218 VERTEBRATES: BIRDS. 



head and neck all round, and the upper part of the breast, 

 Fig. 122. glossy black abruptly 



defined against the 

 pure white below ; 

 the sides light chest- 

 nut, wings and tail 

 black marked with 

 white, and the iris 



Chewink, P. erythrothalmus, Vieill. red. The female has 



the black replaced with brown. This is one of the most 

 common birds, and is usually seen upon the ground 

 among low bushes. Every few moments its favorite 

 chewink comes to our ears. Sometimes it ascends to the 

 top of a small tree, and sings with a mellow sweetness 

 which cannot fail to interest any one who hears it. The 

 nest is made upon the ground, in a little hole scraped 

 out for the purpose ; eggs four to six, pale flesh-color, 

 with dark spots. Two or three broods are raised in a 

 season. 



The Oregon Ground Robin, P. oregonns, Bell ; the 

 Arctic Towhee, P. arcticus, Sw., of the Central Plains ; 

 the Spurred Towhee, P. mcgalonyx, Baird, of California 

 to the Rio Grande, with the claws enormously devel- 

 oped ; Abert's Towhee, P. Abcrtii, Baird, of the South- 

 ern Rocky Mountains ; the Brown Towhee, P. fnscus, 

 Sw., of the coast region of California ; the Canon Finch, 

 P. mcsolaicns, Baird, of the Rio Grande and westward, 

 are additional species. 



Blanding's Finch, P. chlorurus, Baird, of the Rio Grande 

 and Rocky Mountains, is seven inches long, the wing over 

 three inches, the color above dull grayish olive-green, the 

 crown chestnut, the upper part of the breast and sides 

 of the body bluish ash, the exterior of the wings and tail 

 bright olive-green, the edge and under surface of the 

 former bright yellow. 



