FRINGILLID.E — THE FINCHES. 553 



in the coverts to wliieli it resorted, that it was very difficult to force it to 

 rise on the wing, when only it could be procured. Mr. Audubon did not 

 meet witli its nest or young, and they remain unknown. 



This type specimen was presented by Audubon to Professor Bainl. A 

 second was sent to tlie Smithsonian Institution, from Te.xas, by Dr. Lince- 

 ceum. 



Coturniculus passerinus, Bonap. 



YELLOW-WINGED BUNTING. 



Fringilla passeriiui, Wil.sun', Am. Oin. Ill, Isll, 7ti, pi. x.'cvi, f. 5. — AuD. Orn. Biog. II, 

 1834, 180 ; V, 497, pi. cxxx. Fringilla (Spiza) pusserina, Bo.v. Obs. Wils. 1825, 

 No. 111. Cotuntieultis ptisscrina, BoN. List, 1838. — Ib. C'on.spectus, 1850, 481. — 

 BairI), Birds N. Am. 1858, 450. — S.^muels, 305. Emberiza passcrina, AvD. Syn. 

 1S39. — 1b. Birds Am. Ill, 1841, 73, pi. dxii. Fringilla savaimruM, (Gm.) Nuttall, 

 Man. I, 1832, 494. - Ib. (2d ed.) 1840, 570. — (Gmklin, Sy.st. Nat. I, 1788, 921 ?) 

 ?? Fringilla catidacuta, L.A.TH. Ind. Oni. I, 1790, 459. — Nutt. Man. 1, 1832, 505. 

 ? Passerina pralensis, Vieillot. Coturnicuhis lixicrus, Gosse. 



Localities : Oaxaca, March (ScL. 1859, 379). Guatemala (ScL. Ibis, I, 18). Cuba iwinter, 

 common, Cab. Joum. IV, 7). Costa liiea (Cab. .Tourn. VIII, 1860, 411 ; 1,a\v r.. IX, 

 103). Vera Cniz (winter, Sum. Mem. Bost. Soc. I, 552). 



Sp. Char. Feather.? of the upper part,s Vjrownish-rufous or ohestnut-hrown, margined 

 narrowly and abruptly with a.sh-color; reddest on the lower part of the back and rump ; 

 the feathers all abruptly black in the central portion; this color visible on the interscapu- 

 lar region, where the rufous is more restricted. Crown blackish, with a central and super- 

 ciliary stripe of yellowish tinged with brown, brightest m front of the eye. Bend of the 

 wing bright yellow ; lesser coverts tinged with greenish-yellovr. Quills and tail-feathers 

 edged with whitish ; tertiaries much variegated. Lower parts brownish-yellow or buff, 

 nearly white on the middle of the belly, darkest on the jugulum. The feathers of the 

 upper breast and sides of the body with obsoletely darker centres, these sometimes 

 wanting. Sides of breast against bend of wing with a lew black streaks, usually con- 

 cealed. Length about 5 inches ; wing, 2.40 ; tail, .2.00. 



Had. Eastern United States; south to Guatemala; -Jamaica, resident; Porto Rico. 



The young of this species have the jugulum and sides of the breast 

 streaked with black, much more distinct tlian in the adult, and exhibiting a 

 slight resemblance to C. lienslowi. The upper parts are less varied. 



Specimens from the Far West have the bill more slender, the reddish of the 

 back considerably paler, the dark markings of the back restricted, the light 

 stripe on the head with scarcely any yellow, a decided spot in front of the 

 eye quite yellow, and little or no ochraceous on the breast. 



The young bird, with streaked jugulum, may be most readily distinguished 

 from C. hcnslovji by the grayer plumage without any shade of chestnut or 

 greenish-yellow, tlie sparseness of streaks on the side, the absence of the 

 two mandibular dusky stripes, and the broad dusky centres of the middle 

 tail-feathers. 



Quite a fine series of specimens from Jamaica and other West India Isl- 

 ands aflbrds ample material to judge of tlie validity of the C. tixicriis of 

 70 



