FRINGILLID.E — THE FINCHES— COTURNICULUS. IgQ 



Coturniculus passerinus, Wilson. 



THE YELLOW-WINGED SPARKOW. 



Frinr/illa jMsscrina, Wilson, Am. Uni. HI. 1811, 7C ; pi. xxvi. f. 5. — Cotiirninihis passerinus, 

 Bonaparte, List, 1838. — Baird, P. R. Rep. IX. Birds, 4.50. — Heebmann, X. 49. — 

 Kenneely, X. vi. 28. — Emberizii passerinus, AvDVDOn, Syn. 1839. In. Birds Amer. 

 III. 73; pi. 1G2. 



FrimjiUa snmnarum, " Gmehn," Nuttall, Man. I. 1832, 494, 2d cd. I. 1840, 570. 



Sp. CiiAU. Ujjpoi- parts brownish-rufbus, margined narrowly and abruptly with ash- 

 color ; reddest on the lower part oi' back and rump ; the J'eathcrs all abruptly black in the 

 central portion ; this color visible on the interscapular region, where the rufous is more 

 restricted. Crown blackish, with a central and superciliary stripe of yellowish tinged 

 with brown, brightest in front of the eye. Bend of wing bright yellow, lesser coverts 



tinged with greenish-yellow Quills and tail feathers edged with whitish ; tcrtiaries much 

 variegated. Beneath, brownish yellow, nearly white on the njiddle of the belly. Feath- 

 ers of the upper breast and sides of body with obsoletely darker centres. Length about 

 5.00; extent, 8 25; wing, 2 50; tail, 2.00. Iris brown; bill slate-color, reddish below; 

 feet brown. Young streaked below. 



Hab. Eastern United States to Central Plains, valleys of Gila and Colorado, Cali- 

 fornia. 



Nuttall mentions this bird as an inhabitant of " Oregon," but later collec- 

 tors have not found it west of tlie Eouky Mountains, with the exception of 

 Dr. Kennerly, wlio obtained one at Williams Fork of tlie Colorado, in Feb- 

 ruary. He remarks that they were in some places quite numerous, going in 

 flocks of five or six or more. I did not obtain or see the bird at Fort ]Mo- 

 jave. It is known only as a summer visitor east of the Eocky Mountains, 

 reaching Pennsylvania after tlie middle of May, and singing from trees in 

 gardens, etc., somewhat like tlie jiurple finch, though less vigorously. Their 

 nest is fixed on the ground among grass, composed of loose dry herbage, 



