Ground-finch from Western Fern. 259 
of the genus Hcemophila. It is evident from the specimens 
previously forwarded by Prof. Nation from the same district*, 
as also from the fine novelties in plants recently gathered by 
Mr. John Ball in the upper valley of the Rimac, that there 
is still much to be done by collectors on the Transandean 
slopes of Peru. 
The Ground-finch I propose to characterize as 
XLemophila pulchra, sp. nov. (Plate VIII.) 
Supra cinerea, prsecipue in inters capulio, brunneo lavata; 
fronte, loris et spatio inter lor a et gulam nigris: alis 
nigris ; secundariorum limbis externis latis cum horum 
tectricibus et scapularibus adjacentibus distincte cas- 
taneis; tectricibus minoribus cinereis : caudse vix rotun- 
datse, nigrse, rectricibus duabus externis pro majore 
parte albis, proxima utrinque laterali albo terminate: 
subtus cinerea, gula nigra, ventre et crisso albis; late- 
ribus fulvo tinctis; subalaribus albis; alarum pagina 
inferiore cinerea: rostro et pedibus flavis : long, tota 
6*2, abe 2‘8, caudse 2*8 poll. Angl. 
Hab . Peruvia occidentals, in valle fl. Rimac, ad alt. 
7000-8000 ped. 
The black face and throat, chestnut scapulars, and pale 
yellow bill and feet render this species quite unmistakable. 
The wings are short, the third and fourth primaries slightly 
exceeding the second and fifth in length. The feet are not 
strong for a bird of this group. The bill is rather elongate, 
and the culmen slightly incurved. It would not, in fact, be 
difficult to make out new generic characters for this species ; 
but for the present I propose to put it in Hcemophila , of 
which there is already one species known from Western Peru 
(H. stolzmanni). 
The single specimen received was obtained by a corre¬ 
spondent of Prof. Nation at Matucana, in the upper valley 
of the Rimac, which is about 8000 feet above the sea-level. 
It was found flying about on the low bushes near the river. 
The sex was noted “ male/’ the irides “ black/'’ bill and feet 
bright yellow.’'’ 
* See articles on the birds of Western Peru by P. L. Sclater and W. 
Nation in P. Z. S. 1866, p. 100; 1867, p. 340; 1869, p. 146; 1871, p. 496. 
