342 rEINGILLID^, 



Eah. Mexico, Acapulco 3 {Lesson ^ ^ Markham % Sierra Madre {Xantus^), Huamelula. 

 (Sumichrast % Colima ^- 



The long, comparatively stiff, feathers composing the crest of this bird, together with 

 the red back without any admixture of grey, and the lighter red rump, are characters by 

 which it may be recognized, both from C. cardinalis and C. igneus. The forehead, too, 

 is very narrowly bordered with black. 



The name C. carneus of Lesson has been attributed to this Western-Mexican bird, but 

 Lesson's description is anything but satisfactory, being based upon a female or young- 

 male individual. The localities given, " Acapulco " and " Realejo," are in aU proba- 

 bility only correct as to the former place, " Eealejo " being far outside the range of any 

 Cardinalis, so far as our recent knowledge extends. That the Acapulco bird is the 

 same as that described in the ' History of North-American Birds ' from the Sierra Madre 

 is proved by specimens before us. We think, therefore, that Lesson's title, C. carneus, 

 may safely be assigned to it. 



The range of C. carneus is restricted to a limited portion of Western Mexico, for at 

 Mazatlan and its neighbourhood another form, C. igneus, prevails, and its southern 

 range does not appear to extend beyond the Isthmus of Tehuantepec, as we have no 

 trace of it in Guatemala, nor, indeed, of any Cardinalis, except on the confines 

 of British Honduras and Yucatan. 



PYRRHULOXIA. 



Pyrrhuloscia, Bonaparte, Consp. Av. i. p. 500 (a subgenus) (1850) ; Coues, Key N. Am. B. ed. 2, 

 p. 393. 



Prince Bonaparte proposed this name for this peculiar bird considering it a subgenus 

 of Cardinalis, next to which it undoubtedly comes. The only member of the genus, 

 P. sinuata, occurs all along on both sides of our northern frontier, from the Rio Grande 

 valley to the head of the Gulf of California, and in the peninsula of Lower California, 

 its southern limits reaching Mazatlan and Zacatecas. 



The great peculiarity of Pyrrhuloxia, as distinguished from Cardinalis, lies in the 

 structure of the bill, which has the maxilla much rounded, both as to the culmen and 

 in cross section ; the commissure is much angulated about the middle of its length.. 

 The mandible is much wider and deeper than the maxilla; the commissure is also 

 angulated, the distal portion being nearly straight and meeting the ascending gonys at 

 nearly a right angle. The tarsi are longer than the middle toe, which, vdth the rest,, 

 are short, and the claws feeble. The wings are short and rounded, the third, fourth, 

 and fifth quills being the longest, the first about equalling the secondaries. The tail is 

 very long and slightly rounded. There is a long occipital crest ; and the general colour 

 of the plumage is grey, with red patches. 



