372 PEINGILLID^. 



pedibus rufescentibus. Long, tota 6-7, alse 3-0, caudse 3-0, rostri a rictu 0*6, tarsi 0*95. (Descr. maris 

 exempl. typ. ex Volcan de Irazu, Costa Eioa. Mus. nostr.) 



Hah. Costa Kica, Volcan de Cartago [Boucard ^, Zeledon ^). 



This somewhat abnormal Zonotrichia was removed from this genus and placed in 

 Junco by Mr. Eidgway, chiefly on account of the colour of the irides, which are 

 yellow, as in J. cinereus and its allies ^. No species of Junco has a spotted back in the 

 adult nor a tail of uniform colour ; and we think it best to leave it where M. Boucard 

 placed it in Zonotrichia. 



This interesting species was found by M. Boucard in the upper part of the Volcan de 

 Irazu at an altitude of about 10,000 feet ; that is above the upland forests and in the 

 grassy alpine region. M. Boucard obtained several specimens, but he gives us no infor- 

 mation as to its habits. These upland tracts are always difficult of access owing to the 

 scarcity of water and absence of shelter. 



Mr. Ridgway tells us that his correspondent, M. Zeledon, first obtained examples of 

 this species in 1873, but the specimens were lost in transit to Washington, and before 

 others were secured M. Boucard's expedition intervened ^. 



JUNCO. 



Junco, "Wagler, Isis, 1831, p. 526 ; Baird, Brew., & Ridgw. N. Am. B. i. p. 578 ; Coues, Key N. 

 Am. B. ed. 2, p. 377. 



The members of few genera of Fringillidae have received more varied treatment of 

 late years at the hands of American ornithologists than Junco. The authors of the 

 ' History of North-American Birds ' admit four species of full rank, and two " varieties," 

 several other forms being put down as hybrids. Dr. Coues, in his latest work, leaving 

 out the Guatemalan J. alticola as outside his subject, treats of eight races, all of J. hie- 

 malis, and explains how in his opinion the characters of each are blended, so that even 

 the most distinct forms, such as J. hiemalis and J. cinereus, are not really separable. 



So far as concerns the birds found within our region, we are not called upon to follow 

 up this subject, for the two species we have to deal with, J. cinereus and /. alticola, are 

 quite definable. 



The true J. cinereus is said not to occur beyond the limits of Mexico, though in Ari- 

 zona two races, very closely related, are found. J. alticola, on the other hand, is strictly 

 confined to the highlands of Guatemala, and is separated in its range from J. cinereus 

 by a wide interval of comparatively low country at the Isthmus of Tehuantepec. 



In North America Junco, in one or other of its forms, is found over a wide area, from 

 the Arctic regions to the Mexican frontier. 



The bill of /. cinereus is conical, gradually tapering to the point, the maxilla being 

 nowhere turgid ; the tomia from the angle and the culmen are nearly straight ; the 



