BIRDS OF NORTH AND MIDDLE AMERICA. 347 



I conbider Brachyspiza to be much more nearlj'- related to that genus 

 than to Zonofrichla, to which it has usually been referred, doubtless 

 on account of its boldly striped head. From the latter BnwJiysjpiza 

 differs, structurally, in its relatively very much shorter and more 

 rounded wing, much shorter tail, and longer tarsi; while from the 

 former it differs in its shorter tail, longer and stouter tarsi, and very 

 different style of coloration. 



KEY TO THE SUBSPECIES OP BRACHYSPIZA. 



a. Bill shorter (exposed culmen of adult male averaging 11.94); coloration darker, 

 with head-stripes duller gray and black patches on the sides of foreneck not dis- 

 tinctly separated (usually coalesced into a more or less continuous transverse 

 patch). (Southern Mexico to Peru.) Braohyspiza capensis peruviana (p. .347) 



aa. Bill longer (exposed culmen of adult male averaging 12.45 or more); coloration 

 paler, with head-stripes purer gray and black patches on sides of foreneck 

 distinctly separated. (Islands of Cura5ao and Aruba, Caribbean Sea.) 



Brachyspiza capensis iusularis (p. 349.) 



BRACHYSPIZA CAPENSIS PERUVIANA (Lesson). 

 PERUVIAN SPARROW. 



Adults {sexes alike). — Broad median crown-stripe and superciliary 

 stripe and median portion of auricular region gray; broad lateral 

 crown-stripes, narrower postocular stripe, and less distinct stripe 

 along lower margin of auricular region, black; collar round hindneck, 

 extending over sides of neck to sides of chest, rufous; upper parts 

 brownish (more olivaceous on rump, etc.), the back and scapulars 

 broadly streaked with black, the wing with two narrow whitish bands; 

 under parts white, shading into grayish brown or buffy olive on sides 

 and flanks;' the foreneck with two black lateral patches, sometimes 

 coalesced into a single transverse patch. 



Young. — Pileum dull brown, divided by an indistinct lighter, more 

 buffy, median stripe and ever j' where streaked with black; back and 

 scapulars light buffy brownish, broadly streaked with black; under 

 parts buffy whitish, more buffy (often dull buff) on chest and sides, 

 conspicuously streaked with wedge-shaped marks of blackish; hind- 

 neck and sides of neck more rusty buffy, narrowly streaked with 

 blackish; no black spots on foreneck; wing-bands buffy. 

 ■ Adult mafc.— Length (skins), 130.81-162.40 (138.18); wing, 59.69- 

 72.39 (66.80); tail, 49.53-66.04 (58.93); exposed culmen, 11.43-12.45 

 (11.94); depth of bill at base, 7.37-7.62 (7.49); tarsus, 20.83-23.37 

 (22.61); middle toe, 13.72-15.76 (14.99).^ 



Adadt female.— l^Qngth (skins), 127.00-139.70(132.08); wing, 60.96- 

 67.31 (64.77); tail, 53.85-60.96 (56.39); exposed culmen, 10.67-12.19 



^Fifteen specimens, chiefly from southern Mexico (Chiapas), Guatemala, and 

 Costa Rica. 



