■Ml 



■mm 







B 













Plate LXIV. Fig. 2. 



PYRGISOMA LEUCOTE, 



(WHITE-EAEED GROUND-FINCH). 



Chamoeospiza torquata 

 Melozone leucotis 



35 JJ 



Pyrgisoma leucote 



Scl. et Salv. Ibis, I860, p. 274, (err.) 

 Cab. J. f. Orn. 1860, p. 413. 

 Cassia, Pr. Ac. Phil. 1865, p. 169. 

 Salvin, Ibis, 1866, p. 205. 

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



Supra fuscum, dorso superiore cinerascente tincto : pileo medio cinereo, utrinque nigro ; loris, ciliis oculorum et 

 regione auriculari albis, hac nigro circumdata ; striga post-oculari utrinque cum torque cervicali postico conjuncta et 

 flexura alari navicanti-oliv T aceis : subfrus cinereum, medialiter albicans; gutture toto et plaga pectoris raedii nigris : 

 crisso rufescente, hypochondriis eodein colore perfusis : rostro nigro, pedibus corylinis: long, tota 7*0, ala3 2-9, 

 caudae 2-8, tarsi 1*1. 



Hab. in Costa-Rica et Guatemala. 



One of Salvin's favourite shooting-grounds, when he was resident at Duenas in Guatemala, 

 was the slope of the Yolcan de Fuego, which rises over the village to a height of upwards of 

 thirteen thousand feet above the sea-level. Here it was, in September, 1859, that the first specimen 

 of the present Ground-finch was obtained. This example, however, being in quite immature 

 plumage, was wrongly referred to Ghamceospiza torquata. In his succeeding visits to Duenas 

 Salvin collected other skins of this bird in perfect plumage, but before our error was detected. 

 Dr. Cabanis had already described the species from Costa-Eican specimens transmitted to the 

 Berlin Museum by Hoffman and v. Frantzius. 



In habits P. leucote much resembles P. Marcuatum—oiie of the most familiar species in the 

 highlands of Guatemala. It is generally seen on or near the ground in the scrubby forests 

 which cover the eastern slopes of the volcano up to an elevation of six thousand feet. It seeks 

 its food amongst the dead leaves, which it scratches about vigorously with its strong feet. It does 

 not appear to be widely distributed, not having been met with by Salvin in other parts of Guate- 

 mala, but it may be mentioned that the collection of M. Bocourt recently transmitted to Paris 

 contains a single skin of this species, which was probably obtained in Vera Paz. 



Our figure of this bird is from one of Salvin's skins obtained on the slopes of the Volcan 

 de Fuego below the village of Alotenango in 1862. The irides, according to Hoffmann's 

 notes as given by Dr. Cabanis, are coloured yellow. 



August, 1868. 



[128] 





