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

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406 BULLETIN 133, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM<br />

that there is no sharp dividing line. Phrygilus unicolor (d'Orbigny<br />

and Lafresnaye), Avhich has been proposed as type of a genus<br />

Geospizop<strong>si</strong>s Bonaparte/^ is identical in form with P. gayi and<br />

must be con<strong>si</strong>dered a synonym of true Phrygilus.<br />

Haplospiza Cabanis/^ with Haplospiza. unicolor Cabanis as its<br />

type, is closely <strong>si</strong>milar to certain forms of Phrygilus unicolor in<br />

general appearance. It differs structurally from true Phrygilus in<br />

more rounded tail, more rounded wing tip, in having the ninth<br />

(outermost) primary shorter than the third, about equal to the<br />

second, more attenuate bill, and shorter lateral toes, with the fourth<br />

toe without claw reaching barely beyond the base of the last joint<br />

of the middle toe, and the second toe without claw barely extended<br />

to that point. Haplospiza unicolor^ in addition to smaller <strong>si</strong>ze, is<br />

distinguished at a glance from any Phrygilus in lacking any edging<br />

of lighter color on the outer webs of the primaries.<br />

Near General Roca, Phrygilus fruticeti was common from Novem-<br />

ber 25 to December 2 (four prepared as skins), and others were re-<br />

corded at Zapala, Neuquen (one taken). The birds were not breeding,<br />

but were gathered in little flocks that fed on the open ground<br />

under shelter of desert shrubs of various species. The birds were<br />

wary, and at any alarm rose and flew with a swiftly darting or<br />

undulating flight for long distances before again dropping to cover.<br />

In early morning they rested in low bushes in the sun. Their call<br />

was a low, mewing note or a sharp pUck. On December 2 males were<br />

<strong>si</strong>nging a song that sounded like the effort of some icterid.<br />

On comparison of a good series that includes 10 skins fronj the<br />

highlands of Peru, 5 from central Chile, and 11 from Rio Negro<br />

and Neuquen, in Argentine Patagonia, it appears that Phrygilus<br />

fruticeti pemviwruas Zimmer,^^ while not sharply differentiated, may<br />

be distinguished from true fruticeti in adult males by the grayer<br />

coloration above, with more sharply defined, blacker streaks, and<br />

in females by heavier streaking above, especially on the head. The<br />

white spots on middle and greater coverts are usually, but not always,<br />

larger in peruvianus. In <strong>si</strong>ze the two forms, from the series at hand,<br />

appear quite <strong>si</strong>milar, except that in Peruvian birds the bill is<br />

slightly larger. In five males from La Raya and one from Are-<br />

•quipa, Peru, the wing ranges from 94 to 100.5 mm., the bill from<br />

14.4 to 15.5 mm. ; in three males from Santiago and central Chile the<br />

range is from 94 to 100.2 and 13-2 to 13.5 mm. ; while in five from Rio<br />

Negro, Argentina (General Roca, Arroyo Cumallo, Arroyo Seco,<br />

Paja Alta, and Nahuel Niyeu), it is 91 to 98 and 13 to 14.7 mm.<br />

The length of wing, it will be noted, is practically identical.<br />

^ Compt. Rend., vol. 42, 1856, p. 955.<br />

^Mus. Hein., pt. 1, April, 1851, p. 147.<br />

13 Field Mus. Nat. Hist, Zool. Ser., vol. 12, Apr. 19, 1924, p. 63. (Matucana, Peru.)<br />

I

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