Plate LXV. (Fig. 1.) 



PYRGISOMA CABANI8L 



(CABANIS' GEOMD-FLNCH). 



Ilelozone hiarcaata 

 Pyrgisoma kieneri 



Pyrgisoma biarcuatum et P. kieneri 

 Pyrgisoma cabanisi 



Cab. J. f. 0. 1860, p. 412. 



Cassin, Proc. Acad. Phil. 1865, p. 169 ; Lawrence, 



Ann. L. N". Y. viii. p. 481. 

 Lawr. Ann. L. K T. ix, p. 103. 

 Scl. et Salv. P. Z. S. 1868, p. 324. 



Supra fuscum, pileo etplumis auricularibus castaneis : fronte nigra, loris et regione oculari albis : subtus cinereum, 

 medialiter album, striga ntrinque rictali et plaga pectorali media, nigris : subalaribus albis : rostro nigro, pedibus 

 corylinis : long, tota 5*5, alse 2*8, caudse 23, rostri a rictu 06, tarsi 1*0. 



Hob. in Costa, Bica, (Hoffmann). 



Although several eminent Naturalists have met with specimens of this Ground-Finch they 

 have in every case identified it wrongly. These errors have been mainly caused by the confusion 

 which has hitherto prevailed concerning the bird characterized in Bonaparte's " Conspectus' 7 

 under the name Pyrgisoma kieneri. This vexata qucestio we have already attempted to solve 

 in a lately published article in the " Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London," and 

 we hope to set all doubts upon the subject completely at rest on the present occasion. 



Dr. Cabanis, the first describer of this species, called it Melozone hiarcuata, believing it to be 

 the same as the common Guatemalan Pyrgisoma biarcuatum to which we have already alluded. 

 From this bird, however, it is easily distinguishable by its wholly red ear-coverts and distinct 

 pectoral spot. Our American friends Messrs. Cassin and Lawrence have both wrongly referred 

 this Pyrgisoma to the succeeding species P. Meneri, from which we shall point out its distinctions 

 below. Under these circumstances we have proposed for it the new name cabanisi, after the 

 well-known Editor of the " Journal fur Ornithologie." 



As far as we know the range of this Ground-Finch is restricted to the highlands of Costa 

 Eica, whence the original specimens were sent to the Berlin Museum by Drs. Hoffmann and 

 Ellendorf. These were collected in the vicinity of San Jose, where the bird is stated to be 

 not uncommon. Other examples have since been obtained in the same neighbourhood by the 

 Messrs. Carmiol, as recorded by Mr. Lawrence in his recently published catalogue of the birds 

 found in Costa Rica. There is likewise a single stuffed specimen of this species in the gallery 

 of the Paris Museum, but no locality is attached to it. 



Our figure of this bird is taken from one of Dr. Hoffmann's skins, now in Sclater's collection, 

 which was received in exchange from the Berlin Museum. 



Decembek, 1868. 



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