PEUC^A. 391 



Mr. Sennett found P. botferii in some numbers on a salt prairie about nine miles from 

 Fort Brown ; but he obtained specimens with difficulty, owing to their hiding so closely 

 in the tall grass. He describes its notes as quite pleasing. A nest found on 16th June 

 was placed among the roots of a tussock of grass, and was made of blades and stems of 

 grass ; this nest was rather deep, but too frail to admit of removal. The four eggs it 

 contained were unspotted white, with a strong tinge of greenish blue. They thus 

 differ from the eggs of P. cestivalis, which are of a crystalline white. 



2. Feucsea cassini. 



Zonotrichia cassini, Woodh. Pr. Ac. Phil. 1852, p. 60 \ 



Peuceea cassini, Dresser, Ibis, 1865, p. 489'' ; Baird, Brew., & Ridgw. N. Am. B. ii. p. 42'; Sennett 

 Bull. U. S. Geol. Surv. iv. p. 18"; Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus. i. p. 128". 



Supra fusoo-brunnea, plumis undique cinerascente marginatis, superciliis indistincte albidia ad nares albi- 

 cautioribus, fascia postoculari indistincte fusca ; subtus albida, pectore vix fusco lavato ; hypochondriis 

 fiiscescenti Mo illic striatis, crisso pallide eervino, campterio alari flavido ; rostro corneo, culmine 

 fusoesoente, pedibus flavidis. Long, tota 5-8, alse 2-6, caudse 2-6, rostri a rictu 0*5, tarsi 0-75. (Descr. 

 exempl. ex Arizona. Mus. nostr.) 



Hab. North Ameeica, Western Texas \ Kio Grande valley ^ 3 4 5 — Mexico ? 



It is questionable if this Finch should be included in the Mexican fauna. It is true 

 Sumichrast says that it occurs in the temperate region of the valley of Orizaba in the 

 State of Vera Cruz, but we agree with the authors of the ' History of North-American 

 Birds ' in thinking that the species referred to was most probably not P. cassini but 

 P. botferii. Then, again, the specimen obtained by Kennerly at Los Nogales, in Sonora, 

 and referred by Prof. Baird to P. cassini, now proves to belong rather to P. botferii, and 

 is the P. cestivalis arizonce of American authors. The claims therefore of P. cassini to 

 be inserted in this fauna are hardly established, though we have no doubt whatever that 

 it will be found on the south side of the Kio Grande valley, occurring as it does com- 

 monly in Texas, and is also found close to our frontier in Arizona. It is to be noted 

 also that Mr. Sennett says that this bird arrives in Texas, doubtless from the south, in 

 March. The same traveller describes its nest as placed at the foot of a bush close to 

 the ground, and composed of dried grasses lined with finer ones and a few hairs. The 

 eggs are pure white. 



b. Sp. striga utringue rictali nigra, campterio albo. 



_ 3. Peucsea boucardi/ 



Zonotrichia boucardi, Scl. P. Z.S. 1867, p. 1, t. 1 \ 



Peuccea ruficeps, Scl. P. Z. S. 1859, p. 380 ' ; Sumichrast, Mem. Best. Soc. N. H. i. p. 552 * (nee 



Cassin) . 

 Peucaa ruficeps, var. boucardi, Lawr. Bull. U. S. Nat. Mus. no. 4, p. 21 * ; Baird, Brew., & Eidgw. 



N. Am. B. ii. p. 38 (partim)'. 



