FRIJ^GILLID.E — THE FINCHES. 503 



forward from the lower posterior angle of the side of tlie lower mandible, nearly parallel 

 witli the gonys. Tarsus about equal to the middle toe and claw. Inner toe almost the 

 longer, its claw not reaching beyond the base of the middle one. Hind toe rather longer, 

 its claw longer than the digital portion. Wings very long ; first quill longest ; all the 

 primaries longer than the secondaries. Tail forked. 



This genus differs from ^Efjiothus in tiie more obtuse and curved bill, tlie 

 less development of bristly featliers at the base, the ridge on the lower man- 

 dible, the lateral toe not reaching beyond the base of the middle one, and 

 possibly a longer liind toe. Its relationsliip to the other allies will be found 

 expressed in the synoptical table of Coccothraiistina'. 



The number of American species, or at least races, of this genus has been 

 increased considerably since the publication of Birds of North America, five 

 now belonging to the American fauna, instead of the three there mentioned. 

 Of the species usually assigned to the genus, one, Z. arctoa, is quite different 

 in form, lacking the ridge of the mandible, etc., and in having the ends of the 



secondaries graduated in tlie closed _ 



wing, instead of being all on the same 



line. Tlie colors, too, are normally 



different 4 in arctoa being dusky, 



with silvery-gray wings and tail, 



without rose tips to the feathers of 



the posterior part of body; and in 



Leucostide propel, the wings and tail 



being dark-brown narrowly edged 



with wliitish, or more broadly, like 



the ends of -the feathers of the body 



behind, with rose-color. For the 



present, liowever,x we shall combine the species, not liaving before us any 



American specimens of L. arctoa. 



From the regular gradation of each form into tlie other — the extremes 

 being tlius connected by an unbroken chain of intermediate forms — it seems 

 reasonable to consider all the North American forms as referable to one s]ie- 

 cies (Z. tcplirocotis, S\v., 1831) as geographical races. They may be distin- 

 guished as follows : — 



Co.MMON CnAR.\CTERs. Body anteriorly chocolate-brown ; posteriorly tinged • 

 with rose-red. Wing-coverts (broadly) and quills edged with the same. Head 

 above light ash}' or silvery-gray, as are also the feathers around the base of upper 

 mandible ; the forehead and a patch on crown blackish. Throat dusky. 



Additional Characters. The chocolate-colored feathers and the secondary quills, 

 sometimes the tail-feathers and greater wing-coverts, edged with pale brownish- 

 white or fulvous ; the interscapulars with darker centres. Rose of rump and 

 upper tail-coverts in form of transverse bands at end of feathers, that of abdomen 

 more a continuous wash. Lining of wings and axillars white, tinged with rose 

 at ends of feathers. Feathers of crissum dark brown, edged with whitish, some- 

 times tinged with rose. Bill generally reddish or yellowish, with blackish tip. 



Leucostide tepkrocotis. 



