Plate LXY. (Fig. 1.) 



PYRGISOMA CABANI8L 



(CABANIS' GEOUND-FINCH). 



Melozone liarcuata 

 Pyrgisoma kieneri 



Pyrgisoma hinrcuaium et P. kieneri 

 Pyrgisoma cahanisi 



Cab. J. f. O. 1860, p. 412. 



Cassin, Proc. Acad. Phil. 1865, p. 169 ; Lawrence, 



Ann. L. N. T. viii. p. 481. 

 Lawr. Ann. L. N. T. ix, p. 103. 

 Scl. et Salv. P. Z. S. 1868, p. 324. 



Supra fuscuDi, pileo etplumis auricularibus castaneis : fronte nigra, loris et regione oculari albis : subtus ciaerenm, 

 raedialiter album, striga utrinque rictali et plaga pectorali media nigris : subalaribus albis : rostro oiigco, pedibua 

 corylinia : long, tota 5"5, alae 28, cauda; 23, rostri a rictu 06, tarsi I'O. 



Sab. in Costa Rica (Hoffmann). 



Although several emment Naturalists have met with specimens of this Ground-Finch they 

 have in every case identified it wrongly. These errors have been mainly caused by the confusion 

 which has hitherto prevailed concerning the bird characterized in Bonaparte's " Conspectus" 

 under the name Pyrgisoma Ideneri. This vexata qucestio we have already attempted to solve in a 

 lately published article in the " Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London," and we hope 

 to set all doubts upon the subject completely at rest on the present occasion. 



Dr. Cabanis, the first describer of this species, called it Melozone hiarciiata, believing it to be 

 the same as the common Guatemalan Pyrgisoma hiarcuatum to which we have already alluded. 

 From this bird, however, it is easily distinguishable by its wholly red ear-coverts and distinct 

 pectoral spot. Our American friends Messrs. Cassin and Lawrence have both wrongly referred 

 this Pyrgisoma to the succeeding species P. kieneri.^ from which we shall point out its distinctions 

 below. Under these circumstances we have proposed for it the new name cahaiiisi., after the 

 well-known Editor of the " Journal fur Ornithologie." 



As far as we know the range of this Ground-Finch is restricted to the highlands of Costa 

 Eica, whence the original specimens were sent to the Berlin Museum by Drs. Hofifrnann and 

 Ellendorf. These were collected in the vicinity of San Jose, where the bird is stated to be 

 not uncommon. Other examples have since been obtained in the same neighbourhood by the 

 Messrs. Carmiol, as recorded by Mr. Lawrence in his recently published catalogue of the birds 

 found in Costa Eica. There is likewise a single stuffed specimen of this species in the gallery 

 of the Paris Museum, but no locality is attached to it. 



Our figure of this bird is taken from one of Dr. Hofimann's skins, now in Sclater's collection, 

 which was received in exchange from the Berlin Museum. 



Decembeb, 1868. 



[129] 



