Mr. Swainson on several new groups in OrnithologT/. 349 



Cauda gracilis^ gradata, vel rotundata ; rectricibus angustis^ 



attenuatis. 

 Pedes gracileSy longiusculi; unguibus gracilibus subcurvatis ; 



halluce producto. 



Bill moderate, strong, conic, slightly notched ; commissure slnu- 

 ated, the base angulated. Wings short, rounded; the first 

 and fifth quills equal ; the second, third, and fourth equal and 

 longest. Tail slender, graduated or rounded, the feathers 

 narrow and pointed. Feet slender, lengthened ; nails slender, 

 that of the hind toe rather long. 



Type. Fringilla caudacuta, Wilson, 4. PI. 34. f. 3. 



This is a very remarkable group, comprising no less than six 

 species, now before me. It occurs both in North and South 

 America, and insensibly leads to another genus closely approxi- 

 mating to the European Sparrow, but whose characters I have 

 not yet sufficiently investigated. 



AMADINA. 



Rostrum breve^ magnum, conicum, immarginatum. 



Ala breves, rotundata ; remige \md spuria, minutd^ 2<^ et SHaferS 



aqualibus, longissimis, 

 Cauda brevis, aqualis vel subrotundata. 



Bill short, large, conic, entire. Wings short, rounded ; the first 

 quill spurious and very small; the second and third nearly 

 equal and longest. Tail short, even, or slightly rounded. 



Type. Loxiafasciata. Gmelin. Brown, 111. of Zool. PI. 27. 



ESTRILDA. 



Rostrum breve, conicum, immarginatum, 



Al(B breves, rotundata ; remige \ma spuria, minut&, 3tM, 4'«'j et 



5'« aqualibus, longissimis. 

 Cauda subelongata, gradata. 



