Lloyd In Western Texas, led me to examine 

 into the history of all the forms of the genus with the following 

 results. 



After a thorough study of the abundant material in all forms 

 which I have at hand, and a careful analysis of the text of the 

 original describers, it seems to me certain that an error was 

 made in the naming of var. erernoeca (see Bull. Nuttall Ornith. 

 Club, Vol. VII, Jan. 1882, p. 26) as distinct from bo7icardi 

 (see P. Z. S., 1867, pi. 1. pp. 1,2). 



For the benefit of those not having access to the 'Proceedings' 

 of the Zoological Society of London, 1867, I will quote from 

 Mr. Sclater's observations on page 2 : "I have had three indiffer- 

 ent skins of this species (collected by M. Botteri, near Orizaba) 

 for several years without being able to identify it satisfactorily. 

 M. Boucard's recent collections having contained excellently 

 prepared examples, I have been enabled to make a better exam- 

 ination of it and to satisfy myself that it is, as far as I can tell, 

 undescribed." Also on same page he gives '■'■Hab. in Mexico 

 meridionali, Orizaba (Botteri) ; La Puebla (Boucard)." Mr. 

 Sclater also labelled the Orizaba specimens '■'-boficardi." More 

 than twenty years ago, when very little was known of this 

 group, Mr. Sclater evidently saw that the Orizaba birds were the 

 same as those from La Puebla, and was particular to say so, and 

 to put Orizaba first in the list of localities given as its habitat. 



The plate evidently figures the more adult specimen from La 

 Puebla, and the Latin diagnosis does not point particularly to the 

 black shaft lines of the back, which we recognize as distinguish- 

 ing it from other forms, but otherwise answers the description 

 of the Orizaba specimens as well as the La Puebla ones. Hav- 

 ing before me one of the original Orizaba specimens, and adults 

 from La Puebla and the city of Mexico, and also both adults and 

 young from Western Texas, I am decidedly of the opinion that 

 Mr. Sclater's Orizaba specimens of boucardi were in the first 



