FRINGILLID^ — THE FINCHES — LEUCOSTICTE. Ig] 



Leucosticte griseinucha, Brandt. 



THE GRAY-EAEED FINCH. 



Passer arrfous, var. Pallas, Zoog. Rosso-Asiat. II. 1831, 2,3. 



Frinijith [Linoriu) griseinuclia, Brandt, Bull. Acad. St. Pet. Nov. 1844, 36. — ifontifringilla 

 (Leucoslicte) rjriseinwhn, Bon. ami SciiL. Mon. Loxicns, IS.'iO, 35 ; pi. 41. — Leucosticte 

 griseinucha, Baird, Birds N. Amer. 430. — Kittlitz, Dcnkwiirdig. I. 1858, 291 (Nest- 

 ing). — Leucosticte griseigeni/s, Gould, Pr. Zool. Soc. 1843, July 25, 104. Ib. Voy. 

 Sulphur, 42 ; pi. xxiii. 



Sp. Cii.iii. General color d.irk brownisli-chooolate anteriorly, the feathers of the liack 

 rather darker in the centre, and with paler edges. Forehead and crown black ; rest of 

 head, including the cheeks and ear,*, of a rather silvery gray; throat blackish, shading 

 off insensibly into tlie chocohite of breast. Feathers of abdomen (and under part of 

 breast to a less degree), flanks, and crissum, with the rump and upper tail coverts and 

 lesser middle wing coverts tipped with dark pomegranate or rose-red, allowing more or less 



of their dusky bases to be visible, especially above, where there is an appearance of bars. 

 Wing and tail feathers brown, nearly all, including the greater wing coverts, edged with 

 pale yellowi.sh-gray, with only a faint tinge of rose. Bill dusky, darkest at tip. Legs 

 black. Total length, 7.50 ; wing, 4.80 ; tail, 3.50 ; exposed portion of first primary, 3.50. 

 Bill : length from forehead, 0.69 ; from nostril, 0.42. Legs : tarsus, 0.95 ; middle toe and 

 claw, 0.92 ; claw alone, 0.35 ; hind toe and claw, 0.69 ; claw alone, 0.38. 

 Hab. Aleutian Islands. (St. George's and Aonalaska.) 



Thi.s is considerably tlie largest of the American species of Zcnrosfidc, and 

 has the longest bill. It also has the chocolate and rose colors darker, and 

 the rose extending farther forward on the breast than in other species. It 

 could only be confounded with C. littoralis as to color, both having the head 

 above and on the sides ashy, covering the whole ear coverts ; but the dusky 

 patcli in the crown is more extended, the gray ash of chin more restricted, 

 and the throat darker. The rose of the alidomen extends over on to the 

 breast, and the tints are different. 



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