Bulletin - United States National Museum - si-pddr - Smithsonian ...

404 BULLETIN 133, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM
tiated by careful examination of a large series that includes the ma-
jority of the species and subspecies. At first glance it appears that
Pseudosicalis might be maintained as distinct from the fact that it
has a much longer wing tip (one and one-half to two times as long
as culmen), while in the species of true Sicali^ the wing tip is much
shorter (equal to or shorter than culmen). In Sicalis arvensis, how-
ever, both conditions hold, since in fresh fall plumage the wing tip
may be no longer than the culmen, while in birds shot in the breeding
season it may be twice as long. The two groups may be main-
tained merely as subgenera.
Under these circumstances Pseudochloris Sharpe may prove ten-
able as a subgeneric name and take precedence over Pseudosicalis
Chubb '^
proposed
to replace it on the grounds that the type of
Pseudochloris^ Orospina jJfaiensis Cabanis, is considered a species of
Sicalis. If the illustration given by Cabanis "^ is correct, however, in
depicting the form of the wing tip pratensis would be subgenerically
distinct from Sicalis. The species in question is not available at
present for examination.
Near Potrerillos, Mendoza, /Sicalis lutea was common from March
18 to 21, 1921. The birds were found in little flocks, family parties
in most cases, that frequented dry, rock-strewn slopes or flats often
liigh among the hills. Here they hopped about over the rough sur-
face in search of grass seeds that had fallen to the ground or flut-
tered up to pull off achenes that still clung to the seed heads. Occa-
sionally one rested for a short time on top of some bowlder. Atten-
tion was usually attracted to them by their musical call note, a
pleasant tiveep tweep that suggested familiar notes of other flocking
finches of the Carpodacus or Astragalinus type. The birds, like
many other finches that inhabit open mountain slopes, were shy and
difficult to approach. Their flight was undulating and not strong.
On the brushy flats near the foothills 15 miles west of Tunuyan,
Mendoza, a dozen were seen March 24, A heavy storm in the moun-
tains at the time may have driven them out on the plains.
Two adult males taken at Potrerillos, March 18 and 21, are in
molt. Tavo other birds secured at the same time are in juvenal
dress. The latter are plain brown, faintly streaked on the head,
with only a hint of yellow on lower breast, abdomen, tail edgings,
«nd under tail coverts. In this species there is a distinct knob that
protrudes on the palate and apparently serves to aid in cracking
seeds.
5 Bull. Brit. Orn. Club, vol. 41, Feb. 24, 1921, p. 78.
8.Tourn. fiir Oruith., 1883, pi. 1, flg. 1.