Plate LXIV. Fig. 1. 



PYRGISOMA RUBRICATUM. 



(RED-NAPED GROUND-FINCH). 



Tanagra rubricata 

 Atlapetes rubricatus . 

 Melozone rubricata 

 Pyrgisoma xantlkusi . 

 Pyrgisoma rubricatum 



Licht. in Mus. Berol. 



Cab. Mus. Hein. i. p. 140. 



Cab. J. f. Orn. 1860, p. 413, et 1866, p. 234. 



Lawrence, Ann. Lye. N. T. viii., p. 480. 



Scl. et Salv. P.Z.S. 1868, p. 326. 



Supra cinerenm fusco vix tinctnm ; pileo postico cum nucha, et linea cervicali utrinque ad gulam extensa rufis : 

 macula ante-oculari et ciliis oculorum albis : fronte et facie sub oculis nigricanti-schistaceis : plumis auricularibus dorso 

 concoloribus : subtiis album, plaga pectorali nigra, crisso rufescente, hypochondriis dorso concoloribus : subalaribus et 

 flexura alari albis : rostro nigro, pedibus pallide corylinis : long, tota 7*0, alas 3*2, caudas 3*0, tarsi 1*0. Fern, mari 

 similis, sed paulo minor. 



Hab. in Mexico Meridionali, in terra frigida : La Puebla (JBoucard) : Colima (Xantus). 



This Ground-finch is one of the many Mexican species in the Berlin Museum named but 

 never described by the late Professor Lichtenstein. Although discovered probably some thirty 

 or forty years ago, it was not characterized until 1851, when Dr. Cabanis gave a short 

 description of it in a foot-note to the first volume of his a Museum Heineanum" from a 

 specimen stated to have been obtained at Eeal- Arriba in Central Mexico, and placed it in the 

 genus Atlapetes. It is very difficult to define the exact limits between the nearly allied forms 

 of Ground-finches denominated Atlapetes, Pyrgisoma, Pipilo and Chamceospiza, but it seems 

 better to associate the present species with Pyrgisoma biarcuatum, as subsequently suggested by 

 Dr. Cabanis.* 



We have not seen specimens of Professor Baird's Pyrgisoma xanthusi lately described by 

 Mr. Lawrence from examples obtained by Xanthus in the plains of Colima in Western Mexico, 

 but have little doubt, that it must be referred to P. rubricatum, the more so as the author 

 appears to have altogether overlooked Dr. Cabanis' description of the latter. The only species 

 of Pyrgisoma at all resembling the present bird in colouring is the true P. kieneri of Bonaparte, 

 of which we propose to give a figure in our next number. But it should be recollected that, as 

 we have already shewn |, there has been a series of errors respecting this latter bird, and that 

 the species called P. kieneri by Mr. Lawrence is our P. cahanisi. 



During his recent travels in Southern Mexico M. Adolphe Boucard obtained specimens of 

 P rubricatum at Atlisco in the highlands of the State of La Puebla. A pair of these are now 

 in Messrs. Salvin and Godman's collection, from the male of which our figure has been taken. 



Joum. f. Orn. 1860, p. 412. 



f P.Z.S. 1868, p. 325. 



August, 1868. 



[127] 



