258 - TANAGEID^. 



Atro-c£erulea, capite et gutture paulo purpurascentioribus ; fronte anguste nigra, pilei dimidio antioo usque ad 

 oculorum extremum et abdomine toto cum crisso luteis, alis subtus albis; Cauda nigra rectricibus duabus 

 utrinque extemis macula magna (apieem baud attingente), in pogonio intemo alba ; rostro et pedibus 

 obscure plumbeis. Long, tota 4'0, ate 2-1, caudsB 1-35, rostri a rictu 0-4, tarsi 0-55. 



2 supra olivascens, pUeo postico et dorso antico cinereo tinctis, subtus sordide flavicans, abdomine medio 

 clariore. (Descr. maris et feminsB ex Eetalhuleu, Guatemala. Mus. nostr.) 



Hab. Mexico, Mazatlan (Bischoff^), Sierra Madre {Xantus ^), Orizaba {SallS ^, Botteri ^), 

 hot region of Vera Cruz {Sumichrast i*^), Tierra Caliente of the Atlantic side {le 

 Strange), Barrio and Tehuantepec city [Sumichrast ^), Merida in Yucatan (Schott '', 

 Gaumer); British Honduras, Belize {Blancaneausc); Guatemala 4, Retalhuleu, 

 Escuintla, Savana Grande, Duenas, Calderas {0. S. & F. B. G.), Coban (Sarg); 

 NiCAEAGUA, Eealejo {A. Lesson^); Costa Rica, San Jose (Hoffmann ^^), San Juan 

 (v. Frantzius ^). 



Euphonia affinis is the Central- American representative of the widely-ranging South- 

 American E. chlorotica, and differs from that bird in the yellow of the underparts 

 being of a somewhat paler tint, and in the colour of the back being devoid of the purple 

 hue present in the latter bird. 



It was first described by Lesson from specimens said to have been obtained at Eealejo 

 in Nicaragua ^, whence it has since been traced northwards as far as Mazatlan in 

 Mexico, and southwards to Costa Eica. We should say, however,- that it is more 

 abundantly distributed over the districts of Mexico and Guatemala which border the 

 Pacific Ocean than elsewhere, though not confined in its range to these parts. In 

 altitude E. affinis is found at very varied elevations, for in September 1862 we met with 

 it in abundance at Retalhuleu, at an elevation of about 800 feet, and in the same 

 month in 1873 Salvin shot specimens at Calderas in the Volcan de Fuego, at an 

 elevation of 7300 feet above the sea. At Duenas it was observed at various times 

 between the months of July and November. Its presence in any locality is doubtless 

 determined by the ripeness of some favourite fruit, such a one at Duenas being a 

 species of Ficus, bearing a small sweet fruit much loved by Euphonia affinis. One of 

 these trees near Duenas, frequently visited by us during its time of fruit, was always 

 full of these birds, which remained all day feasting without ceasing. 



In Northern Yucatan this Euphonia is common, and we have a single specimen from 

 the vicinity of Belize. In Vera Paz, however, it seems by no means abundant, as we 

 have no specimens ourselves from there. 



In Costa Rica, too, it would appear to be comparatively rare, as no examples have 

 reached us, and the only ones on record are those of Drs. Hoffmann and v. Frantzius ^^. 



3. Euphonia minuta. 



Euphonia minuta, Cab. in Schomb. Reise n. Guiana, iii. p. 671 '; Scl. P. Z. S. 1856, p. 274'; Ibis, 

 1873, p. 373 ^ Scl. & Salv. Ibis, 1860, p. 275 ^ P. Z. S. 1879, p. 498'; Lawr. Ann. Lye. 

 N. Y. vii. p. 382 ' ; Salv. P. Z. S. 1870, p, 186 ' ; Cat. Strickl. Coll. p. 180 ^ ; Pelz. Orn. Bras, 

 ■p. 203 9. 



