LAZULI FINCH. 473 



Subgenus. — Spiza. [Bonap.) 



With the edges of the lower mandible narrowed in. 



t Species allied to Tanagra. With the bill somewhat curved. 



LAZULI FINCH. 



{Fringilla amcena, Bonap. Am. Orn. i. p. 61, pi. 6. fig. 5. Emberiza 

 aitioena, Say. Phil. Museum, No. 5919.) 



Sp. Charact. — Verdigris-blue ; beneath white ; breast pale red- 

 dish ferruginous; wings with 2 white bars; the bill notched. — 

 Young SLud female ? 



For the first notice of this beautiful bird we are in- 

 debted to Mr. Say, who met with it in Long's expedition. 

 It was observed, though rarely in the summer months, 

 along the banks of the Arkansas, near to the base of the 

 Rocky Mountains, frequenting the bushy valleys, keeping 

 much in the grass after its food, and but seldom alight- 

 ing on the trees or shrubs. It greatly resembles the In- 

 digo Bird ; yet its note is wholly different. 



The length of this Finch is 5| inches. Head, neck, and rump, 

 bright verdigris-blue ; the back brownish-black, mixed with blue and 

 with touches of rusty-brown. Superior part of the breast pale ferru- 

 ginous, inclining to rose-red ; lower part of the breast, belly, and infe- 

 rior tail-coveits white ; quills blackish, obscurely margined with 

 blue externally ; under wing-coverts whitish with some mixture of 

 blue. Tail slightly notched, blackish, edged with blue on the outer 

 vanes, and with white on the inner webs at tip. The dress of the 

 female and young is unknown. 



INDIGO BIRD. 



(Fringilla cyanea, Wilson, i. p. 100. pi. 6. fig. 5. [male]. Bonap. ii. 

 pi. 11. fig. 3. [female]. Audubon, pi. 74. Orn. Biog. i. p. 277. 

 Phil. Museum, No. 6002.) 



Sp. Charact. — Bright blue with a green reflection; wings and 

 tail dusky, the latter edged with blue. — Female brownish flaxen, 

 40* 



