424 FEINGILLID^. 



The bill of Loxia is metagnathous, the points of the maxilla and mandible crossing ; 

 both these members of the bill are strongly falcate, and brought to a knife-like edge 

 near the end. The nostrils are wholly hidden by small, stiff feathers, which proceed 

 directly forward from the base of the maxilla. The feet are short, and the tarsi, toes, 

 and claws strong. The wing is very long, the first, second, and third quills being 

 subequal and longest, the rest fall rapidly away, the innermost primaries being little 

 more than half the length of the longest, the longest secondaries slightly exceeding 

 the innermost primaries. The tail is very short and furcate. Eed is the prevalent 

 colour in the adult male. 



1. Loxia mexicaua. 



Loxia mexicana, Strickl. Contr. Orn. 1851, p. 43 ' ; Scl. P. Z. S. 1859, p. 365 ' ; Salv. Ibis, 1866, 



p. 193 = j Cat. Strickl. Coll. p. 302 \ 

 Loxia americana, Scl. P. Z. S. 1864, p. 174 '. 



Curvirostra americana, Sumiclirast, Mem. Bost. Soc. N. H. i. p. 551*. 

 Loxia curvirostra, var. mexicana, Baird, Brew., & Ridgw. N.Am. B. i. p. 488'; Eidgw. Proc. Biol. 



Soc. Wash. ii. p. 100 ". 

 Loona curvirostra stricklandi, Check-List N. Am. B. p. 257 '. 



Eubra, alia et eauda nigricante-fuscis ; rostro corneo, maxiUa et mandibula ad apices decnssatim positis, pedibus 

 corylinis. Long, tota 6-0, alse 4, caudae 2'2, rostri a rictu 0"8, tarsi 0"65. (Descr. maris ex Mexico. Mils, 

 nostr.) 



5 obscure olivaceo-fusca, uropygio flavido, alis et cauda fusco-nigris extus oHvaceo limbatis ; subtus oleagineo- 

 grisea, ventre imo albicante. (Descr. feminse ex Mexico. Mus. nostr.) 



Hob. North Ameeica, Colorado and Southern Arizona ^. — Mexico {Mann ^ *, Boucard), 

 valley of Mexico ( White ^), Jalapa (de Oca ^), Moyoapam {Sumichrast ^) ; Guatemala, 

 Chuacus {0, S. & F. D. G.^). 



The larger size and the stouter bill, especially the mandible, seem to be the only 

 points by which the Mexican Crossbill can be distinguished from that of the United 

 States, or, indeed, from the Old-World L. curvirostra. These differences seem to be 

 by no means constant, and the size of the bill apparently increases in these birds as we 

 pass from north to south — so much so, that we are quite prepared to acquiesce in the 

 union of all the supposed races of this Crossbill under the comprehensive name of 

 Looda curvirostra. But before doing so a larger series of specimens both from the Old 

 and New Worlds ought to be examined than we have at our command. 



In the meantime we call the Mexican bird L. mexicana. 



This specific name has lately been suppressed by Mr. Kidgway, and stricklandi 

 proposed in its stead — the reason apparently for so doing being that Strickland's name 

 had previously been used twice over by Linnaeus, one of his Loxia mexicana (Syst. Nat. 

 i p. 304) referring to S^iza americana (Gm.), the other to Pyrangra rubra. The 

 chance of any confusion arising from continuing to employ Strickland's name is so 

 exceedingly small that we adhere to the spirit of the law by retaining the name 



