Plate LXIV. Fig. 2. 



PYRGISOMA LEUCOTE. \ 



(WHITE-EAEED GrtOUND-FINCH). 



Chamoeospisa torquata . . . Scl. et Salv. Ibis, 18G0, p. 274, (err.) 



Melozone leucotis .... Cab. J. f. Orn. ISGO, p. 413. 



„ „ .... Cassin, Pr. Ac. Pliil. 1865, p. 169. 



Pi/rffisoma leucote .... Salvin, Ibis, 1866, p. 205. 



.... Scl. et Salv. P.Z.S. 1868, p. 326. 



Supra fuscum, dovso superiore cinerascpnte tincto : pileo medio cinereo, utrinque nigro ; loris, ciliis oculorum ei 

 regione auriculari albis, bac nigro cireiimdata ; striga jost-ocul iri utrinque cum torque cervieali postico conjuncta et 

 flexura alari flavicanti-olivaceis : subtua ciuereuin, medialiter albicans ; gutture toto et plaga pectoris medii nigris : 

 crisso rufescente, hypocliondriis eodem colore perfusis : roi^tro nigro, pedibus corylinis : long, tota 7'0, alie 2'9, 

 Cauda} 2S, tarsi 1-1. 



Sab. in Costa-Rica et Guatemala. 



One of Salvin's favourite .sliooting-gToinids when resident at Eueoas in Guatemala was tlie 

 slope of the Volcan dc Fucgo, which rises over the village to a height of upwards of thirteen 

 thousand feet above the sea-level. Here it was, in September, 1859, that the first specimen of 

 the present Ground-finch was obtained. This example, however, being in quite immature plumage, 

 was wrongly referred to Cliamceospiza torquata. In his succeeding visits to Duefias Halvin 

 collected other skins of the bird in perfect plumage, but before the error was detected, Dr. 

 Cabanis had already <lescribed the species from Costa-Eican specimens transmitted to the 

 Berlin Museum by Hoffman and v. Frantzius. 



In habits P. leucote much resembles P. hiarcuatum — one of the most familiar species in the 

 highlands of Guatemala. It is generally seen on or near the ground in the scrubby forests 

 which cover the eastern slopes of the volcano up to an elevation of six thousand feet. It seeks 

 its food aiuongst the dead leaves, which it scratches vigorously with its strong feet. It does 

 not appear to be widely distributed, not having been met with by Salvin in other parts of Guate- 

 mala, but it may be mentioned that the collection of M. Bocourt i-ecently transmitted to Paris 

 contains a single skin of this species, which was probably obtained in Vera Paz. 



Our ligure of this bird is from one of Salvin's skins obtained on the slopes of the Volcan 

 de Fuego below the village of Alotenango in 1862. The irides, according to Hoffinann's 

 notes as given by Dr. Cabanis, are coloured yellow. 



AuausT, 1868. 



[128] 



