SYCALIS LUTEOLA. 



GO 



persistence of the birds in struggling to get possession of those already 

 occupied by stronger species, only shows that the habit or instinct has 

 not been modified to suit a change in the conditions i. e. a diminishing 

 number of ovens to breed in, with, perhaps, the increase of other 

 stronger species possessing the same habit. But while the instinct 

 thus survives too strongly in the country birds, many individuals have 

 taken to a town life, and acquired the new habit of breeding in holes in 

 brick walls. Probably this race of town birds will eventually colonize 

 the rural districts, and usurp the place of the country birds, which will 

 then be placed at a disadvantage. 



90. SYCALIS LUTEA (d'Orb. et Lafr.). 

 (YELLOW SEED-FINCH.) 



Sycalis chloxopis, Jlurm. La-Plata Reise, ii. p. 489 (Mendoza and Catamarca). 

 Sycalis lutea, Scl. Ibis, 1872, p. 46, pi. ii. fig. 2. 



Description. Dark yellow ; rump and body below brighter ; wings and tail 

 brownish black, edged with yellow ; under wing-coverts pale yellow ; inner 

 margins of wing-feathers pale brown : whole length 5'5 inches, wing 3'2, tail 

 2*1. Female similar, but duller and more brownish. 



Hob. Andes of Peru, Bolivia, and Argentina. 



Prof. Burmeister obtained examples of this species near Mendoza. 

 In my revision of the genus published in 1872, I referred the speci- 

 mens (upon some of which Prof. Burmeister based his species S. chlo- 

 ropis) to S. uropygialis. I now find that this was an error, and that 

 they really belong to S. lutea. P. L. S. 



91. SYCALIS LUTEOLA (Sparrm.). 

 (MISTO SEED-FINCH.) 



Sycalis luteola, Scl. Ibis, 1872, p. 44 ; Scl. et Salv. Nomencl. p. 35 ; Durnford, 

 Ibis, 1877, p. 172 (Buenos Ayres), et 1878, p. 394 (Centr. Pat.) ; Barrows, 

 Bull. Nutt. Orn. Cl. viii. p. 132 (Entrerios). Sycalis luteiventris, Burm. 

 La-Plata Reise, ii. p. 489. 



Description. Above light olive-green, marked with dusky stripes ; wing- 

 feathers blackish, with pale brownish edges ; tail-feathers the same ; beneath, 

 throat and chest dusky buff, lower breast and belly yellow ; bill and feet horn- 

 colour : total length 5*0 inches, wing 2-6, tail 2'0. Female similar, but not so 

 bright. 



Hob. S. America, from Colombia to Chili. 



This is a slender, graceful bird, less than the Canary in size, the 



