19
T h e Wrens o f A m e ric a a re so n um e ro u s , a n d th e y a p p ro a c h e a ch o th e r so n e a r ly in g e n e ra l c h a r
a c te r , th a t i t is n o t e a sy to a s c e r ta in th e d is tin g u ish in g m a rk s o f th e sp e c ie s. T h e b ird be fore us,
h ow ev e r, a p p e a rs to d iffe r from a ll those b e s t k n ow n to u s , in th e w h ite m a rk in g s o f th e s id e f e a th e rs
o f th e ta il. I n th e s e c h a r a c te r s i t ap p ro a c h e s m o st n e a rly to th e T roglody te s B ew ic k ii, la te ly fig u red
by M . A u d u b o n . B u t th e disp o sitio n o f th e sp o ts o n th e ta il is d i f f e r e n t ; a n d th e c o lo u r o f th e lower
b o d y also d iffe rs, a s fa r a t le a s t as c an be ju d g e d from a figure. W ith a r e fe re n c e to th e s e c h a r a c te r s ,
I h av e v e n tu r e d to c h a r a c te r iz e th e b ird a s d is tin c t.
S a x í c o l a c e n a n t h o í d e s . n . s.
Sax. supra brunnescenti-cana; suiíwí rufa, crisso palHdiori; fa sd a angustú frontali, gala, uropygio, basiquc caudee
albis; remigibus rectricibusquerdgris, apice leviler rufescentibus.
Rostrum pedesquo nigrescentes. Rectricum roediarum qiiarta pars longitudinis solummodo alba, csterarum ad apicem
tertia pars nigra. Longitudo ccnporis, 5 j ; alee, a carpo ad remigis secunda apicem, 3 | ; rostri, ad rictum, ¿ ; cauda, ;
tarsi, 1.
T h e Wheatear o f E u ro p e h a s n o t a s y e t be en re c o rd e d a s h a v in g b e e n fo u n d in th e N ew W o rld .
I sh o u ld o th e rw is e have b e e n in c lin e d to re fe r th is b ird to th a t sp e c ie s , so s im ila r a rc th e g e n e ra l ch a r
a c te r s o f both, th e c h ie f a p p a r e n t d iffe renc e b e in g in th e ir siz e . T h e r e a re tw o sp e c im en s in th e
colle c tion, b u t they a re n o t in sufficiently good co n d itio n to en a b le m e to e n te r m in u te ly in to th e ir
c h a r a c te r s , o r m ak e a v e ry a c c u r a te com p a riso n b e tw e e n th em a n d o u r own sp e c ie s . I t is u pon
th e ir re la tiv e size, a n d th e ir loc a lity, chie fly, th a t I a t p r e s e n t su g g e s t th e ir d iffe ring as sp ecies.
T r i b e C o N iR o S T R E S .
F am . F R IN G IL L ID 2E .
S a l t a t o r r u f i v e n t r i s . n . s .
Salt, supra plumbeo-cinerea, dorso caud&yue olivasceniibus; eorpore infra rufescenti, crisso saiuraliore; supercitiis
albescentibus.
Rostrum pedesqae plumbei. Tectriees alarum inferiores rufescenti-albida. Longitudo corporis, 7 | ; ales, a carpo ad
apicem remigis tertia, m ir i, I ; caudee, 4 ; tarsi, I . ’ ’
F r i n g i l l a c r i s s a l i s . n. s.
Fring. supra fuscescenti-bnmnea. subtus fusco-albesoens, linea per oeulos, guld, crissoque rufis.
Rostri mandíbula superior nigricans; inferior, pedesqtie flavescentes. Tectriees alarum inferiores, abdominisquc
latera rufescentes. Longitudo corporis, 8 ; a carpo ad apicem remigis tertia, rostri,^-, caudee,A; ia r s i,\.
F r i n g i l l a m e r u l o i d e s . n. s.
Fring. supra brunnea, alis, uropygio, crissoque rufesccntihus; subtus alba,ntfo-bmnneo maculata.
Rostri mandíbula superior nigricans, lateribus medioque flavis. Pedes flavicantes. Longitudo corporis, 6Í ; alee, a
carpo ad apicem remigis tertia, 3§ ; rostri, caudee, 3¿ ; tarsi, | . ’ ’
T h i s specie,s w a s m e t w ith a t M o n te rey , I t a n d th e p re c ed in g sp e c ie s , which I do n o t re co g n is e
am o n g th o s e h ith e r to de sc rib ed , a re d is tin g u ish e d b y th e c om p a ra tiv e s tre n g th o f Ih e ir leg s a n d feet,
a n d th e e lo n g a tio n o f tb e c law s, to g e th e r with som e o th e r ch a ra c te rs o f w in g a n d b ill. T h e y w ill be
fo u n d to form a s e p a r a te g ro u p am o n g th e F r in g illiiU i, w h ich I sh o u ld h e re a ttem p t to c h a r a c te r iz e ,
b u t th a t I d o n o t co n s id e r, we h a v e a t p r e s e n t m a te r ia ls en o u g h to a ssig n th e lim its to it. I lo o k
m o reo v e r to th e sp e e d y p u b lic a tio n o f some o b s e rv a tio n s o n th e su b d iv is io n s o f th is a n d o th e r o f th e
n e ig h b o u rin g fam ilie s by M r. Sw a in so n , whose lab o u rs , we h a v e eve ry re a so n to a n tic ip a te , w ill c le a r
aw a y m u ch o f th e confusion th a t h a s h ith e rto e x is te d in the se e x te n s iv e g ro u p s .
K: