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Show 1870.] DR. O. FINSCH ON THE BIRDS OF TRINIDAD. 583 the base of the upper mandible to the middle of the vertex, resembling much S. lineola, L. But in this latter species this white line is very conspicuous; whereas in S. lessoni the feathers are white at the base only, and therefore the white becomes almost hidden. Dr. Leotaud gives a very good description ; that of Lesson is imperfect, the white rump not being mentioned. A hybrid name so bad as that given by Lesson cannot be admitted ; therefore I have changed it. 86. ORYZOBORUS TORRIDUS (Scop.); Scl. Cat. p. 103. Pitylus torridus, Leot. p. 283. Two specimens in old plumage, agreeing accurately with the description by Dr. Leotaud. The white speculum is scarcely visible, the narrow white on the base of the primaries being nearly hidden and covered by the tectrices of the primaries. Gmelin in his diagnosis (S. N . p. 854), extracted from Scopoli (Annus I. Hist. Nat. 1769, p. 140), does not mention a white speculum; and therefore this species will be the true O. torridus, with which Loxia nasuta oi Spix is undoubtedly identical, and apparently Loxia torrida oi Neuwied and Burmeister. The two last-named naturalists do not speak precisely enough in respect to the white speculum to settle the question definitely. W e possess a specimen obtained from Verreaux (named Sporophila torrida, from Brazil), which I cannot take to be the true S. torrida. It is an old bird, and agrees in every respect with the specimens from Trinidad, except that all the primaries are white at the base, forming a conspicuous white speculum, being left uncovered for nearly 3 lines ; besides, this specimen has across the middle of the throat a conspicuous band of chestnut, and the longest tectrices of the secondaries show also a chestnut apical shaft-spot. I would take it without hesitation for the Coccothraustes rufiventris, Vieillot (Enc. M . p. 1014), who describes the white on the base of the primaries very well; but he does not say any thing of the chestnut gular cross baud. Having only a single specimen before me, I feel unable to declare its novelty; but should these differences prove to be not accidental, I would propose to call it 0. specularis. (torridus, Trinidad.) (torridus, Trinidad.) (torridus, Brazil.) I may be allowed to remark that Amaurospiza ccerulatra, Cabanis (J. f. Orn. 1866, p. 306), from Rio, is synonymous with Sporophila mcesta, Hartl. (Journ. f. Orn. 1853, p. 36). Dr. Cabanis's description, especially the singular form of the bill, agrees in every respect with the type in the Bremen Museum, except that he does not say that the under wing-coverts are partially white, and the remiges have also a whitish edging on the basal half of the inner web. Long. al. 2" 1'" 2 3 2 1 rectr. med. 1" 10'" 1 111 2 1 rostr. a front. El'" J2 6 H latit. ad bas. 51'" 51 5°12 °2 tars, r-lir 7 7 |
