FlUNGILLIDi'E — THE FINCHES. 91 



Spermophila moreleti, rucnEUAN. 



LITTLE BEED-EATEB. 



Spermophila morckti, (Puciieuan,) Bonap. Coiisjx'ctus, 1850,497. — Sci.atku, Pr. Zoiil. 

 Soo. 1856, 302. — Haiiid, Hinls N. Am. 1858, 500, i>l. liv, f. 2, 3. —In. Mcv. Hoiiiul. 

 II, Birils, 17, I>1. xvi, f. 2, 3. Spomphila morekti. Cab. Mus. lli-iii. 1851, 150. — In. 

 Journ. fur. Oni. IX, IStil, 4 (with .synoiiomy). Spermophila (illilijii/uris, (Si>i.\,) 

 Lawrence, Ann. N. Y. Lyceum, V, Si'pt. 1851, 124 (Ti'.xas. Xot oI'Simx). 



Sp. Char. The top and .«i(les of tlie head, back of thci neck, a limad liand apros.^i the 

 upper part of the breast extundnig all round, the middle of tiu^ back, the wiiifrs and tail, 

 with the posterior upper coverts, black. The chin, upper throat and neck all round, but 

 interrupted behind, the rump, with the remaining under and lateral portions of the body, 

 white; the latter tinged with brownish-yellow. Two bands on the wing, across the 

 greater and middle coverts, with the concealed bases of all the (luills, also white. Lcnirth, 

 about 4 inclies; wing, 2.05; tail, 1.00. 



Female. Dull yellow ; olivaceous above, brownish-yollow beneath. Wings and tail 

 somewhat as in the male. 



Had. Rio Grande of Te.xas; .south to Costa Rica. Xalapa (8cr.. ISaO, 30")); Oa.xaca 

 (ScL. 1859, 378); Cordova (Scl. 18r)0, .302); Guatemala (Sci,. Ibis. I, 17; Sai.v. Iliis, I, 

 4G8; nest); Costa Rica (Cab. J. 18G1, 4); Vera Cruz, winter, uli>ine region, breeding 

 (Sum. M. B. S. I, 551). 



The specimen upon which the preceding description of the male has 

 been based is the only one in full plu- 

 mage we have seen, and was kindly lent 

 by Mr. P. L. Sclater. It was collected in 

 Honduras. Some of the feathers of the 

 back have grayish tips. The specimen 

 described by Mr. Lawrence as S. alhogii- 

 hiris, though male, is, in most respects, 

 like the female, except that the wings 

 and tail are darker, the color of the upper 

 ])art grayer, and the interscapular feathei-s 

 blotched with black. The black of tlie 



head is strongly indicated, the feathers, s,„„„„„/„7„ ,L,.,i. 



however, all with gray margins. In this 



and another, a little further advanced, from San Diego, Mexico, (-id'.ir),) there 

 is a ve'y fainc indication of the black pectoral band, and there is no trace 

 of the whitish of the rump. 



Habits. This pretty little tropical form of Sparrow can only rest a claim 

 to be included in our fauna by its occasional i)resence on the lUo Grande in 

 Texas. It is found throughout Mexico and Central America. 



Mr. Sumichrast found it throughout the State of Vera Ouz, except only 

 in the elevated or alpine regions. Its common name was Frailccilo. It was 

 abundant throughout the hot and the temperate regions as well as the plateau. 



This species was first met with near the Lake of Peten, in Guatemala, by 



