18"].] MR. W. NATION ON SPERMOPHILA SIMPLEX. 329 



fere, ceteris Aplo latioribus quam longa ; scuta, ventralia alterum 

 tantum fere latiora quam longa, sectionis anterioris haud bipar- 

 tita. Branchice (equates, pallide lutece, fasciis maculisve nullis, 

 semiorbes referentes, longitudine segmentorum anteriorum 32, 

 lamina basali minus alta, ^ longitudinis branchiarum adcequante ; 

 fila branchialia utrinque 13 (14) ceque longa, apice nudo \ lon- 

 gitudinis cequante, utrinque serie ocellorum punctiformium, a 

 media branchiarum altitudine adscendente, ante apicem desinente 

 instructs ; ocelli nigri, simplices, rhachi profunde inserti, nume- 

 rosi, plus triceni; barbulce filorum haud flexuosce, \ longitudinis 

 eorum cequantes ; membrana bases filorum conjungens, lamina 

 basali altior ; tentacula \ altitudinis branchiarum paulo supe- 

 rantia ; collare humillimum, annulare, margine ventrali medio vix 

 inciso, colore branchiarum. Tori uncinigeri sectionis anterioris 

 lati, posterioris angustissimi ; uncini aviculares, ordine simplici 

 collocati; fasciculi setarum sectionis anterioris crassiores, poste- 

 rio?-is tenuiores, utrinque setas capillares et paleas continentes, 

 primus ceteris latior ; setce capillares sectionis posterioris tener- 

 rimcs, haud limbatce, leniter curvatcs, anterioris fortiores ; palea 

 disco suborbiculari, mucrone subtilissimo instructce, sectionis an- 

 terioris sub dencB, distichce, posterioris quince. 

 Longitudo animalis haud completi 42 - 5 m., branchiarum 13, 



sectionis corporis anterioris 4 m., posterioris 25 - 5 m. 



Sabellce alticolli Gr. et S. phceotcenice Schmd. simillima, sed in 



descriptione hujus ocelli haud commemorantur, et branchiae fasciatse 



sunt, basi collarique fusco, in S. alticolli lamina basalis multo altior 



est et ocelli minus numerosi. . 



2. On the Habits of Spermophila simplex. 

 By W. Nation, C.M.Z.S. 



[Keeeived May 15, 1874.] 



This plain-coloured Spermophila (lately described by M. Tacza- 

 nowski *) is abundant near Lima, and, I believe, ranges a con- 

 siderable distance north and south of Lima along the coast. 



It frequents shrubs and bushes bordering cultivated land and 

 watercourses, and gardens. It feeds upon the seed of the numerous 

 Malvaeece which abound along the coast of Peru. In the breeding- 

 season it is found singly or in pairs, and in winter in small parties 

 with individuals of Zonotrichia pileata and Spermophila telasco. 



The nest, which is placed upon a branch of a low bush, is com- 

 posed wholly of the fine twining stems and tendrils of Passifora 

 minima, with a few horsehairs for a lining. 



The eggs are three in number, greenish, blotched with pale brown, 

 interspersed with a few deep-brown blotches. 



The habits, nest, and eggs of this bird differ considerably from 

 those of Spermophila. In Spermophila we find a slenderer form, a 



* P. Z. S. 1874, p. 132. 



Proc. Zool. Soc— 1874, No. XXII. 22 



