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Show 1867.J MR. P. L. SCLATER ON PERUVIAN BIRDS. 341 have ascertained that it is common in the warm valleys of the Andes, about forty miles away, and builds its nests in corners against the walls, like our familiar species in England. Ten years ago I met with a flock near here in a field of alfalfa (lucerne), and was fortunate enough to kill the one I sent you. Last New-year's day, in the same field, I saw a flock of about two hundred, and killed four, three males and a female."-W. N. 3. TANAGRA DARWINI, Bp. " I have now one of these beautiful birds alive. It will not eat seeds of any kind, only fruit."-W. N. 4. SPERMOPHILA TELASCO (Less.); Bp. Consp. p. 496. I have previously seen specimens of this scarce species only in the Museums of Paris and Philadelphia. " I have hitherto thought that this bird left us in winter, but have recently discovered that its plumage is then so different as to have led me to take it for another bird. The female lays two eggs, of a bluish green."-W. N. 5. POOSPIZA BONAPARTII. (Pl. XX. f et $ .) Poospiza dominicensis, Bp. Consp. i. p. 473 (?). Supra cinerea, interscapulio brunnescente lavato ; capitis lateribus nigris, superciliis elongatis albis : alis fusco-nigris, primariis et tectricibus albo, secundariis fulvo marginatis : cauda fusco-nigra, rectricum lateralium omnium pogoniis internis fere omnino albis : subtus alba, torque gutturali nigro, lateribus cinerascentibus, crisso medio rufescente: tectricibus subalaribus et remigum marginibus internis albis : rostro et pedibus pallide cornels: long, tota 5 poll. Angl., alee 2*5, caudee 1*9, rostri a rictu 0*6, tarsi 0*8. Fcem. Supra fusca, nigricante substriata; alis caudaque nigro-fuscis, brunneo marginatis ; superciliis elongatis, sordide albis : subtus fulvescenti-albida, lateraliter cinereo flammulata, torque nigro vix apparente. Hab. in Peruvia Occident, prope Lima (Nation). Obs. Similis P. torquatee (D'Orb. et Lafr.) sed crisso rufo vix tincto et rostro crassiore longiore et ad basin carneo distinguenda. This is a very distinct species of the genus Poospiza, quite unknown to me, though it may possibly be identical with the bird described in Bonaparte's ' Conspectus ' as P. dominicensis. If this be the case, however, the locality assigned is quite erroneous, and I propose to give the bird a new specific name. P. bonapartii is most nearly allied to P. torquata, as I have pointed out above, having a similar black breast-band, which is almost obsolete in the female bird. " Resident with us a few weeks every year, and usually met with in company with Zonotrichicu and Spermophili & c . " - W . N. |