366 PEINGILLID^. 



The Nonpareil, under which name this Finch is commonly known, is, like its congener^ 

 Oyanospiza cyanea, a familiar bird in the summer months in the more southern of the 

 United States that border the Atlantic and the Gulf of Mexico. In its southern 

 migration it spreads over nearly the same extent of country as C. cyanea, and reaches 

 the State of Panama ; but westwards in Mexico it passes to the neighbourhood of 

 Mazatlan, where both Grayson and Mr. Forrer found it. In Guatemala it is common 

 everywhere up to an elevation of about 5000 feet. It is usually to be seen in small 

 flocks in open country, and near the edges of woods, but not in the forest itself. It 

 is not uncommon in Cuba from October to April, and is frequently kept in cages, not 

 only for the beauty of its plumage, but also for its pleasant song ^^. In the States it 

 buUds its nest early in May, forming it of dry grass mingled with silk of caterpillars, 

 hair, and fine rootlets. The eggs have a dull pearly-white ground, and are marked 

 with blotches and dots of purplish and reddish brown ; they thus differ considerably 

 from the eggs of C. cyanea and C. amoena. 



C. ciris is captured in large numbers in the States, and many are sent to Europe, 

 where they are favourite cage-birds, accommodating themselves readily to their confine- 

 ment and frequently rearing broods in captivity. 



HAPLOSPIZA. 



Haplospiza, Cabanis, Mus. Hein. i. p. 147 (1851). 



Two species have been placed in this genus, that described below from Mexico and 

 the Brazilian H. v/nicolor. It is closely allied to Phrygilus, and, did we know the 

 colour of the plumage of the sexes, it might be advisable to merge Haplo^iza in 

 Phrygilus.. 



The bill of H. uniformis is rather long and sharp, the culmen nearly straight ; the 

 tomia of the maxUla is bent, the outer portion being very slightly waved. The corre- 

 sponding portion of the mandible is straight. The wings are rather elongated, the 

 second and third primaries the longest, the third a little longer than the first. The 

 tail is moderate and nearly square. The feet are moderate, and the claws feeble ; the 

 tarsus is longer than the middle toe. 



1. Haplospiza uniformis. (Tab. XXVII. fig. l.) 



Haplospiza uniformis, Scl. & Salv. Nomencl. Av. Neotr. pp. 29, 157 \ 



Plumbescenti-einerea unicolor, subtus vix dilutior, remigibus et reotiioibus intus cinereo-nigricantibus ; rostro- 

 et pedibus pallide corylinis. Long, tota 5-0, alae 3'0, caudae 2-0, rostri a riotu 0-6, tarsi 0"75. (Descr.. 

 exempl. typ. ex Jalapa, Mexico. Mub. nostr.) 



Bob. Mexico, Jalapa {de Oca ^). 



This species is still only known to us from the single specimen which formed the type- 



