512 



U. S. p. R. R. EXP. AND SURVEYS — ZOOLOGY — GENERAL REPORT. 



XL, 1855, 356,) with Pyrgisoma kieneri, of Conspectus^ 186, as type {Pyrgisoma is based upon 

 Arremon biarcuatns, of Lafresnaye, figured in Voyage de la Venus, tab. vi, and erroneously 

 assigned to California.) The other species given as belonging to the genus are Pipilo rujipileus, 

 (chlorurus) torquatus, rufescen8,fuscus, and aberti. It is probable that the P. chlorurus would 

 be our North American type of Kieneria. 1 am not prepared to suggest a name for section B. 



Gray gives Melo^one (not Meloxene) of Eeichenbach, Av. Syst, Nat. pi. Ixxix, 1850, as ante- 

 dating Pyrgisoma of Pucheran, 1851. The name, however, is given in Conspectus Avium, 20 

 July, 1850, although according to the title page, pi. 79 of Reichenbach was published June 

 1, 1850. 



Comparative measurements of species. 



PIPILO ERTTHROPHTHALMUS, Vieillot. 



Ground Robin ; Towhee ; Chewink. 



Fringilla erythrophthalma, Link. Syst. Nat. I, 1766, 318.— Aud. Cm. Biog. I, 1832, 151 : V, 511 ; pi. 29. 



Emberiza erythrophthalma, Gm. Syst. Nat. I, 1788, 874. — Wilson, Am. Orn. VI, 1813, 90 ; pi. liii. 



Pipillo erythrophthalmus, Vieill. Gal. Ois. I, 1824, 109 ; pi. Ixxx. 



Pipilo erythrophthalmusyBoji. List, 1838— Ib. Conspectus, 1850, 487.— Add. Syn. 1839, 124.— Ib. Birds Araer. Ill, 



1841,167; pi. 195. 

 Pipilo ater, Vieill. Nouv. Diet. XXXIV, 1819, 292. 

 Towhee Bird, Catesbt, Car. I, 34. —Towhee Bunting, Latham, Syn II, i, 1783, 199. — Pennant, II, 1785, 359. 



Sp. Ch. — Upper parts generally, head and neclt all round, and upper part of the breast, glossy black, abruptly defined against 

 the pure white which extends to the anus, but is bounded on the sides and under the wings by light chestnut. Under coverts 

 similar to sides, but paler. Edges of outer six primaries with white at the base and on the middle of the outer web ; inner 

 two tertiaries also edged externally with wTiite. Tail feathers black ; outer web of the first, with the ends of the first to the 

 third white, decreasing from the exterior one. Iris red. Length, 8.75 ; wing, 3.75 ; tail, 4.10. 



Female with the black replaced by brown. 



Hail.— Eastern United States to the Missouri river. 



In this species the cutting edge of the mandible is slightly concave, and not sinuated. The 

 wing is short and rounded ; the fourth quill longest ; the first about equal to the secondaries. 



