558 BIRDS OF THE REPUBLIC OF PANAMA PART 4 



19, 1982, pp. 279-286) has shown that it is congeneric with and prob- 

 ably ancestral to, the Galapagos finches of the genus Geospiza, which 

 name has priority over Volatinia. He also includes the Cocos Finch 

 (Pinaroloxias inornata) in Geospiza as an independently derived in- 

 sular form of G. j. splendens. 



Figure 45. — Blue-black Grassquit, Arrocero Piquiagudo, Geospiza jacarina splen- 

 dens, female (left), males (right). 



This grassquit is one of the most abundant birds of open bushy or 

 grassy areas. I have usually seen it in groups (often with various seed- 

 eaters), from small to very large, although during the nesting season 



