578 



NOKTH AMEIUUAN BIRDS. 



This species has a coiisideral>ly larger bill than Z. Icucophri/s, the inaudible 

 especially. 



Habits. This species was lirst described in 184U, by Mr. Nuttall, from 

 speciraens olitained by hiui near Independence, jNIo., near the close of the 

 month of April. He again met with them on the following 5th of May, 

 when not far from the banks of the Little A'ermilion River, a branch of the 

 Kansas. He found them frequenting thickets, and uttering, chiefly in the 

 early morning, but also occasionally at other parts of the day, a long, drawling, 

 faint, solemn, and monotonous succession of notes, resembling te-de-de-de. 



Since then but little additional information has been obtained in regard to 

 tlieir general habits, their geographical distribution, or their mode of breeding, 

 single specimens only having been taken at considerable intervals iu the 

 valley of the Missouri and elsewhere until 1872. Two specimens were se- 

 cured by Mr. Dresser, near San Antonio, iu Western Texas, occurring on the 

 Medina Eiver during their spring migrations. More recently this bird was 

 taken twice by Mr. H. AY. I'arkcv, in Jasper County, Iowa. The latest of 

 these was secured ilay I'J. 



Professor F. H. Snow, in his List of Kansas Birds, published April, 1872, 

 enumerates this sijecies as a bird frequently taken in Kansas in the winter, 

 ■ and probably resident ; and Mr. J. A. Allen (American Naturalist, May, 

 1872) states that Harris's Finch was, next to the Cardinal, the most abundant 

 species of the family of Sparrows and Finches in the vicinity of Leaven- 

 worth, as it was also one of the largest and handsomest. He found it almost 

 exclusively frequenting the damper parts of the woods, associating witli the 

 White-throated Sparrow, nmch resembling it both in liabits and in song. 

 Nothing has .so far been published respecting the iiest and eggs. 



Genus JUNCO, VV.u;leii. 



Jvmco, Wagler, Isis, 1831. (Type, FriinjUln cincrea, Sw.) 

 NipJuea, Audubox, Syn. 1839. (Type, Embervza hyemalis, G.M.) 



Gkn. Char. Bill small, conical ; culincn curved at tlio tip ; the lower jaw quite a.s high 



as tlio upper. Tarsus longer than the 

 middle toe ; outer toe longer than the 

 innei', liarely reaching to the base of the 

 midille claw ; hind toe reaching as far as 

 the middle of the latter ; extended toes 

 reaching about to the middle of the tail. 

 Wings rather short; reaching over the 

 basal fourth of the exposed surface of 

 the tail; primaries, however, considera- 

 bly longer than the secondaries and ter- 

 tials, which are nearly equal. The second 

 quill longest, the third to fifth successive- 

 ly but little shorter ; first longer than 

 sixth, much exreeding secondaries. Tail moderate, a little .shorter than the wings; slightly 



Junco ore^ontti 



