170 



CYANOSPIZA AMCENA, LAZULI FINCH. 



— mucli like those of an Indigo-bird. I liave never seen one with any 

 markings whatever. The variations in size, even in the few specimens 

 before me, are very great. Thus, one measures a full inch long by only 

 0.00 broad, and is as pointedly piriform as a Sandpiper's ; another is 

 only 0.78 by 0.05, and is almost globular, and equally rounded at each 

 end. 



CYANOSPIZA AxM(E:N^A, (Say) Bd. 



Lazuli Fiiicli. 



Emherha anurna, Say, Long's Exp. Rocky Mts. ii, 1S23, 47. 



FruHjlUa {Sp'iza) amocna, Bp., Am. Oru. i, 1825, 61, pi. 6, f. 5. 



Frbujilla amocna, I3p., Syn. 1828, 106.— Nutt., Mau. i, 1832, 473 ; 2(1 ed. i, 1840, 546.— 



AuD., Oi-D. Biog. V. 1839, 64, 230, pis. 398. 424. 

 Splza amwna, Bp., Li.st, 1838, 35. — AuD., Syu. 1839, 109. — Aud., B. Am. iii, 1841, 100, pi. 



171.— WooDii., Sitgr. Rep. 1853, 87.— Heekm., P. R. R. Rep. x, 1859, part vi, 



46.— Maxim., J. f. O. 1858, 283. 

 Cyanosinza amccna, Bd., B. N. A. 1858, 504.— Coop. & Suck., N. H. Wash. Ter. 1860, 



205.— Ha YD., Rep. 1862, 168.— CouES, Pr. Phila. Aoad. 1866, 89.— Coop., B. Cal. 



i, 1871, 233.-ALUi;x, Bull. M. C. Z. iii, 1872, 178.— Mepk., U. S. Geol. Snrv. 



Ter. 1872, 683 (Utah).- Hold., Pr. Best. Soc. 1872, 201 (\Vvoming).-CoUES, 



Key, 1872, 149.— Snow, B. Kaiis. 1873, 8.— B. B. & R., N. A.'B. ii, 1874, pi. 30, 



f. 11, 12. 

 Fasserina amocna, Gray, Hand-list, 1870, ii, 97, No. 7436. 



Hah. — United States, from the Plains to the Pacilic; southward into Mexico. No 

 Central American record. 



List of Specimens. 



Lieutenant Warren. s Expeditions.— b'i9o-9S, Fort Lookout; 5399, Fort Pierre; 8948, 

 Laramie Peak. 

 Later Expeditions.— Qimi to 61712, Ogdeu, Utah; 62324, Idaho. 



The prettily-colored and delicate little Lazuli Finch is found to be 

 common in most suitable places witliiu its range, where it entirely 

 replaces its Eastern allv, the [ndigo-bird. It breeds at large, appar- 

 ently, in the i)ortions of the United States just indicated, but i[s winter 

 resorts are not so clear; at least I do not find among the works at hand 

 any such satisfactory indications as I could desire. 



I do not agree with some who say that the song of the Lnzuli Finch 

 is entirely different from tliat of the Indigo-bird; on the contr;iry, to 

 my ear at least, it has sounded very siniiUu". It is a simple and eveu 

 feeble strain, rather monotonous, and given in a tripping, desultory 

 way, as if the little performer were tired or indifierent. At such a 

 time he is usually observed on some prouiinent outpost, near a grove, 

 or in an open place overgrown with shrubbery; and if we see him 

 frequently resorting to the same perch, meanwhile fl.ving into the low 

 cover at intervals, we may be sure his ho^jie and mate are there con- 

 cealed. The first batch of eggs are laid early in May, in a grassy, bair- 

 lined nest of considerable bulk, let down in the crotch of a low bush, 

 much like that ot the JilacU throated Finch {Foozpiza oilincata); the 

 eggs are three to five in number. An excellent description has been 

 given by Dr. Cooper: "A nest found May 7, in a low bush close to a 

 public road, about three feet from the ground, was built very strongly 

 supporteel by a trijde fork of the branch, composed of grass-blades 

 iirndy interwoven, the inside lined with much horse-hair aud cobweb. 

 The outside measured three inches in height, three and three fourths in 



