500 



V. S. p. B. E. EXP. AND StIRVEYS — ZOOLOGY — GENEBAL EEPORT. 



List of specimens. 



CYANOSPIZA, Baird. 



Passerina, Vieillot, Analyse, 1816. Not of Linnaeue, used in Botany. 

 Spiza, BoKAPARTE, Synopsis, 1828. Not of 1825. 

 Cyahospiza, Baird. Type Tanagra ajanea, L. 



Ch. — Bill deep at the base, compressed ; the upper outline considerably curved ; the commissure rather concave, with an 

 obtuse, shallow lobe in the middle. Gonys slightly curved. Feet moderate ; tarsus about equal to middle toe ; the outer lateral 

 toe barely longer than the inner, its claw falling short of the base of the middle ; hind toe about equal to the middle without 

 claw. Claws all much curved, acute. Wings long and pointed, reaching nearly to the m'ddle of the tail ; the second and third 

 quills longest. Tail appreciably shorter than the wings ; rather narrow, very nearly even. 



The species of this genus are all of very small size and of showy plumage, usually blue, red, or green, in well defined areas. 



The species usually associated in this genus vary somewhat in certain points. Thus, in G. 

 amoena, the bill is moderately curved, and distinctly sinuated ; the tertials not longer than the 

 secondaries, the first primary a little shorter that the fourth ; the lateral claws falling consider- 

 ably short of the base of the middle one. In C. cyanea, with the bill somewhat similar, the 

 tertials are much longer than the secondaries, equal to the sixth primary, the lateral toes rather 

 longer. In O. ciris the bill is larger and more curved, the lateral toes reaching nearly to the 

 base of the middle claw ; the wing more rounded, the first primary shorter than the fifth ; the 

 tertials a little longer than the secondaries. 



In the so called Spiza versicolor the upper mandible, the commissure especially, is more 

 curved ; the latter without any sinuation ; the wings are shorter ; the first primary shorter 

 than the seventh ; the tertials a little longer than the secondaries. 



The Cyanoloxia parellina of Bonaparte is sufficiently similar to species of Cyanospiza to be 

 placed among or at least near them. The bill, larger, more swollen, and much curved, though 

 difi"ering from Guiraca in having the under jaw much weaker, shorter, and scarcely wider than 



