FRINGILLIDJ-: — THE FINCHES. 105 



Few genera in birds exliihit such constancy in trifling variations of form 

 and color, and as these are closely connected with gcograpliical distriliuti(jn, 

 it seems reasonable to reduce many of tlie so-called species to a lower rank. 

 In the following synopsis, we arrange the wiiole of North Aiuerican and 

 Mexican Tijiilos into iour sectior.:, with their more positive species, and 

 in the subsetiuent discussion c/f tlie sections separately we shall give what 

 appear to be the varieties. 



Species. 



A, Sido.s and lower tail-coverts rufous, in .siuirp contrast with the clciir wliito of 

 the abdomen. Tail-feathers with whitish patch on end of inner weh.s. 



a. Head and nock black, sharply delined against the white of breast. IJump 



olive or blackish. 



lllttc.l: or dusky ulive above, 



1. P. maoulatuB. Wiiite spots on tips of both rows of wiiif^-covorts, 

 and on scapulars. No white patch on ba.se of primaries. Hub. Mexico, 

 and United States west of the Missouri. (Five race.s.) 



2. P. erythropthalmuB. No white spots on winjjf-co verts, nor on 

 scapulars. A white patch on base of primaries. I[(ib. Eastern Province 

 of United States. (Two races.) 



lirujlit olive-green above. 



3. P. maoronyx.' Scapulars and wing-cov'crts (lioth rows) with 

 distinct fjrccnish-white .spots on tips of outer wel)s. 



4. P. chloroBoma.' Scapnlars and wing-coverts without trace of 

 white .spots. Hub. Tal)le-lands of Me.\ico. (Perha])s tiicse are two 

 races of one species, ntucroni/x.} 



1 Pipih iiKicrnutix, .SWAIKSON, Phil. Mag. I, 1827, 434. Heal del Moiito, Mcx. — In. Aiiim. in 

 Men. 183S, ;i47. — Bp. C'ousp. 487. — Sclateu & S.vi.vix, 18(59, 3()1. I'iiiilo virrscens. Hart- 

 LAUn, Cab. Jour. 1803, 228, Mex. 



Sp. CllAU. Prevailing color above olive-green ; the head and neck all round black, abruptly 

 contrasted below with the white under parts ; above passing insensibly into the green of the 

 back ; feathers of interscapular region obscurely dusky medially ; sides and cri.ssuni rufous. 

 Scapulars and greater and middle coverts with outer webs pale greeidsh-yellow at ends ; these 

 blotches faintly margined externally with olive-green. Edge of wing yellow ; outer primary 

 edged with whitish, edges of other primaries and of secondaries uniform olive-green. Fifth 

 qiuU longest, fourth and sixth scarcely shorter ; first shorter than ninth. Legs stout, claws 

 niucli curved. Tail wanting in the single specimen before us (a male from the city of Mexico, 

 belonging to Mr. G. N. LawreneeV 



Dimensions (prejiared specimen) : Wing, 3.70. Exposed portion of first primary, 2.30 ; of 

 second, 2.73 ; of longest (measured from exposc^l base of fn-st primary), 2.85. IJill ; Length 

 from fore'. ead, .75 ; from nostril, .45. Legs: Tarsus, 1.14 ; middle claw, .38 ; hind toe and claw, 

 .85 ; claw alone, .52. 



In describing this species, Swaiiuson mentions an accompanying specimen as similar, but with- 

 out any white spots on wings, suggesting that it may be the female. A specimen in tlie plumage 

 from Oaxaea is characterized as follows. 



'■* Pipilo chlorosomn, Baiud. 50,225^, Oaxaea. Similar to P. mafTO?!?/j' in color, but without 

 any trace of white markings on the wings. Outer tail-feathers with an obscurely defiiu'd greenish- 

 white patch about an inch long, at the enil of inner web ; similar, but successively smaller 

 patches on the second and third feathers, all whiter on ujjper than lower surface. Fifth (piill 

 longest ; first shorter than ninth. 



Z>i»«;«*i«)W (prepared siiecimen) : TotaUength, 8.20; wing, 3.75; tail, 4.80. Bill: Length 



vol.. II. 14 



